I needed to go over to one of the BMW forums to do a search, and ran across a service bulletin they had posted about connecting rod bearing replacement in certain engines. I browsed over it, and saw they instructed the technicians to coat the new bearings in 10w60 motor oil. I thought they might just use that weight of oil when assembling parts, but then after reading some more they specified that the crank case be filled with 10w60 oil after the repair was finished. If I remember correctly the bulletin said to use Castrol. Does anyone have any info on this 10w60 Castrol oil? I have never heard of it before.
BMW specifies 10w60 oil?!?!
- Thread starter Fastzntn
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Hunter, the bulletin I read was pertaining to this. I remember soon after the 333 hp M3 came out many people were complaining about popping motors. Apparently BMW identified the connecting rod bearings as the culprit.
Really the information I was looking for was opinions on whether anyone was using this oil on here, whether they thought it would be good for use in other makes of vehicles other than BMW's. But apparently no one on here is bothering with the Castrol 10w60, which leads me to believe that it really isn't anything special. I guess I'm weird but I'm always on the lookout for a different oil to use in my vehicles that will help it run longer/better.
Really the information I was looking for was opinions on whether anyone was using this oil on here, whether they thought it would be good for use in other makes of vehicles other than BMW's. But apparently no one on here is bothering with the Castrol 10w60, which leads me to believe that it really isn't anything special. I guess I'm weird but I'm always on the lookout for a different oil to use in my vehicles that will help it run longer/better.
Castrol TWS 10w-60 is a top-of-the-line oil in Europe. It's commonly used in motorsports and high performance turbocharged engines. My mothers Volvo V40 T4 (2 liter turbo) runs on this oil - that's what the dealer recommends.
Fastzntn
Castrol TWS Motorsport 10w-60 is a specially formulated oil that Castrol supposedly makes under contract to BMW, although Porsche, VW and a couple of other makes also have approved it for their vehicles. The folklore is that BMW Motorsport, the company's racing division, had Castrol develop a racing motor oil for its sedan racing programs, and so it bears the "Motorsport" name. For a while, Castrol sold the identical oil as "Castrol Racing Syntec 10w-60", but in 2001, they changed the Syntec formulation so that the two 10w-60 oils are no longer the same product. Some BMW production cars use TWS, and it's regular stock at BMW dealer parts counters around the world.
It's certifications are: ACEA A3/B4, API SJ/CF and VW 501.01 and 505.00 (note - NO BMW LL98 or LL01!). There is very little published information on the oil, although I have two datasheets that put the HTHS between 5.6 and 5.8.
If you go to the message board at "www.m5board.com" and search for "TWS", you'll find a lot of information. TWS Motorsport is the required oil for the E46 M3 (current) and the E39 M5 produced up to the end of February 2000. It is optional for the E39 M5 manufactured after March 2000 to the end of production in 2003. It is also the required oil for "Formula BMW" racing series and it's the specified oil for the BMW M3 GTR (4 litre V8) in the FIA GT series. It's factory approved by ZF for the S6-40 six-speed transmission used in the C4 series Corvette.
BMW doesn't distinguish between summer and winter with this oil, but I only use it in the summer, switching to the lighter BMW HPSO 5w-30 for the colder months.
I hope this helps you decide if you want to give it a try.
Cheers
JJ
Castrol TWS Motorsport 10w-60 is a specially formulated oil that Castrol supposedly makes under contract to BMW, although Porsche, VW and a couple of other makes also have approved it for their vehicles. The folklore is that BMW Motorsport, the company's racing division, had Castrol develop a racing motor oil for its sedan racing programs, and so it bears the "Motorsport" name. For a while, Castrol sold the identical oil as "Castrol Racing Syntec 10w-60", but in 2001, they changed the Syntec formulation so that the two 10w-60 oils are no longer the same product. Some BMW production cars use TWS, and it's regular stock at BMW dealer parts counters around the world.
It's certifications are: ACEA A3/B4, API SJ/CF and VW 501.01 and 505.00 (note - NO BMW LL98 or LL01!). There is very little published information on the oil, although I have two datasheets that put the HTHS between 5.6 and 5.8.
If you go to the message board at "www.m5board.com" and search for "TWS", you'll find a lot of information. TWS Motorsport is the required oil for the E46 M3 (current) and the E39 M5 produced up to the end of February 2000. It is optional for the E39 M5 manufactured after March 2000 to the end of production in 2003. It is also the required oil for "Formula BMW" racing series and it's the specified oil for the BMW M3 GTR (4 litre V8) in the FIA GT series. It's factory approved by ZF for the S6-40 six-speed transmission used in the C4 series Corvette.
BMW doesn't distinguish between summer and winter with this oil, but I only use it in the summer, switching to the lighter BMW HPSO 5w-30 for the colder months.
I hope this helps you decide if you want to give it a try.
Cheers
JJ
Thanks JJ! I have a 1995 Camaro that I am in the process of rebuilding. I did some modifications beforehand, and got about 415 hp out of the engine, and after the rebuild I will have more power due to a better/bigger camshaft, better flowing heads, etc. Like I said earlier, I am always looking for a better oil out there to use. Perhaps this oil might work well for me in the new motor.
I'll go search on the BMW site you suggested, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
I'll go search on the BMW site you suggested, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Yes, I have used it...and you should be able to find info. on it from searches here.
There is a TWS and an R 10-60. They are apparently the same product. It is a Euro. product and spec'd for M BMW's. Excellent oil. I have used it in my `94 850. Expensive at $16-18/L...a little overkill if you ask me for the average car.
There is a TWS and an R 10-60. They are apparently the same product. It is a Euro. product and spec'd for M BMW's. Excellent oil. I have used it in my `94 850. Expensive at $16-18/L...a little overkill if you ask me for the average car.
FYI, here are the specs from the Polish Castrol site. Some data missing though. And who knows, maybe the RS is just a newer version of TWS.
A 10W-60 that has a pour point at -57C?
Hard to believe-thats -70F
Yeah, that's most likely a mistake. This pdf I found on another site says -42C:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/TechSpecs/CastrolRS10w-60.pdf
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/TechSpecs/CastrolRS10w-60.pdf
Relative Density at 15ºC g/cm3 0.85
Viscosity at 40ºC mm2/s 159.0
Viscosity at 100ºC mm2/s 22.7
Viscosity Index 170
CCS -35ºC mPa.s 4200
Total Base Number mgKOH/g 11.03
Flash Point (PMCC) 0C 208
Pour Point 0C -42
HTHS CEC L-36-A-90 cP 3.7
[ November 30, 2004, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: hungdynasty ]
Viscosity at 40ºC mm2/s 159.0
Viscosity at 100ºC mm2/s 22.7
Viscosity Index 170
CCS -35ºC mPa.s 4200
Total Base Number mgKOH/g 11.03
Flash Point (PMCC) 0C 208
Pour Point 0C -42
HTHS CEC L-36-A-90 cP 3.7
[ November 30, 2004, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: hungdynasty ]
Is the heavy oil being used in an attempt to offset inadequate bearing area for the HP ?
When I use to ride a Yamaha RD400 a friend had a HD Sportster. One trip that we made was up 395 in California, which gets warm in August. The dealer said that he needed 60 weight oil at a minimum so he changed it. It got down to freezing at night as we camped below Mt Whitney at 8000 ft as I recall, and after three days when we started the bikes he couldn't kick it over, even when standing on the kickstarter. An hour next to the fire let him get it started :^)
When I use to ride a Yamaha RD400 a friend had a HD Sportster. One trip that we made was up 395 in California, which gets warm in August. The dealer said that he needed 60 weight oil at a minimum so he changed it. It got down to freezing at night as we camped below Mt Whitney at 8000 ft as I recall, and after three days when we started the bikes he couldn't kick it over, even when standing on the kickstarter. An hour next to the fire let him get it started :^)
Yes that is the correct wieght for the M3 motors. I had an 02 M3 convertible. BMW replaced the motor at 16k miles. They had a recall on the bearings. My car was not giving any symptoms at all. The tech looked at the bearings and was not too thrilled, so he replaced the entire engine assembly. I have since sold the car. From what I have heard that oil is very very good.
Here's whats on the TWS (NOT RS) datasheet that I have dated 2000:
Flame point: 240 deg C
Pour point: -54 deg C
Density - 849.6 kg/m^3
Visc 40 deg C - 159.4 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
Visc 100 deg C - 22.8 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
Visc 150 deg C - 5.7 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
CCS -20 deg C - 3300 mPa s
TBN - 8.6
VI - 171
Chlorine - 30 ppm
Phosphorus - 0.1 - (can't translate units)
I believe this data sheet is a Castrol sheet but it's not attributed. I have a newer Danish Castrol datasheet for TWS which is substantially the same, but isn't as comprehensive (although the reported pour point is -63 degrees C - that's REALLY cold).
The low temperature characteristics are not the same as RS - RS has a higher pour point by quite a margin.
BMW is quite specific in their Service Bulletin for oil dated October 2001 that TWS and RS are different. They WERE the same at one time (I have an empty RS 10w-60 bottle in my garage with a BMW part number sticker on it) BUT they are not the same NOW. I've read that one of BMW's criteria for TWS is low chlorine content to protect the filter media, but that may just be part of the folklore.
Cheers
JJ
[ December 01, 2004, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: jaj ]
Flame point: 240 deg C
Pour point: -54 deg C
Density - 849.6 kg/m^3
Visc 40 deg C - 159.4 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
Visc 100 deg C - 22.8 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
Visc 150 deg C - 5.7 mm^2/sec DIN 51562
CCS -20 deg C - 3300 mPa s
TBN - 8.6
VI - 171
Chlorine - 30 ppm
Phosphorus - 0.1 - (can't translate units)
I believe this data sheet is a Castrol sheet but it's not attributed. I have a newer Danish Castrol datasheet for TWS which is substantially the same, but isn't as comprehensive (although the reported pour point is -63 degrees C - that's REALLY cold).
The low temperature characteristics are not the same as RS - RS has a higher pour point by quite a margin.
BMW is quite specific in their Service Bulletin for oil dated October 2001 that TWS and RS are different. They WERE the same at one time (I have an empty RS 10w-60 bottle in my garage with a BMW part number sticker on it) BUT they are not the same NOW. I've read that one of BMW's criteria for TWS is low chlorine content to protect the filter media, but that may just be part of the folklore.
Cheers
JJ
[ December 01, 2004, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: jaj ]
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