BMW M54B30 - Does it NEED a Euro-rated oil?

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I'm sure I will get yelled at, but the search function just isn't getting me the answer I am looking for:

Asking for a friend: New to the friend is a 2002 BMW 330i with the M54B30 inline 6 with about 130,000 miles. This vehicle is in the US, and has lived its whole life below the rust belt. It has always run XW-30 oil. This vehicle is now moving to the great frozen north where it will become a daily driver (at least while its running). So, here is my question:

Is the BMW LL rating a requirement? Is a EURO rated oil a requirement? What are pros and cons all that? And, what weight would you use? I've read some up it to XW-40.
 
I'm sure I will get yelled at, but the search function just isn't getting me the answer I am looking for:

Asking for a friend: New to the friend is a 2002 BMW 330i with the M54B30 inline 6 with about 130,000 miles. This vehicle is in the US, and has lived its whole life below the rust belt. It has always run XW-30 oil. This vehicle is now moving to the great frozen north where it will become a daily driver (at least while its running). So, here is my question:

Is the BMW LL rating a requirement? Is a EURO rated oil a requirement? What are pros and cons all that? And, what weight would you use? I've read some up it to XW-40.
Yes.

I'd run M1 FS 0w-40 or Castrol 0w-40, even though the 0w-40's aren't officially LL-01 anymore, they were for like 2 decades and are perfectly suitable for that engine.
 
I'm sure I will get yelled at, but the search function just isn't getting me the answer I am looking for:

Asking for a friend: New to the friend is a 2002 BMW 330i with the M54B30 inline 6 with about 130,000 miles. This vehicle is in the US, and has lived its whole life below the rust belt. It has always run XW-30 oil. This vehicle is now moving to the great frozen north where it will become a daily driver (at least while its running). So, here is my question:

Is the BMW LL rating a requirement? Is a EURO rated oil a requirement? What are pros and cons all that? And, what weight would you use? I've read some up it to XW-40.

In my opinion it doesn't need an LL-01 oil if you shorten the drain intervals. It does need a minimum of a 3.5 HTHS. That is likely going to require a 0W30 or 5W-30 Euro or a 40 grade. I unlike many am unperturbed by the thought of using a 0W-40 after BMW no longer accepts 0W oils as long as warranty is a non-issue.
 
In my opinion it doesn't need an LL-01 oil if you shorten the drain intervals. It does need a minimum of a 3.5 HTHS.
this, except you can keep the drain intervals BMW’ has always been conservative. any A40 or 229.5 is a 18.5/20k mile oil period.

american ilsac/dexos1 is just kneecapping yourself so why even bother
 
How far north? If it's Canada, this is your best bet. $29Cdn dollarettes is the sale price every month or two.

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I personally own an newer n52 which in eu was specced for ll05w30. in the us it was ll01 5w40.
For the M54 i would also use 5w40 with 3.5> hths A3 B4 gasoline spec oil. The eu ll04 was C3 spec and more focused on being compatible in the diesels as wel.

All the oils i always used in my bmw where also always mb229.5 approved. A lot more oils are MB approved then bmw so maybe that makes your search a little easier.

I have used Shell (penzoil) in my car with good results over 60k miles. Yesterday i switched it to Fuchs although that me be harder to get in the states. In eu its relatively inexpensive to get.

If he does a lot of short commuting or slow driving/cold temperatures keep an eye on sludge in the cylinder head. (like all cars) And if needed shorten the OCI's to fit that.
 
The M54 was spec'd for a HTHS of 3.5 or higher (ACEA A3/B4). You could probably get away with using any 5w30/5w40 which as ACEA A3/B4 on the bottle and it will perform as well or better than an circa 2000 oil which had BMW LL01.

Alternatives might be Mercedes Benz 229.50, Porsche A40, VW 502 and perhaps ACEA C3 oils like Mercedes Benz 229.51, VW 504/511, Porsche C30/C40
 
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Can you clarify, was that xw30 oil typically a Euro oil? (Euro oils do come in xW30 as well as xw40).
Sorry for my delay. I missed your question. According to all service records, the garage the owner used made oil changes using Castrol Edge A3/B4 5w-30. OCIs were in the 6k - 9k mile range.
 
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I'm wondering when it's appropriate to switch from xW-30 to xW-40? Is there a reason to make that switch? I live in New England, and we do get many days below freezing, and occasionally into the single digits Fahrenheit.

(BTW - The BMW is now mine. It's sitting in my driveway while I jump thru the hoops to register and inspect it)
 
I'm wondering when it's appropriate to switch from xW-30 to xW-40? Is there a reason to make that switch? I live in New England, and we do get many days below freezing, and occasionally into the single digits Fahrenheit.
It’s determined by the winter rating which is the part you skipped in your example above. An oil with a 5W winter rating is usable down to about -30 and a 0W for starting temperatures below that.

The other thing is that as noted in the post above yours, if you’re using an oil with a manufacturer approval or ACEA sequence the grade is going to be largely irrelevant. The approval will specify a minimum HT/HS. A -30 or a -40 is mostly in an acronism at that point. So with an approved oil there is no point.
 
According to all service records, the garage the owner used made oil changes using Castrol Edge A3/B4 5w-30. OCIs were in the 6k - 9k mile range.
Castrol Edge 5W30 A3/B4 is an excellent Euro rated oil, over here it's

INDUSTRY SPECIFICATIONS:​

  • ACEA A3/B4
  • API SL/CF
  • BMW Longlife-01
  • MB-Approval 229.3 / 229.5
  • VW 502 00 / 505 00

Note the SL is due to elevated Phos/Zinc levels (~ 1000 ppm Zn) which force a 30 grade to be SL, but if it was a 40 grade it could be SN or SP.

A 5Wx oil is good down to -30C ( -22F), I would just keep using the Edge 5W30 A3/B4 if you can. It has a TBN of 10 or more, a HTHS of 3.5cP or above, and a Noack of 10% or less.
 
I'm wondering when it's appropriate to switch from xW-30 to xW-40? Is there a reason to make that switch? I live in New England, and we do get many days below freezing, and occasionally into the single digits Fahrenheit.

(BTW - The BMW is now mine. It's sitting in my driveway while I jump thru the hoops to register and inspect it)
I wouldn't worry about LL-01 spec UNLESS you are doing extended drain intervals. Any oil with the Porsche A40 spec will work well in your BMW. I currently have Valvoline Euro 5w40 in mine, but have also used Castrol 0w40 and Liqui-Moly 5w40, no issues living in New England.
 
Any harm in running Pennzoil A5/B5, A1/B1, like PP FS 5W-30? Could I use this up (I have 36 quarts) and just shorten the OCI?
 
Older BMW I’d want to be in the 40-weight range for viscosity.
If you want to use up the oil you have I’d blend it so you end up in the high-30/low 40 viscosity range.
If you are ‘starting fresh’, can’t go wrong with M1 0W-40
 
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