Which oil for my old BMW and why?

Pennzoil motor oil
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fdcg27

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Tomorrow or the next day, I'll give the old BMW an oil change.
It'll get one of the Mahle filters I got a deal on online.
The question is what should I use as the oil?
Here are the choices that might be suitable that I have on hand:

RK SAE 30
Mobil Delvac 1 5w40
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30
Maxlife SB 10W-40
Valvoline 4T syn 20W-50
Syntec 5W-50
Durablend 10W-40
Delvac 15w40

I know what I'm inclined to use and why. I'm just curious what others might recommend and their reasoning for their choices.
 
Of course it leaks and consumes oil.
It's an old German engine and it has seven years more age and 63K more use than does your fiver.
On something like Maxlife SB 10W-40 or Mobil 1 15W-50, you can figure on adding a quart after about 2.5K.
On Defy 10W-40, it's been more like a quart after 1.5K.
I am leaning toward the Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30 since it has high enough HTHS to be suitable and is supposedly good for reducing consumption and leaks.
I know that Maxlife works well from my experience with it.
I just wonder whether the Mobil 1 High Mileage will work as well or even better, or maybe something really thick like the 20W-50 Valvoline bike oil might do the same.
 
German engine and oil consumption are not synonym. My 2000 E430 doesn't consume measurable amount of oil between 10-12k/12mo OCI, even with xW20 instead of Mobil 1 0W40.

It depends how you drive your Bimmer, if you don't flog it every time you go out I would try either Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30 or Maxlife full-syn 10W30.
 
If you are going to start it in the winter forget about the straight SAE 30 weight, and any 15W or 20W. Consider 10W or better yet 5W or 0W.

If it were mine I would run Castrol 0W 40.
 
We've had four Mercedes cars.
None of them leaked much oil but all of them had oil consumption to a degree that we never saw with any American or Japanese engine.
It's just the nature of the beast, your good luck notwithstanding.
 
It spends its winters in the garage.
According to the OM, a 20W-50 is fine down to 14F, although I don't think I'd try that.
 
It's true that my experience with German engine is very limited, and it's very possible that my E430 is an exception, not the norm.

Normally, when you use 2 oil grades thinner for the first time after 80-90k miles you expect some oil consumption, I was a litle surprise when I check the oil level every month and did not see the change on dipstick. When I siphoned the oil using Mityvac I got almost exactly the amount I poured in a year before.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
The only oil on your list that I would consider for any of my old BMWs past, present or future, would be the Delvac 15w40.


The same could be said for the Delvac 1 5w40 he lists too
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: BobFout
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
The only oil on your list that I would consider for any of my old BMWs past, present or future, would be the Delvac 15w40.


The same could be said for the Delvac 1 5w40 he lists too
grin2.gif



No, that couldn't be said, because I wouldn't consider it.
 
Different engine, but my friend has a 2006 E90 325xi that was burning a bit of oil. I switched to Castrol Edge 0w40 and it helped the consumption considerably and the engine runs much quieter. It was previously running the BMW 5w30.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
It spends its winters in the garage.
According to the OM, a 20W-50 is fine down to 14F, although I don't think I'd try that.


20W50 would actually be fine for your car.
 
Which old BMW is it? A Bavaria six - Rotella T5 for sure... Something a bit more modern, maybe Rotella T6 ...

Or the functional equivalent from your favorite refiner ...
laugh.gif
 
I use Syntec 0w30 (good old GC) in my 2000 528i. As I expect you know, this is a fairly heavy 30 weight oil.

My BMW doesn't use any oil.

Does your 318i specify BMW LL-01? If so, I'd make sure the oil you use meets it.
 
Mobil 1 10W-40HM works well in the M42, based on experiences from owners I know. (Mobil 1 15W-50 would be my second choice.)

It does a nice job controlling consumption (better than the 15W-50 in fact, never mind the 0W-40), without being heavy.

Since it predates any of BMW's oil specs, and even their adoption of synthetic factory fill, there are more options.
 
Originally Posted By: ecotourist
I use Syntec 0w30 (good old GC) in my 2000 528i. As I expect you know, this is a fairly heavy 30 weight oil.

My BMW doesn't use any oil.

Does your 318i specify BMW LL-01? If so, I'd make sure the oil you use meets it.



This, just use whatever oil meets BMW specs. What oil on that list meets spec?

I've got all sorts of left over oil or oil at a discount, I'm just going to use the oil that meets spec in my Mercedes, I have German Castrol 0w30 in there now that meets spec. I also have some Mobil 1 Extended Performance 0w30, but I won't use that, not even to top off as it doesn't meet spec.
 
We are not in the realm of LL01 with this engine. It will work, sure, but every BMW I've owned of this vintage has run best on an HDEO 15w40. Oil temp and pressures have all been perfect, low noise, and valve adjustments stay in spec longer on the older cars. Not to mention you can't beat a $18 DIY oil change!

For the M10, M30, M20, and M42, I would and have run 15w40. FWIW, it was never "my friend's" or "my buddy's" car. Always my own, with me doing the maintenance, and using HDEO 15w40. There's a reason you can still find a BMW bottle with 15w40 printed on the front.
 
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