BMW X5 4.8i 6 oil samples for your review

[stspinner]

I purchased my Used 2008 BMW X5 in September 2013 with ~ 71,0000 miles it was under full warranty and the additional maintenance plan and on average the OCI where 12,000-14,000 miles. The dealer changed the oil at purchase and the following are my samples.

75,075 Royal Purple 5w-30 HPS / Mann Filter 2,443 miles, after the sample was taken I ran a can of Liqui Moly Motor Flush for 10 minutes at Idle then Changed oil,

81,400 Mobil 1 0w-40 euro / BMW Filter 6,325 miles
86,660 BMW 5w-30 / BMW Filter 5,260 miles
94,000 Mobil 1 0w-40 / Mann Filter 7,400 miles
99,250 Shell Formula Synthetic 5w-30 / Mann Filter 5,250 miles
103,500 Castrol 0w-40 (german)/ Hengst Filter 4,250 miles

I am currently about 2,0000 miles into another run of Castrol 0w-40 and looking for any insight as to continue with Castrol or go back to the Mobil even though it doesn't have the BMW 01 LL rating at this time.

 

[PolarisX]

They all look like they did great.

At this point I would pick by price and availability. Getting excited over a few ppm here and there isn't worth doing.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: PolarisX
They all look like they did great.

..... Getting excited over a few ppm here and there isn't worth doing.


Agree they all did well, but a few ppm vs almost double the iron, to me, makes a difference. I'd go with the Shell.

 

[umungus1122]

BMW LL01 is specified with the assumption you'll be doing 10-15k OCIs. If you're not, I wouldn't be beholden to that spec.

 

[SilverC6]

I'd stay with the Castrol.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: umungus1122
BMW LL01 is specified with the assumption you'll be doing 10-15k OCIs. If you're not, I wouldn't be beholden to that spec.

LL-01 was introduce when BMW had much shorter intervals.

 

[Garak]

This is all inconsequential. Any approved lube does absolutely fine, and trying to pick a lubricant choice based upon a UOA with a switch at each OCI is really a wild goose chase. All the UOAs showed were that each lube was still suitable for use at the time it was condemned.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Garak
This is all inconsequential. Any approved lube does absolutely fine, and trying to pick a lubricant choice based upon a UOA with a switch at each OCI is really a wild goose chase. All the UOAs showed were that each lube was still suitable for use at the time it was condemned.


This.

 

[B320i]

Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: umungus1122
BMW LL01 is specified with the assumption you'll be doing 10-15k OCIs. If you're not, I wouldn't be beholden to that spec.

LL-01 was introduce when BMW had much shorter intervals.


Per BMW Literature, the only type of "Approved Oil" that has a mileage limit are the "BMW Special Oils" of the mid 1990s. Not to be used for longer than 9,320 miles or 15,000km. Some of these were semi-synthetic oils.

LL-98 coincided with the start of the 3-series E46 generation, approximately with the 5-series E39 and approximately with the 7-series E38 as well. LL-01 came before the next generation of BMW's rolled out.

I'm pretty sure the OCI went up to at least 10K straight off the bat once the LongLife oils were par of the course.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: B320i
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: umungus1122
BMW LL01 is specified with the assumption you'll be doing 10-15k OCIs. If you're not, I wouldn't be beholden to that spec.

LL-01 was introduce when BMW had much shorter intervals.


Per BMW Literature, the only type of "Approved Oil" that has a mileage limit are the "BMW Special Oils" of the mid 1990s. Not to be used for longer than 9,320 miles or 15,000km. Some of these were semi-synthetic oils.

LL-98 coincided with the start of the 3-series E46 generation, approximately with the 5-series E39 and approximately with the 7-series E38 as well. LL-01 came before the next generation of BMW's rolled out.

I'm pretty sure the OCI went up to at least 10K straight off the bat once the LongLife oils were par of the course.

OCI went up due to drastic reduction of sulfur in Euro gas. That is not the case in the U.S. I think there is good chance we will see ULSG in the U.S. on 01.01/2017 unless API gets it their way.

 

[B320i]

Quite right, European fuels did get better in that time, and so we ended up with LL-04 for that market at the proper interval.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: B320i
Quite right, European fuels did get better in that time, and so we ended up with LL-04 for that market at the proper interval.

LL-01 is still specd. for Europe in gas engines.

 

[dexos]

Some definitions:

BMW LL01 / BMW Longlife 01 - For all BMW vehicles from 2001 until 2003. Can also be used in place of Longlife-98 and Spezial.

BMW Longlife-01 (BMW LL-01):
Special BMW approval for fully synthetic long-life oil. Product meets ACEA A3/B3 and API: SJ/CD EC-II. Usually required for BMWs built after MY 2002. Can also be used where a BMW Longlife-98 oil is recommended.

 

[stspinner]

Originally Posted By: Garak
This is all inconsequential. Any approved lube does absolutely fine, and trying to pick a lubricant choice based upon a UOA with a switch at each OCI is really a wild goose chase. All the UOAs showed were that each lube was still suitable for use at the time it was condemned.


The reason for the diffent brand change was after the Royal purple was Walmart Mobil1 0w-40 on at half the price, I had one more free dealer oil change thence the BMW oil, Had two cases of Shell synthetic Formula 5w-30 and it cost 10 bucks for a filter and 15 for the oil change and used that this winter while in the middle of switching jobs and relocating.
Moved to Minneapolis and Walmart had the German Castrol on sale for 22 dollars for 5 quarts so I bought 4 and on the second oil change now.

And now I'm finally experiencing the very common Valve seal smoke at start up in my 4.8 liter V8 BMW in just the last week.

I just posted a couple VOA's of Liqui Moly oils and they don't look to great.

I will most likely go to the new Mobil 1 0w-40 FS and add one quart of there 0w-30 racing to bump the Moly Zinc Phos
as I now have 105,000 miles of my vehicle and plan on keeping it at least until spring of 2018 and it's my daily driver about 300 miles a week as the luxury of the company vehicle is no longer

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: stspinner
Originally Posted By: Garak
This is all inconsequential. Any approved lube does absolutely fine, and trying to pick a lubricant choice based upon a UOA with a switch at each OCI is really a wild goose chase. All the UOAs showed were that each lube was still suitable for use at the time it was condemned.


The reason for the diffent brand change was after the Royal purple was Walmart Mobil1 0w-40 on at half the price, I had one more free dealer oil change thence the BMW oil, Had two cases of Shell synthetic Formula 5w-30 and it cost 10 bucks for a filter and 15 for the oil change and used that this winter while in the middle of switching jobs and relocating.
Moved to Minneapolis and Walmart had the German Castrol on sale for 22 dollars for 5 quarts so I bought 4 and on the second oil change now.

And now I'm finally experiencing the very common Valve seal smoke at start up in my 4.8 liter V8 BMW in just the last week.

I just posted a couple VOA's of Liqui Moly oils and they don't look to great.

I will most likely go to the new Mobil 1 0w-40 FS and add one quart of there 0w-30 racing to bump the Moly Zinc Phos
as I now have 105,000 miles of my vehicle and plan on keeping it at least until spring of 2018 and it's my daily driver about 300 miles a week as the luxury of the company vehicle is no longer

M1 0W40 FS is thinner then Castrol 0W40 and will find its way thru valve stems faster.
I would try Rotella T6 or M1 5W40 TDT until you solve that issue. 105K for that V8 is nothing, you do not need any specialty oil.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Does the Shell oil even have the LL01 spec? And does anyone know the HTHS value on that oil? It seems to have done very well.

Thank you for sharing this though. I have an N62 in my 550i so the numbers are pertinent to me.

As for the leaky valve stem seals, I've had mine replaced but I am dealing with a seeping oil pan gasket. I thought about trying out an HM oil to see if it would help, but another member, rooflessVW, recommended I try out Liquimoly Motor Oil Saver to stop the seeping and continue using a spec oil. I'm going to try that out next oil change and see if it makes a difference.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: TXCarGeek
Does the Shell oil even have the LL01 spec? And does anyone know the HTHS value on that oil? It seems to have done very well.

Thank you for sharing this though. I have an N62 in my 550i so the numbers are pertinent to me.

As for the leaky valve stem seals, I've had mine replaced but I am dealing with a seeping oil pan gasket. I thought about trying out an HM oil to see if it would help, but another member, rooflessVW, recommended I try out Liquimoly Motor Oil Saver to stop the seeping and continue using a spec oil. I'm going to try that out next oil change and see if it makes a difference.

Does not have LL-01 or any other "car" spec. It is truck oil.
HTHS is 4.0cp, 14.2cst, but I am not personally fan due to high NOACK of 12.4%.
But, for oil consumption issues in cars that require high HTHS oils.

 

[TXCarGeek]

Interesting how well it did. My OTC choices are pretty much limited to Castrol and Mobil 1 so it seems like I'll just be choosing off whatever is cheapest when it's time to change the oil.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: stspinner
The reason for the diffent brand change was after the Royal purple was Walmart Mobil1 0w-40 on at half the price, I had one more free dealer oil change thence the BMW oil, Had two cases of Shell synthetic Formula 5w-30 and it cost 10 bucks for a filter and 15 for the oil change and used that this winter while in the middle of switching jobs and relocating.

I have no problems with switching brands (well, yes, I do, I'm paranoid). However, using UOAs to choose between lubes is riddled with difficulties. UOAs are most useful when they're trended, too.

 

[nickolas84]

I am sure BMW oil specs include testing for seal and rubber materials compatibility of the oil. I know for sure GM does that with the Dexos spec.
This seems to be the biggest problem with modern engines. So just use approved oils.
If you cannot find them, the next best thing is a high mileage oil with the necessary ACEA specification (so that it has the necessary HTHS etc)