N63 used LL04 in EU. N54 did not only because it was replaced by N55 when BMW moved engines there to Low-SAPS oils in 2009.
Mixing Pennzoil Euro viscosities
- Thread starter Arlinb80
- Start date
All API certified oil can be mixed regardless of manufacturer. That is one of requirements. PPE 5W40 is SP, Euro L I don’t think is API at all. But, still, they will be compatible. PPE Euro 5W40 will have different additive package, latest one. Euro L has additive package dating 12yrs back.
The last model year car BMW outfitted with the N54 engine was the 2016 Z4 35i. BMW still recommends LL-04 for all cars in EU due to <10ppm sulfur in gas. Only top tier gas (shell, chev/tex, BP, etc) here in US is guaranteed <10ppm, otherwise up to 80ppm is allowed to meet the EPA low sulfur requirement.
It is an average of 10 ppm annual. And even those batches at 80, that is still an acceptable level considering the prior limit from 2006 was 300 (and much higher prior to 2000). There is no issue using a Longlife-04 oil here in the US. People try and make a problem where one does not exist.
Fuel will be far less than 80ppm. Numerous UOA prove that. I use in Tiguan amd used in Atlas low SAPS oils and UOA proves that after 5k there is enough additives to do full 10k OCI. When we had higher sulphur levels, additives would be at min after 5K.
You can’t refine oil like that, one to produce certain fuel another not capable. Shell for example will buy fuel from oil refinery here in Denver, which is not theirs. But, it has to meet Shell standards. That refinery cannot just like that switch production between fuel for Shell and for Costco.
But here is the thing, I have no idea what is argument here. You know you can mix those oils, so not sure where we going. If you have enough oil to cover one engine with one approval, I would do that. If not, mix it.
So it seems consensus is that mixing viscosity and ratings from same oil manufacturer and type (in this case Penn Euro) will not damage engine components and will still be able to safely achieve the OEM recommended OCIs.
You can mix it between manufactures too as long as both are approved for BMW.
Ideally you would only mix oils with additive packages that look like they are the same. For example, I have been told by an XOM engineer (but you can tell from VOA) that the API SP formulations of M1 FS 0W-40 and the M1 FS X2 5W-50 are the exact same additive package. On the oil-club.de forums they often mix Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 and 10W-60 and you can tell from the VOA that the additive package is the same. You can mix a Castrol and a Mobil product but there's technically zero guarantee that mixing two LL-01 or API SP oils give you a result that would pass the same tests. It's likely, but you have created a new concoction. Probably won't harm your engine but it is an unknown.
API oils must be "mixable."
It won't harm anything. However, would you get some foaming or higher oxidation during OCI? Yeah, that is unknown. But, turbo won't fail, or rod bearing because of it.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
I'm still failing to see how adding 20% of LL-01 at 1000ppm over LL-04 with 800ppm zinc is going to make any sort of measurable difference over the life of the engine. I'm not a math major, but that cannot be much of an increase. Use one or the other...trying to out smart the oil manufacturers seems like a useless exercise. But carry on, it is your car, and you are unlikely to hurt anything. I just doubt there is going to be any magical benefit either. But if it makes you sleep better, by all means.
Yep, it will be miscable and safe but may not perform as well.
So I found the following in another BMW N54 thread where they mixed theses two pennzoil euro oils and the UOA showed great results after 10k miles. The proof is in the pudding my friends!
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
www.e90post.com
You cannot make comparative quality determinations between oils with a $30 spectrographic analysis. You’re not even close.So I found the following in another BMW N54 thread where they mixed theses two pennzoil euro oils and the UOA showed great results after 10k miles. The proof is in the pudding my friends!
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30www.e90post.com
View attachment 242586
There’s no pudding here dude.
How do you know it’s the same base stock? How do you know it’s the same manufacturer? BMW IIRC has flip-flopped back and forth between Castrol and somebody else a few times over the past 20 years. They buy/contract based on price, too…
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Interesting data point, but not very useful. What was he using previously? Maybe if he ran straight Pennzoil Platinum 5w-40, he could have gone the same or even longer? It worked for him, but there is no telling it will work for you.So I found the following in another BMW N54 thread where they mixed theses two pennzoil euro oils and the UOA showed great results after 10k miles. The proof is in the pudding my friends!
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30www.e90post.com
View attachment 242586
Keep eating your pudding though.
Those are different families of lubes, Mid SAPS and Full SAPS. Ideally a mixed set of products will have a similar chemistry. I'd rather use different brands of SM oils or fully additized Euro oils with overbase calcium than mix them both together or with a reduced SAPS oil.
