Oil Rec for a 2000 E38

[ac4000]

Looking for some oil recommendations. I've done (too much) research, and I think I've narrowed it down, but I could use a second opinion. Answers to questions listed here:

1. Car: BMW 740i (E38)
2. Manual Recommended: 5W-30 or 5W-40; research indicates ACEA A3/B3, API SJ/CD, EC (LL-98).
3. Location: Charlotte, NC
4. Driving style: Aggressive, non-track.
5. Daily drives: Lots of short local trips, many short freeway trips, occasional long trips.
6. Known problems: none, other than it has an M62 (heh).
7. OCI: 7,500 miles max; wouldn't mind reducing that if appropriate.
8. Other: Engine runs hot by design.

Additional considerations:

• Would like to have the BMW certs on there, but I'm not overly attached to those if the reasoning for using something else is strong.
• Won't use BP or Mobil, so that rules out two really easy choices for the E38 (Mobil 1 0W-40 and the BMW-branded Castrol).
• I'd consider Lubro Moly Longtime High Tech 5W-30 or Total Quartz Energy 9000 5W-40, but it's hard to sort out the US versus Euro specs.

I've narrowed it down to:

• Valvoline Synpower MST 5W-40, which is by far the least expensive, but some say not to use an LL-04 outside of Europe.
• Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40, which is quite surprisingly, less expensive than the PU.
• Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40, which I gather is a replacement for PP European Formula Ultra, and is more expensive than the Motul.

Thanks for your input and advice!

 

[OVERKILL]

Curious what your aversion is to BP and Mobil?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: ac4000

I've narrowed it down to:

• Valvoline Synpower MST 5W-40, which is by far the least expensive, but some say not to use an LL-04 outside of Europe.
• Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40, which is quite surprisingly, less expensive than the PU.
• Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40, which I gather is a replacement for PP European Formula Ultra, and is more expensive than the Motul.

Thanks for your input and advice!

Either one of these will work just fine if you're not going to go past 7.5K miles. Shell Rotella T6 would be another consideration, but not if you insist on having a BMW spec listed on the container. I think Kendall also makes an oil that carries LL-98/LL-01 spec. I forget which specific one though...

 

[ac4000]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

Curious what your aversion is to BP and Mobil?

None of these guys are angels, but I have some personal objections to those two. I don't want to turn this into an ethical or political debate, so I'll leave it at that. Makes figuring out the right choice more challenging though.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Either one of these will work just fine if you're not going to go past 7.5K miles. Shell Rotella T6 would be another consideration, but not if you insist on having a BMW spec listed on the container. I think Kendall also makes an oil that carries LL-98/LL-01 spec. I forget which specific one though...

Thanks. I'll take a look at the Kendall; and, no, I don't insist on that BMW spec. So the Motul counts as well? And any thoughts on the "LL-04 isn't for non-European engines" business? Or is that just for long OCIs?

 

[Lead Shoes]

Out of those choices I would go with Motul 8100 5w40, but don't rule out the good ole' stand by M1 0w40. And I'm just curious, what do you have against those companys?

 

[addyguy]

My choice would be Rotella T6 5W-40.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: ac4000

So the Motul counts as well?

I don't see why not. It carries the LL-01 spec, doesn't it?

Quote:

And any thoughts on the "LL-04 isn't for non-European engines" business? Or is that just for long OCIs?

Yes, it's mainly related to log OCIs (10-15K miles). If you're only doing 7.5K, I wouldn't be overly concerned about additive depletion. Get a UOA done just to be sure, but with a fairly large sump, I think you'd be fine.

 

[CATERHAM]

All the oils you've considered are fine, but my first choice would be Lubro Moly Long time HT 5W-30; for it's high VI and it's not too thick. BTW, I wouldn't consider Rotella T6, it's simply too heavy with a HTHSV of 4.0cP.

 

[ac4000]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

All the oils you've considered are fine, but my first choice would be Lubro Moly Long time HT 5W-30; for it's high VI and it's not too thick. BTW, I wouldn't consider Rotella T6, it's simply too heavy with a HTHSV of 4.0cP.

My research on T6 was inconclusive, and the other choices seem good, so I'll leave it out of the running. Re the Lubro Moly, do you have cSt figures on that variety? I couldn't find them on their site.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Yes, it's mainly related to log OCIs (10-15K miles). If you're only doing 7.5K, I wouldn't be overly concerned about additive depletion. Get a UOA done just to be sure, but with a fairly large sump, I think you'd be fine.

That sounds good. At this point, I'll probably go based on price, so these are the contenders, rank-ordered that way:

1. Valvoline Synpower MST 5W-40
2. Lubro Moly Longtime High Tech 5W-30
3. Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40
4. Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40

Thank you all for your help! I'll plan to order the winning oil soon, but I'll watch this thread for additional comments (and I'll be back to ask about my E28 M5 soon in a new thread).

 

[bullwinkle]

Think I'd avoid the Synpower MST with American gasoline and it's shaky TBN-it's really a low-SAPS oil for DPF equipped diesels. Think I'd go with the Ultra if you could find it reasonably priced (Amazon?).

 

[CATERHAM]

ac4000, KV100 spec's don't matter, HTHSV is the bottom line and it's >3.5cP for the Lubro Moly with a VI of 178 IIRC.

 

[nleksan]

As a fellow E38 owner (1998.5 740i Sport with the updated M62), I would recommend looking into Redline 0w40 or Royal Purple 5w40 "European Formula". I have had excellent results with both, in fact those two oils cleaned out the sludge left behind from the previous owner's 12-15k dealership OCIs. Not only in my E38 but in both of my E46s as well, and it has kept them sparkling clean.

 

[CATERHAM]

I agree at least with regard to RL 0W-40 but it's a more expensive option to T6.

 

[ac4000]

Caterham, I thought you said not to go with T6 for this car (you did recommend it for my E28 on the other thread though); just want to make sure. Nleksan, thanks for the input. I'll look into the RL. Pending that research, I think that top four list still stands and I can't see much to differentiate the choices for this application. Might skip the Synpower because of the uncertainty over using the MST product (versus the HST), but I'm not convinced that makes much difference with a short OCI.

 

[CATERHAM]

Sorry ac4000, I thought this was you're other thread. Yes T6 is unnecessarily heavy this car and so is RL 0W-40. If you're interested in RL I'd recommend their 0W-30. This oil holds up better than BWM's own 5W-30.

 

[ac4000]

For those of you who would recommend Lubro Moly's Longtime High Tech 5W-30, any thoughts on their Synthoil Premium 5W-40? It's ACEA A3/B4, API SM/CF, and LL-98, the last of which might address the LL-04 concerns of the other stuff (even if those concerns are mostly irrelevant for a short OCI). Saw the stuff at NAPA today when I was about to pick up the Longtime High Tech, so I wondered about it.

 

[CATERHAM]

If you ask a question on any oil that may be difficult to find info on it's best to post the relavent PDS if you can find it: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4815860-LubroMoly-5W40-UOA Is this the High Tech 5W-40 with the 168 VI? If so I much prefer the 5W-30.

 

[ac4000]

As far as I can tell, it's different, with 171 VI. Couldn't find a PDS, but here's the product page and MDS: http://www.liqui-moly.de/liquimoly/produktdb.nsf/id/us_2041.html?Opendocument&land=US http://www.chemical-check.de/clientversion/pdf1/956/2041LMAU_0004_27-11-2007_US.pdf