Plenty of new GC in DFW - Trying Green in BMW 4.4 V8 and LS1

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First off, wanted to let y'all know that there seems to be plenty of M05 and M06 Gold German Castrol at the Autozones around Dallas - the one on Inwood, the one on Garland Road, and the one at the corner of Kingsley and Plano Road all had it this weekend.

In my search for a single oil that will perform well in both my LS1 Camaro and my V8 BMW, I have decided that the German Castrol is it.

The BMW calls for a 0 or 5 or 10w - 30 or 40. It has been run with 5w-40 Castrol Syntech from 62K miles to it's current 73K miles. I presume this is Belgian Castrol, since I think that's the ony 5w40 Syntech there is. I liked that my BMW shop put 5-40 in it, because it's hot all the time here, but I think I'll be fine with the 0-30 since the GC is closer to a 40 weight oil and the factory says 5-30 or 0-30 is fine for all temps.

The LS1 calls for 5-30 and has had a steady diet of Mobil 1 5w-30 for all of its 130K miles.

I went on a little treasure hunt for green German Castrol, while I'm reasonably sure that the newer Gold GC will turn out to be just as good if not better, I couldn't resist the temptation of the Green. I found enough for several oil changes in the BMW and the LS1, and will probably do a few oil analyses before and after a switch to gold when my stash does run out.

Interesting observations from the hunt - the AutoZone on Singleton (West Dallas, home of lead smelters and what not) had a full rack of 0-30 Castrol Syntec- but ONLY the really old Made in the USA 0-30! And at least one person asked me if I worked at the AutoZone when they saw me sorting through a bunch of bottles I had pulled off the rack and set on the floor
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Heh, well to be honest, it was wanting to use the same oil in the BMW and the Camaro that led me to look into the German Castrol. I was ok with the risk of M1 5-30 shearing down to effectively being a lighter weight oil in the Camaro, but not in the BMW: since BMW recommends a 5-40 and a 5-30, I figure I ought to use something that is in between the two, rather than something that gets thinner than the 5-30.

Bottom line, Patman was right years ago on LS1tech.com
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That and I can't resist a scavenger hunt for M02, M03, M04, and early M05
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My 330ci likes the GC green. I sure hope you post a UOA on your 4.4L v8 with the GC. I'm thinking of getting a 545i, and I have a stash of over 35L of GC green that would be used.

Please keep us posted, and welcome!
 
From Plano down to Duncanville
From Grand Prairie to Mesquite
The smell of freshly opened GC
Is really kind of sweet

But I feel I must confide in you
It's just one of those things
I have never been to Autozone
Anywhere close to Balch Springs
 
Sounds like the Elfe Meister is familiar with the area - I'm surpised I found any Green GC left in that case!

Santo Fontana, I'll be sure and have a UOA done before I switch the Camaro. (or maybe when I drain it to switch?) I'm thinking a Dyson analysis from Blackstone, because I'd like the nice paragraph on what he thinks is going on with my oil and engine.


It had the factory fill until 500 miles, then I had it changed with Shell mineral based 5-30 (at 500 miles). Then at 3000 miles I changed it with Mobil 1 5w30. Repeated every 3000 miles, give or take 500. Now its at 130K and has been retired to a 2-3 days a week car - you know, for "take your Camaro to work" days
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Neat thing is, unlike some LS1s, it never has used an appreciable amount of oil. I put 6 qt in every change with the normal sized short ACPF46 filter, and it never reads low on the dipstick.
 
TTJ,

Yes, the Elfe Meister used to live in Oak Cliff for many years and Irving for a few. I have roamed pretty far and wide in the Metroplex. If only I knew then what I know now, I probably would have eaten more times at the Bratskeller which I am sure has succumbed to the North Central Expressway makeover. You can rest assured that GC would be closer to an endangered species in Dallas were I still living in the Chateau (actually it was a brick rancher
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).
 
I was really surprised how much green I was able to find. The 1st 3 stores had nothing, but then I hit on the 4th, the 5th, the 6th, the 7th, and the 8th! 9th, 10th and 11th were busts. Okay hmm, when I type out how many stores I went to it sounds like harder work than it was.....

I got here toward the end of the north central renovations, so I'm not familiar with the Bratskeller?
 
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