LL-01 vs LL-04 if you aren't following the OLM?

[OVERKILL]

I've been looking at two Fuchs oils lately:

1. TITAN Supersyn LONGLIFE 5w-40
ACEA A3/B4
API SN/SM/CF
Approvals*:
BMW LONGLIFE-01
MB-APPROVAL 229.5
PORSCHE A40
RENAULT RN0700/RN0710
VW 502 00/ 505 00

2. TITAN GT1 5w-40 w/XTL technology
ACEA C3
API SN/SM/CF
FORD M2C917-A
Approval*:
BMW LONGLIFE-04
MB-APPROVAL 229.31
PORSCHE A40
RENAULT RN0700/RN0710
VW 502 00/ 505 00/ 505 01


Both have the Porsche A40 approval.

Fuch's data sheets are almost as bad as Castrol's with respect to information, no mention of HTHS, NOACK....etc.

The XTL oil is supposed to be "better". But obviously, with North American fuel, couldn't do the factory OLM drain interval. Which, I don't follow anyway.

Thoughts?

 

[OB4x4]

Some of the Fuch's oil are really interesting but unfortunately availability in my area is nonexistent. Just curious where you would be getting them from and $$$?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: OB4x4
Some of the Fuch's oil are really interesting but unfortunately availability in my area is nonexistent. Just curious where you would be getting them from and $$$?


CATERHAM posted a site in Canada that sells their products the other day, but I contacted Fuchs directly and they gave me a contact for their retail distribution channel in Canada.

The price is about on-par with Mobil 1 0w-40.

 

[Falcon_LS]

What's the sulfur content in your fuel?

Also, the SuperSyn LongLife 5W-40 should have Mercedes-Benz 229.5 approval! At least the stuff sold here does, and it's service fill at the local Mercedes dealer.

 

[Vincenzo_f]

You can contact Fuchs Germany at this url and ask them for their missing info you need (noack, hths, etc.). For the rest GT1 is optimized vehicles with fap/dpf, in fact it's a low sap oil.

 

[supercity]

How common is it to have an ACEA C3 oil with A40 approval?

 

[Vincenzo_f]

Originally Posted By: supercity
How common is it to have an ACEA C3 oil with A40 approval?


I don't know.
But also Meguin have a 5w40 ACEA C3 and A40 approval.
Here the link.

 

[JHZR2]

I'd want to know tbn, and watch it real close. If you can only get fuel from an Irving refinery, it may be ok. But at least in our experience, trying this with a vw 504/507 oil, was that though it protected, tbn was shot by 5k miles.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm guessing the XTL is more shear stable and has lower NOACK. You could certainly give it a try. Do a UOA at around 5K miles and see how things are going.

Have you ever gotten an answer from Fuchs why they think an LL-04 oil would be more appropriate for your car, even though BMW itself doesn't think so?

 

[OVERKILL]

No, I heard back from the lady I was speaking to and she suggested I contact somebody else, as her specialty was industrial lubes.

 

[il_signore97]

^If this were my car in question, I'd stick to the LL-01 where possible. Not that the LL-04 is in any way a lesser specification, it's just that as others have mentioned, it's unpredictable as to when your TBN will be depleted vs. when you decide to change it without a UOA. Although sticking to an LL-01 might not be as interesting or exciting, it's safer here in NA

For the 3 late model Benz vehicles and 1 late model BMW that I maintain for my family members, I always stick to the higher SAPS stuff (LL-01 / MB 229.5) for oil changes. M1 0W40 is what they all have in them right now.

 

[bigjl]

I have noticed that some direct injected petrol engines from Vauxhall are specified with C3 or low saps oil.

Does this in some way reduce the issues of coking of the valves?

I know that I put 5w40 Castrol Edge C3 in the brother in laws Vectra 2.2 9k ago and it has been running well since then, apart from needing a new fuel pump again!

Took it to Bosch agent this time and it seems the garage that changed it in June '12 either fitted a used one or cleaned his up an refitted it!

Never the less it has consumed no oil on this full and will be getting the same again, though possibly the 5w30 Edge C3 to try and improve economy, both viscosities are specced for this engine in the handbook.

I always thought low saps was more relevant to DPF equipped diesels so not sure what relevance it has to petrols apart from my previous thoughts.

Though Porsche now do a couple of diesel vehicles, a Panamera and a Cayenne.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
I have noticed that some direct injected petrol engines from Vauxhall are specified with C3 or low saps oil.

Does this in some way reduce the issues of coking of the valves?

Yes, there is some direct linkage between the amount of additives and the amount of deposits in DI engines. However, I can't recall the scientific explanation. I want to say it has to do with the fact that higher additive levels also means higher sulfated ash content, and when the oil evaporates, this ash turns into DI deposits. So for a DI engine, you want low(er) add pack and low NOACK volatility.

Maybe someone can correct/expand on this.

 

[OVERKILL]

Well, for the heck of it I decided to order two cases of Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w-40 from Amazon.

So this thread is now obsolete, as it is LL-01.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Well, for the heck of it I decided to order two cases of Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w-40 from Amazon.


Okay. I have to ask how you accomplished that here in Canada. They won't even let me buy an oil filter.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Well, for the heck of it I decided to order two cases of Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w-40 from Amazon.


Okay. I have to ask how you accomplished that here in Canada. They won't even let me buy an oil filter.

Amazon.com

They will ship oil to Canada apparently.

Though I might add that shipping was a bend-over affair.....

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Though I might add that shipping was a bend-over affair.....


I wonder if they'd ship filters now. But if it's going to be expensive as heck, there's no point. There are other sources like Rock Auto. I did see your mention of high costs in the other thread after I asked the question.