BMW LL04 and LL12FE in Australia with high sulphur content in fuel?

[SR5]

Before I decided to try the 25W50 in my SBC I was surprised to find the rated temperature range for this oil was from -15 oC.
I will never start at a lower temperature than 15 o C, so it's well above the rated range.
This is a special application, so probably outside the discussion here but is a bit relevant when a 25W is considered good for 'mild' winters.

Exactly 25W50 according to the J300 viscosity tables can pump down to -15C and can crank down to -10C. That makes it a suitable winter oil for me. Not that I would. But it makes my 15W40 seem like a walk in the park for cold starting.

Was that 25W50 you referred to Castrol Edge? That's only one that I know of. I assume you have a worked V8.

Edit: Don't worry I see you answered my question earlier


" I use the 25W oil in a race 355 SBC I blue printed myself. It has bearing clearances and oil pump to suit, and I drilled the lifter galley plugs 30 thou for timing chain squirters to quickly bleed the oil gallery of air pockets.

I use Castrol Edge 25W50 for the valvetrain, which is stout."

 

[Retirednow]

20 year old BMW’s sold in the tropics in Australia had LL01 spec 0W-40 from the factory and that’s what the dealers mandated. My 20 year old Falcon factory 5W-30, I run 0W-30 with a litre of 5W-20 cleaner. 0W-20 and 0W-16 oils are common here. Oh and I went from 25W-70 in my turbo 2.2 Mazda to 0W-40. Reading multiple UOA’s gives one an excellent education.

 

[LordNilesStandish]

Exactly 25W50 according to the J300 viscosity tables can pump down to -15C and can crank down to -10C. That makes it a suitable winter oil for me. Not that I would. But it makes my 15W40 seem like a walk in the park for cold starting.

Was that 25W50 you referred to Castrol Edge? That's only one that I know of. I assume you have a worked V8.

Edit: Don't worry I see you answered my question earlier


" I use the 25W oil in a race 355 SBC I blue printed myself. It has bearing clearances and oil pump to suit, and I drilled the lifter galley plugs 30 thou for timing chain squirters to quickly bleed the oil gallery of air pockets.

I use Castrol Edge 25W50 for the valvetrain, which is stout."

Yes really puts the 10W and 15W into perspective.
I was going to run Penrite 10 Tenths 15W/50 but it now only comes in 5L and 20L. They discontinued the 1L bottles. With a 6 L sump this didn't work for me.
That's when I stumbled across the Castrol Edge 25W50. It's more oil than I need but I do have a lot of needle rollers and stiff springs and it doesn't have any VII.
I think the HTHS is about 6.3. Pretty strong...

 

[LordNilesStandish]

20 year old BMW’s sold in the tropics in Australia had LL01 spec 0W-40 from the factory and that’s what the dealers mandated. My 20 year old Falcon factory 5W-30, I run 0W-30 with a litre of 5W-20 cleaner. 0W-20 and 0W-16 oils are common here. Oh and I went from 25W-70 in my turbo 2.2 Mazda to 0W-40. Reading multiple UOA’s gives one an excellent education.

Mandate? Dan Andrews is that you?

But seriously, I run 0W40 in my beemer in sub tropics but just drained out 10W40. Can't really tell any difference except its now a tad noisier.

Only time I saw 0W20 and 0W16 was at Autobarn with clearance stickers.

 

[SR5]

That's when I stumbled across the Castrol Edge 25W50. It's more oil than I need but I do have a lot of needle rollers and stiff springs and it doesn't have any VII.
I think the HTHS is about 6.3. Pretty strong...

Yes, I've heard before that the Edge 25W50 is actually a monograde. That makes it very strong stuff.
It used to be a mineral, but now they say it's part synthetic.

 

[LordNilesStandish]

Yes, I've heard before that the Edge 25W50 is actually a monograde. That makes it very strong stuff.
It used to be a mineral, but now they say it's part synthetic.

I'm thinking 15W40 and 25W40 use none, or very little VII, making strong cheap oil.

 

[tvaughn]

20 year old BMW’s sold in the tropics in Australia had LL01 spec 0W-40 from the factory and that’s what the dealers mandated. My 20 year old Falcon factory 5W-30, I run 0W-30 with a litre of 5W-20 cleaner. 0W-20 and 0W-16 oils are common here. Oh and I went from 25W-70 in my turbo 2.2 Mazda to 0W-40. Reading multiple UOA’s gives one an excellent education.

I never knew there was anything above 60 weight. Back in the day, it was common to run 20w50 in German cars here in CA- I can remember the stacks of Chevron 20w50 at my friend's Dad's BMW repair shop, think M10/M20/M30 engines for people familiar with BMW's.

 

[Retirednow]

Mandate? Dan Andrews is that you?

But seriously, I run 0W40 in my beemer in sub tropics but just drained out 10W40. Can't really tell any difference except its now a tad noisier.

Only time I saw 0W20 and 0W16 was at Autobarn with clearance stickers.

0W-20 in every shop. Suzuki Swift Sport OEM viscosity.

 

[LordNilesStandish]

Suzuki Swift Sport

Your dead to me

 

[YZJB]

0W-20 in every shop. Suzuki Swift Sport OEM viscosity.

 

[Retirednow]

Your dead to me

Ex wife’s

 

[Retirednow]

View attachment 230982

That’s Castrol. Owners manual, Penrite, Shell, Mobil etc all say 0W-20.

 

[Kalle.J]

Does it?
Didn't know A3/B4, A5/B5 came in 0W20, thanks now I know.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Does it?
Didn't know A3/B4, A5/B5 came in 0W20, thanks now I know.

View attachment 230987

Nitpicking but A3/B4 can't come in 20 grade. The manual it just showing you that you can use any 20, 30, or 40 grade you want. It's showing you the relevant ACEA categories for each grade (ex, A3/B4 A3/B3 are only 30 or 40). ACEA categories are divided by HTHS and emissions compatibility.

https://www.acea.auto/files/2023_ACEA_oil_sequences_light-duty_engines.pdf

 

[Kalle.J]

Nitpicking but A3/B4 can't come in 20 grade. The manual it just showing you that you can use any 20, 30, or 40 grade you want. It's showing you the relevant ACEA categories for each grade (ex, A3/B4 A3/B3 are only 30 or 40)

Ohh I'm fully aware of that
Retirednow probably not.

 

[Retirednow]

Well aware as I should as I’ve been doing this for four decades. I think Suzuki, Mobil, Shell etc all know the correct oil for a 2014 Swift Sport 1.6 CVT.

 

[YZJB]

Well aware as I should as I’ve been doing this for four decades. I think Suzuki, Mobil, Shell etc all know the correct oil for a 2014 Swift Sport 1.6 CVT.

Valvoline says 5W-30 or 10W-30
Penrite says 0W-20 or 5W-20 or 5W-30
Mobil says 0W-20 or 5W-30
Castrol says 5W-30 or 10W-30

 

[kschachn]

And to add, there is no such thing as a "correct" oil, there are acceptable ones based on different objectives and outcomes.

 

[Retirednow]

q

Valvoline says 5W-30 or 10W-30
Penrite says 0W-20 or 5W-20 or 5W-30
Mobil says 0W-20 or 5W-30
Castrol says 5W-30 or 10W-30

And owners manual 0W-20. Nulon also 0W-20 from memory, but their lube tech has been down for a while.

 

[Retirednow]

And to add, there is no such thing as a "correct" oil, there are acceptable ones based on different objectives and outcomes.

And to add, there is no such thing as a "correct" oil, there are acceptable ones based on different objectives and outcomes.

After spending two decades here I agree. I’ve gone from running as thick as possible to around OEM hot viscosity, but thinner cold start viscosity. Now to find a Mid SAPS 0W-40 for the S3.