Oil Suggestion - '04 BMW 325Ci

[golf5367]

All,

A suggestion on the oil to buy?

1. What kind of vehicle you have - BMw 325Ci - 2dr Coupe, M54, 135K
2. What your owner's manual says -- 5w30, 15W40 15K mile change interval - no other info
3. Where you live - Bethlehem, PA
4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?) - Fast Driving, NO autocross or racing.
5. What your daily drive is like? - Highway Driving, 80-90 mile roundtrips, avg is 70-80 mph
6. Whether your car has any known problems - Oil level sensor is repeatedly yellow even after replacement twice.

PREFER:
- Local purchase oil
- SYNTHETIC - have used Castrol exclusively
- OCI - about 7-10k or 6 months whichever comes first

NOTE: I have been buying 5w30 EDGE/Syntec but someone told me its not BMW LL-01 so a little confused...

s/Mike

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yup, theoretically you should be using an LL-01 oil.

From the readily available stuff, Mobil 1 0w-40 is hard to beat. But if you want to stick with Castrol, then both the 0w30 and the 0w-40 carry the LL-01 spec. The 5w-40 one does, too.

 

[OVERKILL]

I'm a big fan of Mobil 1 0w-40 but you can't go wrong with:

Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w40, Castrol 0w-30/0w-40.

Basically, any oil that meets LL-01. But the ones above are the most readily available. The oil you have been using is thinner than spec'd (HTHS < 3.5cP rather than HTHS >=3.5cP).

 

[79sunrunner]

WELCOME to BITOG.

As for oil, I agree with the previous posts, the 0w40 Castrol has many fans here. I'

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 79sunrunner
the 0w40 Castrol has many fans here. I'

Castrol 0w-40 is fairly new to the US. It hasn't had enough time to develop a large fan base yet.

 

[bourne]

Mobil 1 0w40 , 5qts for ~$25 at your local Walmart.

 

[CATERHAM]

Welcome to BITOG.

The BMW LL-01 oils would be good if you plan on lengthening your OCI although I find them heavier than necessary for the way we operate our cars.
For your operating conditions and chosen OCI the Castrol Edge 5w30 is a fine choice as would be most other synthetic 0W/5w30s.

 

[901Memphis]

The Mobil 1 0W40 is the best bang for the buck in the USA. You can always substitute in a quart of the Toyota 0w20 to bring the operational viscosity down a little while still maintain the high viscosity index and even increasing it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Welcome to BITOG.

The BMW LL-01 oils would be good if you plan on lengthening your OCI although I find them heavier than necessary for the way we operate our cars.
For your operating conditions and chosen OCI the Castrol Edge 5w30 is a fine choice as would be most other synthetic 0W/5w30s.


We are never going to agree on this part. Since I assume he has no way of tracking oil temperature, we have no idea how relevant BMW's min HTHS spec of >=3.5cP is to his driving habits.

Maybe if he tracked oil temperature and pressure and experimented, sure. But flying blind? I wouldn't go thinner than what the OEM specifies, just too much of a gamble IMHO.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Welcome to BITOG.

The BMW LL-01 oils would be good if you plan on lengthening your OCI although I find them heavier than necessary for the way we operate our cars.
For your operating conditions and chosen OCI the Castrol Edge 5w30 is a fine choice as would be most other synthetic 0W/5w30s.


We are never going to agree on this part. Since I assume he has no way of tracking oil temperature, we have no idea how relevant BMW's min HTHS spec of >=3.5cP is to his driving habits.

Maybe if he tracked oil temperature and pressure and experimented, sure. But flying blind? I wouldn't go thinner than what the OEM specifies, just too much of a gamble IMHO.

First of all a 5w30 conventional is what was spec'd for his Bimmer based on ambient temp's up to about 20C. So for a Pennsylvania climate from October through April he's running the specified grade.
For the summer months, since he is running a synthetic 5w30 it certainly will retain more viscosity in service than a 5w30 conventional circa 1994 and it is not that much lighter than what BMW specifies; namely the shear prone Castrol made BMW 5w30.
Finally, I know from first hand experience that the viscosity reserves running a typical synthetic A5/B5 0W/5w30 oil are considerable. Fast street driving on the hottest days is simply not enough to tested the minimum oil pressure spec's for the engine.
That is why I have no reservations in recommending a premium 5w30 syn' with s virgin 3.1-3.2cP HTHSV rating.

And BTW, while BMW NA doesn't import the BMW LL-01 FE 0w30 (HTHSV 3.0cP) oil to NA, the list of engines for which it is specified as an option is pretty extensive. And there is no BMW restriction on high speed driving in using the lighter oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

First of all a 5w30 conventional is what was spec'd for his Bimmer based on ambient temp's up to about 20C.

What is the source of this information?

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

What is the source of this information?


I would like to know that as well- especially since page 95 of the owners manual for my 2004 X3 2.5(which has the same M54 as the OP's 3er) states:

Quote:
Use only approved BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil. If you are unable to obtain BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil, you can add small amounts of another synthetic oil between oil changes.

 

[Garak]

I'd note that the OP indicates his manual calls for 5w30 and 15w40 with no other information given. While there certainly are BMW LL certified 5w30 grades, are there any in 15w40? Why would 15w40 be listed? Given the information on the face of it, it would seem that an API/ILSAC 5w30 or a 15w40 HDEO would be fine. Nonetheless, I do find that a bit odd for the vintage in question. I would have thought it would call for a BMW spec oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I'd note that the OP indicates his manual calls for 5w30 and 15w40 with no other information given.

Most likely a typo on the OP's part. The 2004 manual mentions 5w30 and 5w-40 grades, not 15w40.

 

[Garak]

That makes sense. It's too new to have a temperature chart and specify API oils, I would think.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I'd note that the OP indicates his manual calls for 5w30 and 15w40 with no other information given.

And that's what's called for in my '96 BMW manual as well.
The following is from my drivers handbook:

An API SG Energy Conserving 5w30 is specified for an average season air temp' of 50F. You can continue to operate the vehicle for short periods of time at temperatures beyond the range for the SAE rating of the oil being used.
Special Oils - most preferred (presumably synthetic) can be used with no maximum ambient temp'.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

First of all a 5w30 conventional is what was spec'd for his Bimmer based on ambient temp's up to about 20C.


This is based on what? I don't see any mention of that in my (much older) 328i manual

I see a requirement for LL-98. Being an '04, it should specify an LL-01 oil like the manual for my sister's 330i does. I'm sure your much older BMW manual (before the LL spec's existed) calls for a 5w30 conventional and has the nice ambient temp chart in it, but unless I missed it, the OP is talking about his 2004.

Quote:

And BTW, while BMW NA doesn't import the BMW LL-01 FE 0w30 (HTHSV 3.0cP) oil to NA, the list of engines for which it is specified as an option is pretty extensive. And there is no BMW restriction on high speed driving in using the lighter oil.


Unless his 2004 engine is on that list, I fail to see the relevance?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: CATERHAM

First of all a 5w30 conventional is what was spec'd for his Bimmer based on ambient temp's up to about 20C.

What is the source of this information?


I'm wondering if CATERHAM is thinking 1994 not 2004?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
First of all a 5w30 conventional is what was spec'd for his Bimmer based on ambient temp's up to about 20C.


I just looked up the owner's manual for the 2004 325CI, you can find it HERE

It states:

Originally Posted By: BMW

Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil is extremely important for the operation and service life of an engine. Based on extensive testing, BMW has approved only certain grades of engine oil. Use only approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.

If an approved BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil should be unavailable, you may use small amounts of other synthetic oils for topping up between oil
changes. Use only oils with the specification API SH or higher.


Followed by:

Originally Posted By: BMW

Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is the oil flow rating as established in SAE classes. The selection of the correct SAE class depends on the climatic conditions in the area where you drive your BMW. Approved oils are in SAE classes 5W-40 and 5w30. These kinds of oil may be used for driving in all ambient temperatures.


Which reads to me: Use only an approved lubricant. Oils bearing the BMW approval (in this case, LL-01) will be available in 5w30 and 5w-40 grades. Of course this was probably before 0w-40 was popular/existed and perhaps the same goes for GC. Any oil you put in this engine, even if an approved lubricant is unavailable, MUST be synthetic.

I see absolutely NO MENTION of conventional 5w30 oil being remotely close to acceptable for this application

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

I see absolutely NO MENTION of conventional 5w30 oil being remotely close to acceptable for this application

Exactly. BMW switched over to synthetic oil across the board in the late 1990s...