Switching to M1 0w-40 in my BMW m3

[Travis]

I've been running Mobil 1 5w-30 in my civic for 3yrs and m3 for a year . I've read that M1 5w-30 is not a BMW approved oil and that it runs on the thin side of a 30 weight oil. I live in Mobile Alabama were we don't have really cold winters were a 0 weight oil would be needed but I've had a few people tell me about the 0w-40 and wanted to try it out. Just wanted a few opinion on if this oil is "better" then the 5w-30 i've been using. Thanks.

Travis

 

[buster]

You've been running Mobil 1 5w-30 in a M3? What year and have you had a oil analysis sample? I'd use Mobil 1 0w-40, Amsoil 5w-40 or Mobil 1 15w-50 in the M3 probably. What does the manual call for?

 

[Travis]

The car is a 95 m3 with a current 86k on the clock. I put 6k miles on it this past year with one 7qt fill of M1 5w-30. I've never had a oil analysis done. As a matter a fact up untill recenty I never knew such a thing existed. I just bought 7qts of M1 0w-40 and am waiting to try it.

I also have another question maybe someone can answer for me. I only put 6k on the car over a year span. 6k isn't alot of miles but the fact that it's been in the car for a year does that mean it should be changed?

 

[uconn1150]

Well, it does depend on how it got those 6K. Lots of short trips are rough on the oil and then fuel gets in there as well unless you give it a nice long weekend drive. Unless you are running a by-pass system, 1 year seems to be the "safe" max limit.

 

[John_E]

Travis, my 2001 Passat 1.8T sees about 7K miles per year. I change my oil on a 3K mile / 6 month schedule. When I changed from 5W-30 Castrol GTX to 5W-30 Mobil 1 at 23K miles, I got timing chain clatter on hot idle. I dumped the Mobil 1 5W-30 yesterday, after only a month and a few hundred miles and installed a larger oil filter and Mobil 1 0W-40. So far, no more clatter; we'll see what happens as the 0W-40 ages.

If I am right, Mobil 1 5W-30 has no place in a hot-running modern engine, at least a turbo-charged one. My first impression of the 0W-40, however, is very positive.

 

[Travis]

Thanks for the info. The car rarely sees a round trip of more them 30-40 miles and most the time isn't driven more then 5 miles a day. The 6 month drain seems like it would work the best for me so I'm going to start that with my next oil change. I tend to agree with you now that M1 5w-30 may not be a wise choice in this car but it seems to be fine in my honda.

 

[John_E]

quote:

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Originally posted by Travis:
... I tend to agree with you now that M1 5w-30 may not be a wise choice in this car but it seems to be fine in my honda.

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I use 5W-30 dino in my 4-cylinder 2003 Dodge Stratus, which gets driven closer to 10K miles per year. I use the same 3K / 6 mo schedule, almost always hitting the distance before timing out on the calendar.

 

[glxpassat]

Since you are in Mobile I would skip syn and just use Mobil Delvac 1300 15w-40 all year. I use it in my Passat and it runs better than it did with the syns.

 

[John_E]

quote:

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Originally posted by glxpassat:
Since you are in Mobile I would skip syn and just use Mobil Delvac 1300 15w-40 all year. I use it in my Passat and it runs better than it did with the syns.

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Does Delvac 1300 15W-40 satisfy VW's warranty requirements? (I got one of the last 10 year / 100K mile powertrain warranties, and I don't want to blow it. VW is getting VERY particular in their oil specifications.) Even though I live in weather wimp land (coastal San Diego county), I am concerned about cold start engine wear.

 

[Travis]

quote:

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Originally posted by glxpassat:
Since you are in Mobile I would skip syn and just use Mobil Delvac 1300 15w-40 all year. I use it in my Passat and it runs better than it did with the syns.

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I though about that but can't bring myself to do it. If you don't mind me asking, what part of AL are you from?

 

[Audi Junkie]

BMW is experiencing frequent engine failures due to customers not using the M3-specific Castrol 10w-60. Basicly, the thing will blow when run on thin oils. Syntec 5w-50 is similar in composition to the Motorsport 10w-60, I'd use that. The awesome PTG V8 M3 uses it. (insert pic)

 

[Travis]

quote:

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Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
BMW is experiencing frequent engine failures due to customers not using the M3-specific Castrol 10w-60. Basicly, the thing will blow when run on thin oils. Syntec 5w-50 is similar in composition to the Motorsport 10w-60, I'd use that. The awesome PTG V8 M3 uses it. (insert pic)

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You're thinking of new m3s not mine. Mine is a 95

 

[glxpassat]

Travis, I currently live in Huntsville, but I grew up in Pascagoula and have been through Mobile many times. The Delvac 1300 gives better gas mileage than I got with GC and is really smooth and doesn't bog my engine. I also run it in my Honda van. It is an SL rated oil so it will work great in a gas motor. You only need synth for extreme cold, turbo's, or extended drains with many miles. The Delvac has a TBN of 12 and should work great for a 6k oil change. I tried the Mobil 0w-40 and it ran good until about 4200 miles where I noticed a rougher hot idle. It will work good for you but IMHO is over kill.

John, it doesn't have any VW spec's listed on it and I wouldn't use it if you have the 1.8 turbo. I would only use synth in that motor. I have the v6 and with 5k oci's the 15w-40 is perfect.

 

[Gene K]

Other choices....

1. Saab 0W-30 (Hard to find - No longer imported)

2. German Castrol 0W-30. It is almost a 40 Weight and BMW LL-01 Certified.

3. Amsoil European Formula 5W-40.

4. Mobil 1 5W-40 Truck and SUV (Delvac 1 without the Boron).

5. Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40

Gene

 

[Palut]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gene K:
4. Mobil 1 5W-40 Truck and SUV (Delvac 1 without the Boron).

Gene

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M1 T&S shows around 40 ppms of Boron in its VOAs and UOAs. New UOAs of Delvac 1 from the Diesel section also show 40 ppm of Boron. This lead me to believe that they are the exact same oil. Some point to a VOA of Delvac 1 with some 150 ppm of Boron, but that is really a VOA for CH-4 Delvac 1. I don't believe we have a VOA on this board for CI-4 rated Delvac 1.

 

[Gene K]

quote:

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Originally posted by Palut:

quote:

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Originally posted by Gene K:
4. Mobil 1 5W-40 Truck and SUV (Delvac 1 without the Boron).

Gene

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M1 T&S shows around 40 ppms of Boron in its VOAs and UOAs. New UOAs of Delvac 1 from the Diesel section also show 40 ppm of Boron. This lead me to believe that they are the exact same oil. Some point to a VOA of Delvac 1 with some 150 ppm of Boron, but that is really a VOA for CH-4 Delvac 1. I don't believe we have a VOA on this board for CI-4 rated Delvac 1.

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Some of the latest UOA's of M1 T&S show 0 Boron.

I think Mobil has started to monkey with the D1 formula that was originally in T&S...

Gene

 

[Dr. T]

quote:

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Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
BMW is experiencing frequent engine failures due to customers not using the M3-specific Castrol 10w-60. Basicly, the thing will blow when run on thin oils. Syntec 5w-50 is similar in composition to the Motorsport 10w-60, I'd use that. The awesome PTG V8 M3 uses it. (insert pic)

---

Whoa...I don't think so. The 10-60 is a totally different animal than Syntec 5-50 from my experience...

 

[Audi Junkie]

I am talking about 6-cyl M3s. What does your manual say? You should look at the TSBs for your car before you put in the wrong oil.

 

[Dr. T]

If it's a 95, it should have the standard viscosity chart indicating every oil from a 5-20 to 20-50 as being acceptable depending on ambient temperature (as it should be based on).

 

[Eiron]

quote:

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Originally posted by Travis:
The car is a 95 m3 with a current 86k on the clock. I put 6k miles on it this past year with one 7qt fill of M1 5w-30. I've never had a oil analysis done. As a matter a fact up untill recenty I never knew such a thing existed. I just bought 7qts of M1 0w-40 and am waiting to try it.

I also have another question maybe someone can answer for me. I only put 6k on the car over a year span. 6k isn't alot of miles but the fact that it's been in the car for a year does that mean it should be changed?

---

Hi Travis,

I'd say you're safe with 1 yr/6k mi changes using Delo or D1300S, or 2 yr/20k mi changes on M1 0W-40, 5W-40 or 15W-50. Here's my 1+ yr/6,500 mi Mobil 1 15W-50 UOA with only a 4qt sump! It looked so good that I ran the oil for another 6+ mos/4,500 mi (A-Rx application) before dumping it. Both M1 0W-40 & 15W-50 meet ACEA "light duty" diesel specs, while 5W-40 meets the more severe ACEA "heavy duty" specs. All three oils are approved for current API & ACEA gasoline engine specs.

Saab's currently recommending 2 yrs/15k mi w/M1 0W-40 in their 6qt sump turbo engines. With a bigger 7qt sump & N/A engine, you'd be conservatively safe for 2 yrs/20k mi.