Castrol Edge 0W-40 vs. Motul 5W-40 vs. Red Line 0W-40 for Heavily Tuned BMW M5

[Emi]

I recently bought Castrol Edge 0W-40 and Motul 5W-40 for my BMW F10 M5. Both are ACEA A3/B4 and meet BMW LL-01 specifications.

Now, I'm considering Red Line High Performance 0W-40, which also meets A3/B4 and BMW LL-01, but is an ester-based oil. In Europe, Red Line is significantly more expensive than Castrol and Motul. However, if it's truly superior, I'm willing to pay the premium.

My M5 is heavily tuned with Pure turbochargers, among other upgrades, and produces 785 HP. Given this setup, would Red Line 0W-40 provide a meaningful advantage over Castrol Edge 0W-40 or Motul 5W-40 in terms of shear stability, high-temperature protection, and longevity?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[ceecbtg]

0w40: Castrol, Eni I-Sint, Elf/Total, Motul, Petronas or even Mobil1 ESP X3/X4
0w40+: Red Line, Amsoil, Ravenol, Meguin Megol
5w40+: Red Line, Amsoil, Ravenol, Meguin Megol

 

[chris719]

Use the Motul 5W-40, SHU 5W-40, or if the cost is not too much, Ravenol VST 5W-40 and change it as often as possible for S63. Red Line is fine, I would prefer the 5W-40 to the 0W-40. The M1 ESP X3/X4 are good oils but I would be picking oils with low VII % for such a setup as you have. Even a 5W-50 could be justifiable depending on temps and how you use it. These engines occasionally have rod bearing issues so I would want the highest HTHS possible.

 

[userfriendly]

15w50 M1

 

[Averroes]

Redline then Motul 300v series.

Also, consider HPL (should be first choice)

 

[f355spider]

Of the three choices, I believe the Redline European series 5w-40 has the highest HTHS at 4.4

 

[Emi]

Dear all,

I really appreciate the detailed and valuable advice you’ve shared regarding the oil choice for my tuned F10 M5. Your insights on shear stability, HTHS values, and high-temperature performance have been extremely helpful, especially given the stress my engine is under.

Based on your input and further analysis, I’ve come to the following conclusions:

1. Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40 is a better choice than Castrol Edge 0W-40.
   • Higher HTHS (3.7-3.9) and lower volatility provide better protection under load.
   • 5W-40 viscosity remains more stable at high temperatures, which is crucial for a heavily tuned engine.
   • This offers a solid balance between protection, BMW LL-01 approval, and cost.
2. If official approval is not a priority, Red Line 5W-40 offers even better protection.
   • HTHS of 4.4 means superior rod bearing wear protection.
   • Ester-based formulation ensures excellent film strength and extreme temperature stability.
   • However, it lacks BMW LL-01 approval and is significantly more expensive in Europe.
3. Motul 300V 5W-40 and Ravenol VST 5W-40 are also strong candidates.
   • Motul 300V 5W-40 delivers top-tier performance but has a shorter drain interval and no LL-01 approval.
   • Ravenol VST 5W-40 provides a good middle ground, with solid HTHS (4.0) and BMW LL-01 approval.

Based on all this, Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40 seems like a strong choice, unless I decide that Red Line 5W-40’s extra protection is worth the premium. The Castrol 0W-40 I bought I, I better use in another car.

Thanks again for all your input! If anyone has additional insights, I’d love to hear them.

Best regards,
Emi

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Redline also has the lowest NOACK

 

[Vercingetorix]

Castrol has an ugly bottle so don’t use it.

 

[tcp71]

depends what you are doing with the M5. If it's being wrung out regularly you might need an ester based fluid. If you are driving it normally and stuck in traffic, etc, any of the above will work just fine.

 

[f355spider]

If in Europe, have you considered Shell Ultra Helix 5w-40? It has BMW LL-01 approval and HTHS of around 3.8-3.9. I think someone claimed they saw a document that the latest version is 3.88?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I recently bought Castrol Edge 0W-40 and Motul 5W-40 for my BMW F10 M5. Both are ACEA A3/B4 and meet BMW LL-01 specifications.

View attachment 261620
Now, I'm considering Red Line High Performance 0W-40, which also meets A3/B4 and BMW LL-01, but is an ester-based oil. In Europe, Red Line is significantly more expensive than Castrol and Motul. However, if it's truly superior, I'm willing to pay the premium.

My M5 is heavily tuned with Pure turbochargers, among other upgrades, and produces 785 HP. Given this setup, would Red Line 0W-40 provide a meaningful advantage over Castrol Edge 0W-40 or Motul 5W-40 in terms of shear stability, high-temperature protection, and longevity?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Redline is a PAO/Ester product. Oil won't cure poor design choices and I don't know if any viscosity will prevent you from spinning bearings which appears to be common for your engine when tuned.

RL will typically have a comparatively higher hths and lower NOAK vs off the shelf oils. RL is more of a race oil so run for ~10k-15k km.

https://www.redlineoil.com/0w40-motor-oil

 

[FranklinJL]

Id run the Ravenol and call it a day.....change it every 5000. 5w40 VST.....Redline is good, but its a little on the thick side....
Ravenol HTHS 3.9
Redline HTHS 4.4

Oil wont be youre problem with that engine, make sure those injectors are good....and make sure its warmed up 100%.
Id try to keep it right at 700hp.....over that your asking for Tranny issues and spun bearings? Is your bottom end stock?

 

[Emi]

Redline is a PAO/Ester product. Oil won't cure poor design choices and I don't know if any viscosity will prevent you from spinning bearings which appears to be common for your engine when tuned.

RL will typically have a comparatively higher hths and lower NOAK vs off the shelf oils. RL is more of a race oil so run for ~10k-15k km.

Yes, RL is a race oil, though not to the same extent as Motul 300V, if I understand correctly. I change the oil every 5,000 km regardless.

Id run the Ravenol and call it a day.....change it every 5000. 5w40 VST.....Redline is good, but its a little on the thick side....
Ravenol HTHS 3.9
Redline HTHS 4.4

Oil wont be youre problem with that engine, make sure those injectors are good....and make sure its warmed up 100%.
Id try to keep it right at 700hp.....over that your asking for Tranny issues and spun bearings? Is your bottom end stock?

I've been looking into Ravenol 5W40 VST after seeing it mentioned in this thread, and it actually seems like a better choice than the Motul 8100 X-Cess 5W40 that I bought. There's a good chance I'll switch to Ravenol. It's widely available here in the Netherlands since it's made just across the border in Germany.

As for my bottom end, it's stock, but I replaced the rod bearings with stronger ones 20,000 km ago. The bearings that came out not too bad although not always the best oil was used (like BMW oil, Castrol). The clutch is handling extra pressure thanks to an xHP Stage 3 tune. The significantly higher pressure on the clutch plates allows them to cope much better with the increased torque and power.

 

[DerFahrer]

Yes, RL is a race oil, though not to the same extent as Motul 300V, if I understand correctly. I change the oil every 5,000 km regardless.



I've been looking into Ravenol 5W40 VST after seeing it mentioned in this thread, and it actually seems like a better choice than the Motul 8100 X-Cess 5W40 that I bought. There's a good chance I'll switch to Ravenol. It's widely available here in the Netherlands since it's made just across the border in Germany.

As for my bottom end, it's stock, but I replaced the rod bearings with stronger ones 20,000 km ago. The bearings that came out not too bad although not always the best oil was used (like BMW oil, Castrol). The clutch is handling extra pressure thanks to an xHP Stage 3 tune. The significantly higher pressure on the clutch plates allows them to cope much better with the increased torque and power.

Please define what are "stronger rod bearings". What were your clearances after you installed the rod caps? I assume you used plastiguage and checked the crank with a mic. As you stated your old bearings looked good with BMW oil and Castrol, here in America BMW oil is made by Castrol since 2021. It was formally made by Shell. @edyvw please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[edyvw]

Please define what are "stronger rod bearings". What were your clearances after you installed the rod caps? I assume you used plastiguage and checked the crank with a mic. As you stated your old bearings looked good with BMW oil and Castrol, here in America BMW oil is made by Castrol since 2021. It was formally made by Shell. @edyvw please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah it is Castrol since 21.

 

[svenson]

buy kroon oil.its made there,NV, its mediocre quality, and its cheaper. MPM oils too.