BMW Vs Motul

[wjhughes420384]

Okay, I read the motor oil 101, here is my question
BMW recommends a 5W30 API SM, Motul on their Website recommends a 5W40. Given everything I read in the Motor oil 101 the 5W30 should be the better oil to use. I would think Motul was smart enough, why would they recommend a 5W 40??

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

worldwide BMW recommends 0w/5w-30 or 40 for most models. It really comes down to product placement and consumer demand with Motul's decision to market a LL04 BMW oil in 5w40. For the record Castrol europe sells a bottle labeled LL04 in a 0w30 weight.

 

[FowVay]

Where precisely does BMW recommend API SM?

 

[fdcg27]

BMW does not recommend an API SM 5W-30.
BMW recommends oils meeting LL-98 or LL-01 for its gas engines.
I don't think any API SM 5W-30 can meet either of these certs.
BMW sells a Castrol 5W-30 under its own name, but it isn't an API SM oil.
Most of the oils that meet BMW, VW or Mercedes certs are forty grades.
The thirty grades meeting German manufacturer's certs are at the thick end of that viscosity range, and all have HTHS of at least 3.5, compared with 3.1 or so for an API SM thirty grade.

 

[wjhughes420384]

I may have answered my own question.

On the Motul website they say the 8100 X-clean 5W30 meets the BMW LL-04 spec, but should only be used in European Union Countries. In the X-cess line they don't have a 5W30.

So my guess is that they recommend the 5W40 because they don't have anything else.

 

[JHZR2]

LL-04 is irrelevant for US gas engines due to inability to retain TBN given our gas sulfur content.

 

[wjhughes420384]

FowVay asked where BMW recommends SM
go here
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/syntheticengineoils.aspx

the specific oils they recommend on their website are

Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30
Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30

They do mention the LL01 requirement but go on to say it
Use only oils with an API rating of SM or higher.

So, is the Motul 5w40 good to go?

 

[fdcg27]

Uh,
GC is an API SL oil and the approved Synpower is not the same 5W-30 you can buy at Walmart, nor is the PP.
The M1 is the one widely available oil on this short list, and it is an API SN oil.
BMW's own 5W-30 "high performance Synthetic" is an API SL oil.
The "API SM" reference, while there, seems to be an irrelevant afterthought.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: wjhughes420384
FowVay asked where BMW recommends SM
go here
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/syntheticengineoils.aspx

the specific oils they recommend on their website are

Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30
Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30

They do mention the LL01 requirement but go on to say it
Use only oils with an API rating of SM or higher.

So, is the Motul 5w40 good to go?


My interpretation is that BMW would probably consider all the Long-life ratings as higher than SM with SL and lower falling into the "do not use that stuff" category. That would mean that if it's LL it wouldn't matter if it's also API SM because it's automatically "higher" as such. So then LL oil for an oil change, SM as good enough for top off or a short oil change interval, and anything else as do not use unless the alternative is low oil pressure.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: wjhughes420384

the specific oils they recommend on their website are

Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30
Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30

They do mention the LL01 requirement but go on to say it
Use only oils with an API rating of SM or higher.

So, is the Motul 5w40 good to go?

Those oils are a good choice but all are heavier than the spec' BMW 5W-30 in service. If I had to choose one of that four it would be PP Euro 5W-30 for it's high 179 VI. There are other 30wt oils available in the States from TotaL and Liqui-Moly that I like as well.

You haven't said what BMW it's for or how you use it, but for most NA and non M series vehicles I wouldn't choose the Motul 5W-40 as it is heavier than necessary.

Frankly, outside of warranty, if you're not pushing the OCI any 0W/5W-30 synthetic oil will work just fine.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: wjhughes420384

So, is the Motul 5w40 good to go?

Which Motul 5w-40? I think there are several different ones. As long as it meets BMW LL-01 spec, it's good to go.

 

[wjhughes420384]

i have a 2009 BMW 750Li. I drive it agressively on occasion. lots of highway mileage, however whe ni get on a back road, i gotta play

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: wjhughes420384
i have a 2009 BMW 750Li. I drive it agressively on occasion. lots of highway mileage, however whe ni get on a back road, i gotta play

That's good to hear, but the only way to drive fast in the States to raise your oil temp's to the point where something heavier than the lightest 30wt oil available could be required would be if you tracked your car.

There are no LL-01 ester based 30wt oils.
I'd go with either the BMW 5W-30, PP Euro 5W-30 or Lubro-Moly LL 5W-30. At least you're not running an excessively heavy oil.

 

[Fyrb4ll]

Originally Posted By: wjhughes420384
FowVay asked where BMW recommends SM
go here
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/syntheticengineoils.aspx

the specific oils they recommend on their website are

Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30
Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30

They do mention the LL01 requirement but go on to say it
Use only oils with an API rating of SM or higher.

So, is the Motul 5w40 good to go?


OMG!! No 20W oils?

 

[WMSmotorhead]

Jeez... basically, you need to get a Euro car spec oil... Valvoline makes one... Mag1 Makes one... some of the others are listed above...