Folks:
I have a question for you. Recently I started using Motul 300V in my special ordered, bought new by me 2003 BMW 330Ci. Until the switch my BMW lived almost its entire life on German Castrol 0W-30. The car has about 85K miles on it now, about 6K or 7K miles on 300V.
My BMW requires an oil with a HTHS spec of 3.5. Both the German Castrol 0W-30 and 300V 5W-30 meet those specs. GC meets the specs via an official approval, the 300V only claims to meet the spec; not that I'm doubting the quality and suitability of 300V.
But the question I have is why the 300V 5W-30 has such low Zinc and Phosphorus levels compared to virtually every other BMW LL-01 or MB 229.5 spec. Most of the oils that meet these specs have about 1000PPM for both. 300V 5W-30 has about 700PPM, but once again Motul claims it has an HTHS of 3.5.
I don't track my car but it is driven in a spirited fashion once in awhile when "the situation is right" (not often) and the summer climate I live in can have daytime highs in the low 100s - but when it's this hot I don't even take my BMW out of the garage. I only drive it on "nice" days.
Over the life of the car I've had 3 or 4 UOAs done, all by Blackstone, and each has indicated very impressive results. The motor is wearing very nicely. The GC UOAs were very, very good, the one UOA I had done with 300V was even better!
But, the low Zinc and Phosphorus levels in 300V concern me a bit, even with the outstanding UOA I got using it. Complicating the matter somewhat is that there seems to have been two versions of Ester Core 300V 5W-30. One has a Motul part number )on the can) of 103128, the other 104241. FWIW, Summit Racing had the 103128 for $31.95, the 104241 for $39.95.
I had VOAs done on both 300V Ester Core 5W-30 oil and the results are different with respect to viscosity. The 104241 is thicker and has a higher VI than the presumably older version 103128. Additive levels are very close, but the presumably newer 104241 version having even lower Zinc and Phosphorus levels.
I was always happy with GC and 2 or 3 UOAs I had done indicted that my motor liked the stuff. But, as I said, the one sample with 103128 Motul 300V 5W-30 had even better results, even with a longer interval than I had on the others.
Am I worrying about nothing? The one 300V UOA looks really good but the low Zinc and Phosphorus levels are significantly different than all other BMW LL-01 or MB 229.5 oils that I've seen results for. That concerns me.
If you had a car requiring LL-01 or MB 229.5 would you use 300V 5W-30 with its low Zinc and Phosphorus levels?
See the following VOA and UOA results.
Thanks,
Scott
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-30 PN#103128 Notice cST 100 @ 10.70
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-30 PN#104241 Notice cST 100 @ 11.60
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-40 PN#104242 (note "normal" Zinc and Phosphorous levels)
VOA of Belgium Castrol 0W-30 (included for completeness)
UOAs from my BMW, first is 300V 5W-40 pre-Ester Core, second GC, last one 300V PN#103128
I have a question for you. Recently I started using Motul 300V in my special ordered, bought new by me 2003 BMW 330Ci. Until the switch my BMW lived almost its entire life on German Castrol 0W-30. The car has about 85K miles on it now, about 6K or 7K miles on 300V.
My BMW requires an oil with a HTHS spec of 3.5. Both the German Castrol 0W-30 and 300V 5W-30 meet those specs. GC meets the specs via an official approval, the 300V only claims to meet the spec; not that I'm doubting the quality and suitability of 300V.
But the question I have is why the 300V 5W-30 has such low Zinc and Phosphorus levels compared to virtually every other BMW LL-01 or MB 229.5 spec. Most of the oils that meet these specs have about 1000PPM for both. 300V 5W-30 has about 700PPM, but once again Motul claims it has an HTHS of 3.5.
I don't track my car but it is driven in a spirited fashion once in awhile when "the situation is right" (not often) and the summer climate I live in can have daytime highs in the low 100s - but when it's this hot I don't even take my BMW out of the garage. I only drive it on "nice" days.
Over the life of the car I've had 3 or 4 UOAs done, all by Blackstone, and each has indicated very impressive results. The motor is wearing very nicely. The GC UOAs were very, very good, the one UOA I had done with 300V was even better!
But, the low Zinc and Phosphorus levels in 300V concern me a bit, even with the outstanding UOA I got using it. Complicating the matter somewhat is that there seems to have been two versions of Ester Core 300V 5W-30. One has a Motul part number )on the can) of 103128, the other 104241. FWIW, Summit Racing had the 103128 for $31.95, the 104241 for $39.95.
I had VOAs done on both 300V Ester Core 5W-30 oil and the results are different with respect to viscosity. The 104241 is thicker and has a higher VI than the presumably older version 103128. Additive levels are very close, but the presumably newer 104241 version having even lower Zinc and Phosphorus levels.
I was always happy with GC and 2 or 3 UOAs I had done indicted that my motor liked the stuff. But, as I said, the one sample with 103128 Motul 300V 5W-30 had even better results, even with a longer interval than I had on the others.
Am I worrying about nothing? The one 300V UOA looks really good but the low Zinc and Phosphorus levels are significantly different than all other BMW LL-01 or MB 229.5 oils that I've seen results for. That concerns me.
If you had a car requiring LL-01 or MB 229.5 would you use 300V 5W-30 with its low Zinc and Phosphorus levels?
See the following VOA and UOA results.
Thanks,
Scott
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-30 PN#103128 Notice cST 100 @ 10.70
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-30 PN#104241 Notice cST 100 @ 11.60
VOA of Motul 300V 5W-40 PN#104242 (note "normal" Zinc and Phosphorous levels)
VOA of Belgium Castrol 0W-30 (included for completeness)
UOAs from my BMW, first is 300V 5W-40 pre-Ester Core, second GC, last one 300V PN#103128
