BMW 330i (N53) - European oil recommendation

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The_Lows

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Oct 3, 2012
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Location
France
Hi Forum !

I am about the change the oil in my 330i (N53, 272 HP, direct injection) and I need some help to choose oil.

I live in France (low sulphur gasoline). There, BMW says I should stick with LL04 (I will) and I have the choice of 4 grades : 0w30, 0w40, 5w40 and 5w30. Until now, I used castrol EDGE FST 0w40 which had quite good specs. I read here and there that 5w30 would also be a wise choice since I don't live in siberia and because direct injection new motors don't like thick oil so much.

The new castrol edge titanium would be a logical choice but it has a very low flash point (200°C). I have no clue if this is something I should care about to be honest...so I spotted the mobil 1 ESP formula 5w30 which has incredible specs : 254 flash point, 0,6 % ash, etc. Is this a good choice ? Any other suggestions ?

Here are the specs of the mobil 1 (in french but you will understand I bet) :

Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30
Grade SAE 5W-30
Viscosité, ASTM D 445
cSt à 40°C 72,8
cSt à 100°C 12,1
Indice de viscosité, ASTM D 2270 164
Teneur en cendres sulfatées, %masse, ASTM D 874 0,6
Viscosité HTHS, mPa•s à 150°C, ASTM D 4683 3,58
Point d'écoulement, °C, ASTM D 97 -45
Point d'éclair, °C, ASTM D 92 254
Densité à 15°C, kg/l, ASTM D 4052 0,850

And the new castrol edge titanium 5w30:

Masse volumique à 15°C ASTM D4052 g/ml 0.851
Viscosité cinématique à 100°C ASTM D445 mm²/s 12.0
Viscosité, CCS -30°C ASTM D5293 mPa.s (cP) 5800
Viscosité cinématique à 40°C ASTM D445 mm²/s 70
Indice de viscosité ASTM D2270 Sans 169
Point d'écoulement ASTM D97 °C -42
Point d'éclair PMCC ASTM D93 °C 202
Cendres sulfatées ASTM D874 % m 0.64


Thanks

Romain
 
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I dont know how is in E Leclerc France...but here in Slovenia Leclerc has quite fair prices for engine oils...I always take one jug of Shell with me
smile.gif


5W will suffice for weather in France....
 
Bienvenue à BITOG! :]

welcome2.gif


If you're going to look at specs, flash point is a good one. It can indicate base oil quality (higher = better, generally). However, there is more than one way to test flash point. Different methods might produce different numbers. In the spec lists you posted, Mobil 1's flash point was measured via ASTM D92, and Castrol Edge's flash point was measured via ASTM D93. From what I'm reading, D92 can often produce higher numbers than D93. So, the difference between Mobil 1 at 254º and Castrol Edge at 202º might not be as big as it seems.

Any of the oils you listed should be fine. I don't think the specs give us any way to tell whether one is better than the others.

How is your driving? Aggressive, mild, normal? Urban, highway, etc.?
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Bienvenue à BITOG! :]

welcome2.gif


If you're going to look at specs, flash point is a good one. It can indicate base oil quality (higher = better, generally). However, there is more than one way to test flash point. Different methods might produce different numbers. In the spec lists you posted, Mobil 1's flash point was measured via ASTM D92, and Castrol Edge's flash point was measured via ASTM D93. From what I'm reading, D92 can often produce higher numbers than D93. So, the difference between Mobil 1 at 254º and Castrol Edge at 202º might not be as big as it seems.

Any of the oils you listed should be fine. I don't think the specs give us any way to tell whether one is better than the others.

How is your driving? Aggressive, mild, normal? Urban, highway, etc.?


Merci !

Good point about the measurment method, thanks for pointing it ! Looking around in google ASTM D93 is said to give results between 5 and 20 degrees lower than the D92...but still I find the mobil 1 number impressive.

My driving is basically normal 99% percent of the time (10% city, 90% motorway) around legal speed. For the 1% that is left, I have got one eye on the road, one eye on waze (lots of radars in france) and full throttle
smile.gif
...all in all I am quite respectful with the car.

Any opinion about the grade ?
 
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Originally Posted By: The_Lows
I have got one eye on the road, one eye on waze (lots of radars in france) and full throttle
smile.gif
...


smile.gif
Been there 3 times.....yes you have plenty of them....and LUCKILY France seems doesnt send "regards" to my country
smile.gif


For everything else.....load radars on your GPS from poiplaza.com
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Originally Posted By: The_Lows
I have got one eye on the road, one eye on waze (lots of radars in france) and full throttle
smile.gif
...


smile.gif
Been there 3 times.....yes you have plenty of them....and LUCKILY France seems doesnt send "regards" to my country
smile.gif


For everything else.....load radars on your GPS from poiplaza.com
wink.gif



Interesting website, thanks !
 
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Can you get the French brand Motul or Total-Elf for there? By all accounts they are a quality brand.
https://www.motul.com/system/product_descriptions/technical_data_sheets/54/original/8100_X-clean_5W-30_(GB).pdf
http://total-techspecs.com/

I'd be using that now if I could find it, and I didn't already have so much oil in storage now.
Its just one (small) way I could think of to support France during the rough times now with the terrorists. There are other ways, I know, but it all adds up.

By the way, can you think of any other great French products we can get here in the U.S.A ?
 
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Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
Can you get the French brand Motul or Total-Elf for there? By all accounts they are a quality brand.
https://www.motul.com/system/product_descriptions/technical_data_sheets/54/original/8100_X-clean_5W-30_(GB).pdf
http://total-techspecs.com/

I'd be using that now if I could find it, and I didn't already have so much oil in storage now.
Its just one (small) way I could think of to support France during the rough times now with the terrorists. There are other ways, I know, but it all adds up.

By the way, can you think of any other great French products we can get here in the U.S.A ?


Yeah that is the main pb : we have 20 brands to choose from multiply 4 grades
smile.gif
. Total and Motul are one of them ! For Motul, they have 8100 X clean and now 8100 X clean +...I mean it is easy to get lost...

Thank you for trying to support France BTW
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: The_Lows
Good point about the measurment method, thanks for pointing it ! Looking around in google ASTM D93 is said to give results between 5 and 20 degrees lower than the D92...but still I find the mobil 1 number impressive.

Agreed.


Originally Posted By: The_Lows
My driving is basically normal 99% percent of the time (10% city, 90% motorway) around legal speed. For the 1% that is left, I have got one eye on the road, one eye on waze (lots of radars in france) and full throttle
smile.gif
...all in all I am quite respectful with the car.

You'll probably be fine with any of the oils you've mentioned. BMW's oil specs are meant to tolerate quite a lot more than that.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: The_Lows
Good point about the measurment method, thanks for pointing it ! Looking around in google ASTM D93 is said to give results between 5 and 20 degrees lower than the D92...but still I find the mobil 1 number impressive.

Agreed.


Originally Posted By: The_Lows
My driving is basically normal 99% percent of the time (10% city, 90% motorway) around legal speed. For the 1% that is left, I have got one eye on the road, one eye on waze (lots of radars in france) and full throttle
smile.gif
...all in all I am quite respectful with the car.

You'll probably be fine with any of the oils you've mentioned. BMW's oil specs are meant to tolerate quite a lot more than that.
wink.gif



For the sake of the car history (thinking about when I will sell it one day
frown.gif
), it will look better on the paper if I continue using castrol oil just like I did for the 2 previous oil changes. Until now, I used EDGE FST 0W40 with the following specs :

Dichte bei 15°C ASTM D4052 g/ml 0.841
kinematische Viskosität bei 100°C ASTM D445 mm²/s 13.5
Viskosität, CCS -35°C ASTM D5293 mPa.s (cP) 5800
Stockpunkt ASTM D97 °C -50
kinematische Viskosität bei 40°C ASTM D445 mm²/s 79
Sulfatasche ASTM D874 Gew. % 1.12
Viskositätsindex ASTM D2270 None 169
Flammpunkt, PMCC ASTM DV93 °C 240

Since I read that 5W30 or 0W30 can also be good for my engine since it is less subject to clottering in the higher part of the motor, I would like to try the new EDGE version, named the edge titanium in 0W30 version :

Name Method Units Castrol EDGE 0W-30
Density @ 15C, Relative ASTM D4052 g/ml 0.842
Viscosity, Kinematic 100C ASTM D445 mm²/s 12.3
Viscosity, CCS -35C (0W) ASTM D5293 mPa.s (cP) 5800
Viscosity, Kinematic 40C ASTM D445 mm²/s 72
Viscosity Index ASTM D2270 None 169
Pour Point ASTM D97 °C -51
Flash Point, PMCC ASTM D93 °C 200
Ash, Sulphated ASTM D874 % wt 0.8

But I am held by the very low flash point of this new version ? Doesn't it look like the new version is not as good ?
crazy2.gif
 
The_Lows,

Originally Posted By: The_Lows

The new castrol edge titanium would be a logical choice but it has a very low flash point (200°C).


Welcome to the forum. The very first search for "castrol edge 0w-40 a3/b4 msds" reveals this msds: http://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/CE3FF44E27742B4A80257A6F00311A86/$File/BPXE-8XTLDK.pdf where the flash point is 240 C. They are using ASTM D93.

I wonder if we are referring to the MSDS of the same product?
 
Originally Posted By: volodymyr
The_Lows,

Originally Posted By: The_Lows

The new castrol edge titanium would be a logical choice but it has a very low flash point (200°C).


Welcome to the forum. The very first search for "castrol edge 0w-40 a3/b4 msds" reveals this msds: http://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/CE3FF44E27742B4A80257A6F00311A86/$File/BPXE-8XTLDK.pdf where the flash point is 240 C. They are using ASTM D93.

I wonder if we are referring to the MSDS of the same product?


OK sorry, the right spec sheet is this one for the former EDGE FST 0W40 :

http://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/8AA7F9B2F366C75F80257BAB002E1D09/$File/BPXE-99R6KK.pdf

Flash point was very high (244 with D93 method).

Now it is down to 200 with the new Edge titanium so I wonder if this the new castrol is worse or if flashpoint does not matter so much anymore as long as it is above 200°C.
 
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Originally Posted By: Thebimmerfan
As you are in France you can get Yacco - a superb brand IMO. In N53B30 you can use Yacco Lube DE 0W-30 or Lube DE 5W-30.


Yeah good pick
grin.gif
! I forgot they where french. I did not consider this brand until now as they are hardly listed in the main online shops !
 
Originally Posted By: Popsy
Also Yacco galaxie RS 0W40 (a light 40). Even in France, hard to find, you have to order it online.


Yeah, great oil really. Love all the Galaxie line, some superior high performance oriented products. If OP steps on the track, or generally have a more "racing" driving style Yacco Galaxie products are among the best.
 
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OK, I spent another night looking at oil specs sheets and online oil shops....and finally, I picked up some MOTUL 8100 X-clean+ 5W30. Looks good on the paper, and hey, it is french (probably frog legs oil :))...On the car history point of view, it makes sense as the first owner started to pour some MOTUL 5W40 LL04 in it...and HTHS is fair for a low saps oil (3.6).

Here are the specs :

https://www.motul.com/system/product_descriptions/technical_data_sheets/364/original/8100_X-clean__5W-30_%28F%29.pdf?1338907582

Thanks for the advice. I will post feedback when the change is done...
 
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