BMW/Castrol 10W-60, 4500 miles, 2008 Z4 M Coupe

[JoeFromPA]

Pete, I don't understand what you are asking: it's fine to use a good dino oil in a BMW engine. The main detriment to dino is a lesser viscosity spread and usually significantly lower TBN. Doesn't mean they can't be run safely in an N/A BMW engine with confidence. Joe

 

[Quattro Pete]

 Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA

Pete, I don't understand what you are asking

I was asking AJ which dino oil Terry recommends for a new BMW. As it turns out, Terry only recommended it for ARX phase.

 

[SilverC6]

Stay with the BMW Castrol. It's expensive but worth it in your M series. You don't want to trust that engine to Pepboys Peak 5W-20. My '06 525i works with the dealer Castrol, M1 0W-40 euro, or GC. I need the LL01 stuff to help me sleep at night. I do keep a copy of the extended warranty and maintence plan under my pillow.

 

[Audi Junkie]

 Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA

Pete, I don't understand what you are asking: it's fine to use a good dino oil in a BMW engine. The main detriment to dino is a lesser viscosity spread and usually significantly lower TBN. Doesn't mean they can't be run safely in an N/A BMW engine with confidence. Joe

Joe, I did some comparisons of 10w-40 and 15w-40 "dino" oils to the BMW Castrol LL-01. As you know the visc and HT/HS are slightly higher in the dino oils, the TBN is actually the same. Sulphated ash, and other comtaminates are the same too.The only parameters which differ are mpg and cold cranking.I even found that European Castrol GTX 10w-40 "Mineral" carries the A3 spec, making it totally suitable. At reduced OC there is no good reasons not to use the dino oil, as intended. Despite all the static, nobody has articulated a coherent reason not to use it, just repeating the fact the mfg "specs" their oil for warranty-length ocis and mpg reasons. Nobody has thanked me for my effort either.