M1 TDT 5/40 for my m54?

[antonmnster]

The local Fleet Farm is running a sale on M! 5-40 TDT for $21 for a 5 qt jug.

My BMW is due for a change, and I'd like something that cleans better than the OEM oil.

I had the VC off yesterday to change the VANOS seals, and was suprised at the amount of gritty crud. The intake camshaft cover had a light coating of what looked like sand on it. Kind of scary!

Here are some pics...

And finally with the VANOS off...

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Oh that's just BMW timing chain guides comming apart. Happened to my 98 M-roadster. I think its was explained as '... synthetic lubricant's incompatibility with engineered polymers utilised in the timing system...'

 

[antonmnster]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Oh that's just BMW timing chain guides comming apart. Happened to my 98 M-roadster. I think its was explained as '... synthetic lubricant's incompatibility with engineered polymers utilised in the timing system...'


Jeez, I don't like the sound of that!

 

[dparm]

TDT would work fine. That's a good price.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Oh that's just BMW timing chain guides comming apart. Happened to my 98 M-roadster. I think its was explained as '... synthetic lubricant's incompatibility with engineered polymers utilised in the timing system...'


Jeez, I don't like the sound of that!
i havent lurked on bimmer forums of late, but i think the hchain guides are using a different polymer now. But chain guides can shed - no doubt about that. Unlubed timing Belts are better overall for the engine (and oil) unless they snap.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
The local Fleet Farm is running a sale on M! 5-40 TDT for $21 for a 5 qt jug.

My BMW is due for a change, and I'd like something that cleans better than the OEM oil.

I had the VC off yesterday to change the VANOS seals, and was suprised at the amount of gritty crud. The intake camshaft cover had a light coating of what looked like sand on it. Kind of scary!


You valve cover looks very clean so I'm not sure what you mean by "cleans better".

The oil filter is supposed to remove insolubles (ie. grit). In anycase for your engine BMW 5w30 typically runs about $6/quart, but I don't see how the M1 TDT would be any better/worse for your application..

 

[antonmnster]

I'm just jealous of all these Honda heads I see that are spotless. The BMW oil seems to like to stain the aluminum. The car has 146,000 miles so I suppose I shouldn't complain.

Changing the VANOS seals made a HUGE difference. The automatic is much easier to live with. Since I had to give it more throttle to make up for the lack of low-end torque, the autobox was eager to shift thinking I was driving harder than I really was. Now the engine's torque curve matches the transmission program, and is shifting at more appropriate times.

 

[dparm]

I agree, that head looks fine. The TDT is not going to do much to "clean" it out.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
The local Fleet Farm is running a sale on M! 5-40 TDT for $21 for a 5 qt jug.

My BMW is due for a change, and I'd like something that cleans better than the OEM oil.

I had the VC off yesterday to change the VANOS seals, and was suprised at the amount of gritty crud. The intake camshaft cover had a light coating of what looked like sand on it. Kind of scary!

Here are some pics...

And finally with the VANOS off...

TDT is a poor choice in this application, in your climate, unless it's a summer-only oil. (or you park in a heated garage and plug-in at work)

 

[Finklejag]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
The local Fleet Farm is running a sale on M! 5-40 TDT for $21 for a 5 qt jug.



You sure it's a 5 quart jug? I thought Walmart had the patent on those? Everyone else sells 4 quart or 5.3 quart.

 

[vinu_neuro]

Originally Posted By: BobFout


TDT is a poor choice in this application, in your climate, unless it's a summer-only oil. (or you park in a heated garage and plug-in at work)


TDT is a 5W oil, it's low temp pumpability is good enough down to -31F. Minneapolis doesn't see anything close to that.

 

[dparm]

Bob, why would you say TDT is a bad choice? Minneapolis doesn't get THAT cold.

 

[BobFout]

TDT is a thick API 5w oil, nothing like a Euro rated 5w. (different ends of the same tiered scale)

Pumpability is just that, a few degrees over when the oil won't move. Below -20C / 0F, you'll find a 0w40, 5w30 or 0w30 is better overall.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: BobFout
TDT is a thick API 5w oil, nothing like a Euro rated 5w. (different ends of the same tiered scale)

Pumpability is just that, a few degrees over when the oil won't move. Below -20C / 0F, you'll find a 0w40, 5w30 or 0w30 is better overall.


I think I got pour point and pumpability mixed up here.

The point I was trying to make, though, was just because an oil pumps doesn't mean it's not thick or that it pumps as well as it could. (and in this case, too thick for the application). Euro oils have cold flow / pumpability specs for a reason.

Heck, plug in TDT into a visco calculator and see how THICK it is when cold compared to a Euro 5w40, 5w30, 0w40 or 0w30.

 

[CATERHAM]

M1 0W-40 and TDT have the same HTHS vis of 3.8cP but the 0W-40's much higher viscosity index of 185 vs only 153 for the TDT makes it a no-brainer choice in the OP's gas engine.

 

[vinu_neuro]

Of course 0w30, 0w40, 5w30 and light-duty 5W-40 will flow better at low temperatures. And I agree that there isn't much merit to TDT now that 0w40 has improved hths visc, except in applications that truly need higher zddp. That doesn't however mean a medium/heavy duty 5w40 won't perform adequately at those temperatures. Afterall such an oil will still have better pumpability characteristics compared to even the lightest 10w30. Under around 0C, the pour point modifiers come into play and the graph above 0C becomes irrelevant. At 0C, M1 10W30 has an approximate viscosity of 600 cst and TDT is nearly 100cst; but because TDT is a 5W we know that it'll out perform the 10W30 in extreme cold temps (M1 5W50 will too). It'd be interesting to know at what point the divergence occurs and would also be helpful if they gave pumpability figures for 0W and 5W oils at the same temp instead of -35 for 5W and -40 for 0W.

Look at the chart below. When MB recommends 5w50 in the same range as 0w30 and 0w40 you can be sure an oil like TDT or D1 will work fine down there, albeit not as well.



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