Oil feels very thin despite being 10W-50

gesha19 said:
Hi,

I am a new member of the forum. I've got a question which really made me concerned. I've recently changed the oil of my E34 with Unil 10W-50 (feedback for the brand would be much appreciated as well). When I researched the brand, I didn't find any negative comments and I had 5 liters laying around, it meets specs, that's why I used it. Now, whenever I pull the dipstick the oil feels very thin. Like as soon as I pull it out, oil drips. In my experience, it takes a second or two before a drop forms and falls.

Engine has no issue whatsoever with mixing coolant and oil, level is fine, color is sort of gray though. (I may attach a picture if needed).

Now what concerns me is: Is oil thickness (judging by the dipstick) a good metric of oil quality? Am I overthinking this? The engine works good, no ticking and has even become quieter since I changed the oil.

I would really appreciate your feedback, cheers.
Click to expand...
You can not judge an oil by feel!
 
I've
kschachn said:
Yes his vehicle predates Longlife-01 just as it did for my E34. However it is still the correct oil for that car just as it was for mine since “Special Oils” went to Longlife-98 then to Longlife-01.

Besides it was the OP s who noted the oil he was using “meets specs”, so what “specs” is that oil meeting if it isn’t Longlife-01?
Click to expand...
The viscosity chart and required API rating in his owner's manual?
 
kschachn said:
Which 10W-50 has the required BMW approval?

And feelings are useless in this instance.
Click to expand...
I'm not certain if you can "feel" a difference in viscosities as measured by rubbing the oil between your fingers for instance. However you can see a difference visibly by how oil behaves in a drain pan for instance, or by dripping off the dipstick.

There is a marked difference in how the 508.00 0w20 vs any 5w30 that I have used. The 0w20 is much more fluid.
 
kschachn said:
Which 10W-50 has the required BMW approval?

And feelings are useless in this instance.
Click to expand...
930.engineering said:
A motorcycle example doesn't clearify anything, it's muddying things.
The bottle (clearly) states 'for BMW motorcycle engines', meaning it's
for BMW motorcycle engines only'.
Click to expand...

Perfect humorless engineer's response... don't you get the ;)?

I suppose not.

Try "tongue in cheek". 😁.
 
The manual shot (that is small and blurry) looks like it specs CCMC-B2 (API SF) best I can see it ... maybe @RooflessVW can verify his snap-shot.

If CCMC-B2 is what the manual says, then what supersedes that. It also shows API SF, so I'd think any oil in the correct viscosity (per temp chart in the manual) that meets API SF and above (which is basically everything these days) would be OK to use.

Edit ... in post #28 below (more clear shot of the manual), I see it's actually CCMC-G2.
 
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1638588687178.jpg

Looks like it says CCMC-G2
1638588738922.jpg

From a look online looks like when ACEA came to be ACEA A3 replaced CCMC G4 and G5
 
930.engineering said:
.
Just guessing:

www.unil-opal.com

OPALPERF GI-V7 10W50 - Unil Opal Fabricant d'huiles et lubrifiants industriels

Lubricant with remarkable performance: very easy cold-starts and immediate hot engine lubrication, optimum engine lubrication.
www.unil-opal.com www.unil-opal.com

This might be the 10W-50 he's running. A quick google search reveals that
Opal is quite popular in Russia and widely unknown or even unobtainable
in NA and most of Europe. No idea on their quality though.
On an M20 or M50 engine I'd probably run a 5W-40 (MB 229.5/LL-01/A40),
perhaps some 0W-40 or even 0W-30 during the colder season. Sibiria sees
temps as low as -65°C, which calls for a PAO 0W-20 or just letting the engine
run the whole night like some Russians in Nowosibirsk etc. use to do.
.
Click to expand...
This is not the product I poured, It is a Belgian brand: https://unil.be/en/products/engineoils/giv7-10w50-1474/

And my bad - by 'meets spec' I meant it meets SAE standard appropriate for the car. These engines don't want much in terms of oil, as long as the viscosity is right.
 
gesha19 said:
Now, whenever I pull the dipstick the oil feels very thin. Like as soon as I pull it out, oil drips. In my experience, it takes a second or two before a drop forms and falls.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry about it - anytime I do oil changes on Nissans (be it 5w30 or 0w20) the same thing is going on.
 
Although apparently popular, the finger viscometer is about as accurate as the eye viscometer (drained out like water). Goes right along with an engine not "liking" an oil.
 
Grey + Thin ... Maybe some water and fuel dilution?
plus unknown (to me) oil brand. I'll avoid it (even if it meets spec which sounds like it doesn't) unless that's the only thing sold in that country.

op may need to rev up once in a while like Scotty Kilmer!? TBD

FYI:
If you're not an oil snob, "meets the spec." usually means it's the correct "weight" or I should say correct viscosity grade! :alien:
 
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gesha19 said:
Hi,

I am a new member of the forum. I've got a question which really made me concerned. I've recently changed the oil of my E34 with Unil 10W-50 (feedback for the brand would be much appreciated as well). When I researched the brand, I didn't find any negative comments and I had 5 liters laying around, it meets specs, that's why I used it.
Click to expand...
What specs are printed on the bottle?
 
gesha19 said:
This is not the product I poured, It is a Belgian brand: https://unil.be/en/products/engineoils/giv7-10w50-1474/

And my bad - by 'meets spec' I meant it meets SAE standard appropriate for the car. These engines don't want much in terms of oil, as long as the viscosity is right.
Click to expand...

It's the same name (GI-V7 10W50) and the same wording including the 'molybdenum
and bismuth formulation'. So tell me why do you think these should be different oils?
Both sites even say 'UNIL' with the exact same logo. This oil is perhaps ok to use for
up to 10.000 km even though it lacks approvals. However I'd consider something else
for your next oil change. As I said before I'd suggest LL-01, MB 229.5 and Porsche A40
approved oils. 5W-40 seems ideal for these engines (M20 & M50) in almost all climates.
.
 
930.engineering said:
It's the same name (GI-V7 10W50) and the same wording including the 'molybdenum
and bismuth formulation'. So tell me why do you think these should be different oils?
Both sites even say 'UNIL' with the exact same logo. This oil is perhaps ok to use for
up to 10.000 km even though it lacks approvals. However I'd consider something else
for your next oil change. As I said before I'd suggest LL-01, MB 229.5 and Porsche A40
approved oils. 5W-40 seems ideal for these engines (M20 & M50) in almost all climates.
.
Click to expand...


I had never heard of bismuth being used like this. It’s a interesting substance. Pepto Bismol is the most famous use of it.

Maybe @MolaKule has some insights on bismuth as a additive?
 
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