Recommended oil for F87 BMW M2 (N55)

[chris719]

Picking up a 2012 135i shortly with a N55 (57K miles, history of 5w30 LL01 oil changes). Mobil 1 0w40 Euro sounds like a cheap off the shelf option?

Can I throw in a quart of 2 of left over Mobil Euro 5w50?


Thanks

Yes you can mix the FS 0W-40 with X2 5W-50. They use the same additive package and this mix was recommended to me by an XOM engineer.

 

[edyvw]

Picking up a 2012 135i shortly with a N55 (57K miles, history of 5w30 LL01 oil changes). Mobil 1 0w40 Euro sounds like a cheap off the shelf option?

Can I throw in a quart of 2 of left over Mobil Euro 5w50?


Thanks

Yeah. No problems mixing it.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Picking up a 2012 135i shortly with a N55 (57K miles, history of 5w30 LL01 oil changes). Mobil 1 0w40 Euro sounds like a cheap off the shelf option?

Can I throw in a quart of 2 of left over Mobil Euro 5w50?


Thanks

Yes and yes.

 

[Indyxc]

Thanks guy. It's for a 2012 135i Convertible Manual, M-Sport model. Looking foward to having a manual again, and convertible for the first time.

 

[edyvw]

Thanks guy. It's for a 2012 135i Convertible Manual, M-Sport model. Looking foward to having a manual again, and convertible for the first time.

Congrats. Just make sure when the time comes to change the oil filter housing gasket, you prime the engine after replacement.

 

[Indyxc]

Previous owner, owned from 40k to 50k, had the oil pan gasket, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover/gasket, coolant expansion tank all fail, and replaced. The shop noted in the repair invoice priming the engine.

Any value running 5w50 to protect the bearings, which seem to be problematic on the pre 2014 n55s?

 

[chris719]

Previous owner, owned from 40k to 50k, had the oil pan gasket, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover/gasket, coolant expansion tank all fail, and replaced. The shop noted in the repair invoice priming the engine.

Any value running 5w50 to protect the bearings, which seem to be problematic on the pre 2014 n55s?

It's not clear, because the bearings are the same on every N55 and S55, but S55 doesn't really have failures despite making more power. At least in Porsches and Subarus, thicker oil has not proven to band-aid oil starvation issues. It won't hurt anything to run the 5W-50 though.

 

[Indyxc]

It's not clear, because the bearings are the same on every N55 and S55, but S55 doesn't really have failures despite making more power. At least in Porsches and Subarus, thicker oil has not proven to band-aid oil starvation issues. It won't hurt anything to run the 5W-50 though.

Thanks. I thought I read somewhere the post 2015 N55 had revised bearings. Maybe not.

In regards to the 5w50, in a way it's easier to stock one oil in the garage for this car and the GT3 RS. Granted, Mobil 1 0w40 Euro is half the price of Supercar 5w50 which I've been running in the 3RS.

 

[edyvw]

Thanks. I thought I read somewhere the post 2015 N55 had revised bearings. Maybe not.

In regards to the 5w50, in a way it's easier to stock one oil in the garage for this car and the GT3 RS. Granted, Mobil 1 0w40 Euro is half the price of Supercar 5w50 which I've been running in the 3RS.

They do have revision post 2014. You can check on realOEM.
As for cause, I think it is combination of factors. Primarily maintenance related. People use all kind of oils, then we have low HTHS oils, then during OFHG replacement they don’t prime oil pump.
I have seen N55 with 250k+ miles, seen them on track, and than seen those that have bearing failures below 100k.
As for oil, Motul 5W40 has higher HTHS at 3.8cP.
Maybe you can mux 0W40 M1 and 15W50? 15W50 has higher Zinc levels. 5qt of 0W40 and 1.5 of 15W50.

 

[chris719]

Thanks. I thought I read somewhere the post 2015 N55 had revised bearings. Maybe not.

In regards to the 5w50, in a way it's easier to stock one oil in the garage for this car and the GT3 RS. Granted, Mobil 1 0w40 Euro is half the price of Supercar 5w50 which I've been running in the 3RS.

I thought you mean the FS X2 5W-50, not the Supercar 5W-50. I would not mix the 0W-40 FS with the Z06 oil which has a radically different looking additive package. I would use the Motul 5W-40 or the M1 FS X2 5W-50 since it's a thinner 5W-50. Actually, if you were going to use FCPEuro I would just get the Motul 300V 5W-40 every 3500-5000 miles lol.

 

[Indyxc]

I thought you mean the FS X2 5W-50, not the Supercar 5W-50. I would not mix the 0W-40 FS with the Z06 oil which has a radically different looking additive package. I would use the Motul 5W-40 or the M1 FS X2 5W-50 since it's a thinner 5W-50. Actually, if you were going to use FCPEuro I would just get the Motul 300V 5W-40 every 3500-5000 miles lol.

Yeah, sorry I meant FS X2 5W-50. I have 4 quarts left over from the GT3 RS, because I swapped over to Supercar 5w50. I would mix the Euro 0w40 with the FS X2 5W-50.

I also have 4 Quarts or so of Supercar. I was debating switching both cars to 5W50 Supercar (since I am running it in the 3RS now), but the cost of Mobil 1 0w40 5 quarts for $27bucks shipped (-5% for amazon prime) vs $56 for 6 Quarts of Supercar. (-5%). So $5.4/quart, $9.33 quart.

Any reason the 5w50 Supercar would be a bad choice in an N55? I know, I'll probably be the first person ever to try it in an N55 (if I did). Probably a moot point.

I do like FcpEuro and use the fluid returns for expensive fluids (trans, differential $25+/quart), but still have trouble mentally returning refilling bottles, packaging, shipping $50 dollars of oil to them for $20 dollars shipped. Just did the DCT fluid and pan, diff fluid on the 3RS, and next time I plan to return the fluid, but that was close to $500 dollars.

The Motul 5w40 300V, would be a good option for both cars. Maybe some day.

 

[Indyxc]

They do have revision post 2014. You can check on realOEM.
As for cause, I think it is combination of factors. Primarily maintenance related. People use all kind of oils, then we have low HTHS oils, then during OFHG replacement they don’t prime oil pump.
I have seen N55 with 250k+ miles, seen them on track, and than seen those that have bearing failures below 100k.
As for oil, Motul 5W40 has higher HTHS at 3.8cP.
Maybe you can mux 0W40 M1 and 15W50? 15W50 has higher Zinc levels. 5qt of 0W40 and 1.5 of 15W50.

N55 likes high HTHS fluids to protect the bearings?

 

[edyvw]

N55 likes high HTHS fluids to protect the bearings?

Yeah, you want higher HTHS. Don't go too wild. High HTHS and ZDDP. Max 4cP should be fine. Check Motul Power 5W40.

 

[edyvw]

Or Redline, HPL, Amsoil.

 

[Indyxc]

Yeah, you want higher HTHS. Don't go too wild. High HTHS and ZDDP. Max 4cP should be fine. Check Motul Power 5W40.

Thanks. I probably will track the 135i, though I read it suffers from oil pick up issues, so people tend to overfill it by half a quart or so to keep the sump full.

For now I'll do Euro 0w40 with a few quarts of FS X2 5w50 since I have that, and after that might switch both cars to SuperCar 5w50, or maybe Motul 300V since FCP euro carries that, and would work well for both with 6 months/ 1000 mile changes.

 

[chris719]

Thanks. I probably will track the 135i, though I read it suffers from oil pick up issues, so people tend to overfill it by half a quart or so to keep the sump full.

For now I'll do Euro 0w40 with a few quarts of FS X2 5w50 since I have that, and after that might switch both cars to SuperCar 5w50, or maybe Motul 300V since FCP euro carries that, and would work well for both with 6 months/ 1000 mile changes.

If you’re going to track it, consider seeing if you can retrofit N55 M2 oil pump and pickups, not sure if it’s doable. Maybe also replace rod bearings with King GPC which is a sputter coated bearing like IROX used in B58.

 

[edyvw]

Thanks. I probably will track the 135i, though I read it suffers from oil pick up issues, so people tend to overfill it by half a quart or so to keep the sump full.

For now I'll do Euro 0w40 with a few quarts of FS X2 5w50 since I have that, and after that might switch both cars to SuperCar 5w50, or maybe Motul 300V since FCP euro carries that, and would work well for both with 6 months/ 1000 mile changes.

Definitely overfill! I do that on my N52, though xdrive doesn’t have pick up issues.
Run something with high HTHS bcs. pressure. Motul 300V 5W40 should do the trick. I just pulled sample after 5k and will be sending for UOA.

 

[Indyxc]

Interested to see what that 300V 5w40 looks like after 5k. In less than 1k of driving Mobil 1 FS X2 5w50 in my GT3 RS has the same viscocity as new 300V 5W40 due to fast shearing. In the few 300V 5w40 uoa I've seen the viscocity actually slightly went up.

 

[svenson]

I just pulled sample after 5k and will be sending for UOA.

nice!

 

[edyvw]

Interested to see what that 300V 5w40 looks like after 5k. In less than 1k of driving Mobil 1 FS X2 5w50 in my GT3 RS has the same viscocity as new 300V 5W40 due to fast shearing. In the few 300V 5w40 uoa I've seen the viscocity actually slightly went up.

So far 300V UOA I saw held better than M1, and interestingly, while they start with higher oxidation (Esters) they don’t end up with higher.
This sample is only street driving. I had like 20qt and it is new version. I thought I will track it, but had too much work.