Valvoline 5w40 Euro - '17 BMW M3, 4000mi oci

[Lead Shoes]

I would start looking for a more robust oil, especially since you track the car. I run Ravenol VMP 5W30 in my '18 M240i. It's a true synthetic oil (group 4 base stock). Look for the VOA and UOA of this oil.

So you want me to run c30/ll-04 in this car with the situation at hand with North American fuels and a lot of dilution? lol. If anything this is a use case to why engines that led up to the S55 development should be running any decently priced 0/5w40 LL-01 certified oil off the shelf instead of later spec'd CAFE oil unless you're really worried about your emission equipment. The specs are very stout for LL-01/A40 and overkill for most, yet a tougher application like this at the correct interval is performing. Mind you..... at $25.98 a 5qt jug too vs the boutique options. I just purchased 3 OCIs of 5qt 5w40 Valvoline at $19.98, so this comparison will continue with Polaris Lab reports in the future with new M1 0w40 in the winters.

 

[TiGeo]

So you want me to run c30/ll-04 in this car with the situation at hand with North American fuels and a lot of dilution? lol.

What about North America fuels is a concern here?

 

[Lavrishevo]

What about North America fuels is a concern here?

I find this statement odd as well, maybe he is thinking the ethanol in US fuel contributes to more dilution?

 

[shortyb]

I think his car/tune/driving beat on the oil a bit, however, I bet there is way more fuel in there than reported from BS. .5% open cup is more like 3-5% closed cup. Not absolutely certain, but believe BS extrapolates fuel based on flash. Thats more likely the main culprit for the diminished visc.

 

[Lavrishevo]

I think his car/tune/driving beat on the oil a bit, however, I bet there is way more fuel in there than reported from BS. .5% open cup is more like 3-5% closed cup. Not absolutely certain, but believe BS extrapolates fuel based on flash. Thats more likely the main culprit for the diminished visc.

Absolutely, in my previous tuned Kia Stinger, which was driven kind of hard, but not particularly abused I would see a lot of fuel dilution as well. I was using WMI, which did not help too much either, lol. I also targeted 3500 - 4k OCI’s / 5w-40.

 

[TiGeo]

I find this statement odd as well, maybe he is thinking the ethanol in US fuel contributes to more dilution?

At one time we had higher sulfur fuels than Europe which necessitated higher SAPS oils...but that's long gone and why the Euro oils recommended now are lower SAPS.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

So you want me to run c30/ll-04 in this car with the situation at hand with North American fuels and a lot of dilution? lol. If anything this is a use case to why engines that led up to the S55 development should be running any decently priced 0/5w40 LL-01 certified oil off the shelf instead of later spec'd CAFE oil unless you're really worried about your emission equipment. The specs are very stout for LL-01/A40 and overkill for most, yet a tougher application like this at the correct interval is performing. Mind you..... at $25.98 a 5qt jug too vs the boutique options. I just purchased 3 OCIs of 5qt 5w40 Valvoline at $19.98, so this comparison will continue with Polaris Lab reports in the future with new M1 0w40 in the winters.

Just a FYI, LL04 is not a CAFE spec oil as it has the same minimum HTHS requirement of LL01 so it can be found in 40 grade. LL04 is for use with ULSG/ULSD.

 

[Sean1112]

I’d dial it back to 3k OCI based on this Lab Analysis. Oil has sheared down out of 40 grade. That’s a sign that it’s getting hammered and isn’t up for the task.

Choose a stronger oil or simply change it more often, especially with track events added into the mix.

I don’t think this is a fuel dilution problem in this powerful engine with mods.

Virtually all 5W40's would shear out of grade in this application, Motul included. Heck, they're barely 40 weight oils to start out, they all shear. This Valvoline did as well as can be expected and is excellent oil, switching to another brand will only result in statistical noise on a UOA as observed with his PP Euro UOA from 2/17, the PP actually sheared more...

 

[TiGeo]

Virtually all 5W40's would shear out of grade in this application, Motul included. Heck, they're barely 40 weight oils to start out, they all shear. This Valvoline did as well as can be expected and is excellent oil, switching to another brand will only result in statistical noise on a UOA as observed with his PP Euro UOA from 2/17, the PP actually sheared more...

Based on my experience so far HPL likely would not.

 

[kschachn]

Based on my experience so far HPL likely would not.

Yeah the old shear monster. People see viscosity deviations and automatically attribute that to mechanical shear of the VM. With this particular Blackstone analysis there is no way to determine that.

 

[Sean1112]

Based on my experience so far HPL likely would not.

Yeah, but im referring to easily accessible, off the shelf stuff for the most part. HPL is a specialty oil and at approx 200 bucks for 10 quarts it better not shear...

 

[TiGeo]

Yeah, but im referring to easily accessible, off the shelf stuff for the most part. HPL is a specialty oil and at approx 200 bucks for 10 quarts it better not shear...

Basically all the OTS stuff with the same group of approvals will act the sane here. $200/10qts that can easily go 2x as long seems like reasonable economy to me.

 

[Sean1112]

Have you noticed any additional benefits to using HPL over OTS oils? Improved fuel economy, cleaning, smoothness, etc?

 

[Nesterenko]

Have you noticed any additional benefits to using HPL over OTS oils? Improved fuel economy, cleaning, smoothness, etc?

Twice as long OCI seems like a real good start.

 

[TiGeo]

Have you noticed any additional benefits to using HPL over OTS oils? Improved fuel economy, cleaning, smoothness, etc?

Nope if I'm being honest.

 

[Sean1112]

Then im sticking with OTS 229.5 oils with an occasional ceratec treatment. I appreciate the honesty as I wouldn't want to buy something that expensive for a daily driver/no mods without additional tangible benefits...

 

[TiGeo]

Then im sticking with OTS 229.5 oils with an occasional ceratec treatment. I appreciate the honesty as I wouldn't want to buy something that expensive for a daily driver/no mods without additional tangible benefits...

The tangible benefits are extended OCIs staying in grade.