11-05-2022, 09:35 PM | #1 |
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What oil to use for the N20/N26
I have a 2016 328i N26, what oil do you guys recommend I use for the engine? The temperature dips to 30F and goes as high 70F.
The car also has 130k miles, I know bmw recommends 0w-20 but seems to thin imo |
11-06-2022, 06:36 PM | #2 |
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Do a forum search please. This topic has been asked and answered, beaten to death.
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11-07-2022, 08:00 AM | #3 |
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11-11-2022, 12:51 AM | #4 |
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BMW recommends 0w-20 LL17FE oil
Don't mess with different viscosity if you haven't changed bearing clearance |
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11-11-2022, 06:08 AM | #5 |
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The N20 was designed to run 40 weight oil but 30 weight should also be fine.
Anyone running 20 weight is an idiot. The engine is the same throughout the entire production run, why would BMW adjust the recommendation? Hm. I wont argue facts. Do some research if you're still confused. |
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11-11-2022, 02:27 PM | #6 | |
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11-11-2022, 06:10 PM | #7 | ||
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Been running 40 weight for two different N20 powered vehicles over approximately 135k miles total. Change every 5k miles. Still get around 35mpg cruising on the highway?! Is it worth running 20 weight to squeak out 36-37 mpg? Not for me. https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulatio...e-fuel-economy |
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11-16-2022, 01:12 AM | #8 |
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11-16-2022, 01:16 AM | #9 |
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BMW base oil requirements on HTHS, not grade per se.
In N20/26 engines due to timing chain guide issues, one wants thicker, ZDDP rich oil. Go Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W40. You really, REALLY want approved oil like this PPE 5W40 (people with N51/52/53/54/55/62/63 can use oils without BMW approval but MB229.5 approval) as 2018 update of BMW approvals includes timing chain test on N20/26 engine. |
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11-16-2022, 01:18 AM | #10 | |||
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One thing people have to understand that running thicker oil is not an issue. Running thinner than required can be major problem. |
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11-18-2022, 10:00 AM | #11 | ||||
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11-30-2022, 09:03 AM | #12 | |
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11-30-2022, 09:05 AM | #13 | ||
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11-30-2022, 09:09 AM | #14 |
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11-30-2022, 09:12 AM | #15 | |
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11-30-2022, 09:14 AM | #16 |
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Sweet thank you ! I’ll probably go with what’s available in stores like penzoil or Castro
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11-30-2022, 10:20 AM | #17 | ||
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11-30-2022, 12:00 PM | #18 | ||
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Thicker oils will give smoother sound as well as certain combustion of additives and base stocks. But thick oil is not what matters. It is HTHS that is most important variable. Some blenders (Liqui Moly) have to bump KV100 (kinematic viscosity at 100c) to get appropriate HTHS. Some blenders like Pennzoil, Mobil1, Motul use very sophisticated base stock to bump HTHS, but their KV100 is on thinner side. The reason is golden rule of lubrication: as thick as necessary, as thin as possible. |
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11-30-2022, 12:06 PM | #19 | |||
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12-02-2022, 10:55 PM | #21 |
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Just be sure you use 5 Liters, not 5 quarts. If you buy a 5 quart container, add nine more ounces (assuming N20/N26 engine). That was one of the things I liked about Liqui Moly - it comes in 5L container. Dump it in and be done with it.
Last edited by jsouth; 12-03-2022 at 06:58 PM.. |
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