[cosmicdebris48059]

I'm sure this is an old subject, but I'm new to this (turbo) engine platform and was wondering what everyone else is using for the "Life Blood" of their engine? I strongly feel engine oil is just that, the "Life Blood" of your motor. I've read a lot of different things about addatives in various different engine oils being good and or bad for the turbo. I'm sure BMW oil is good enough, but there's Always something better. I've been thinking Motul or Liqui Moly, possibly even Red Line. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...

[madmonkey]

Yes, this topic has been beaten to death. Feel free to search for the other threads with regards to people's preferences / experience with various particular brands.

In quick summary - anything that is BMW LL-01 is acceptable. And no, there is nothing wrong with running the dealership's oil. Do oil / filter changes more frequently than the once a year recommended by BMW and you should be fine.

Personnally, I just changed the oil for my 335i xdrive and put in Castrol 0W-40 European formula because it's in stock and regularily goes on sale. It is LL-01.

[zinner]

I used a k&n filter and the included o ring was not the right dimensions and it leaked oil all over my engine bay. So now I use the BMW filter so I use the BMW oil with it. I used Mobil 1 Euro car 0-40w previously.

[F32Fleet]

Just buy the dealer oil, it's cheaper, it's a shell gas-to-liquid product and very good stuff.

[madmonkey]

Originally Posted by zinner

I used a Mann filter and the included o ring was not the right dimensions and it leaked oil all over my engine bay. So now I use the BMW filter so I use the BMW oil with it. I used Mobil 1 Euro car 0-40w previously.

That's a first I've heard of that happening, but I too buy the filter from my stealership. They give me a 20% discount too so winner winner chicken dinner

[Pavement Molestor]

5w40 liqui moly. I like motul too...

[paul223]

Castrol 0w 40 or Mobile 0w 40 at Walmart for $23 for 5qt jug. Don't waste time & money on this topic. Anything fancy will have placebo affect on your mind.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by paul223

Castrol 0w 40 or Mobile 0w 40 at Walmart for $23 for 5qt jug. Don't waste time & money on this topic. Anything fancy will have placebo affect on your mind.

+1. Amen.

[cosmicdebris48059]

Originally Posted by paul223

Castrol 0w 40 or Mobile 0w 40 at Walmart for $23 for 5qt jug. Don't waste time & money on this topic. Anything fancy will have placebo affect on your mind.

Hmmm, sure sounds logical. Back in my crotch rocket days I read an oil study showing Mobile 1 (which is about the same as Castrol Synthetic but not in the study) would hold up to motorcycle specific oils rated for the high 10,000 + RPMs those motors put out. My biggest concern is what's good or bad for the turbo. I have read that the turbo requires oils with certain additives but oils with other additives can be harmful!?....

[franzzz]

Royal Purple 5W30

[Mauricio Palacios. MD]

Mobil 1 0W40 ... So far, so good...

[oceanview]

In general two factors are important:
Viscosity and Quality (BMW allowance)

When selecting an engine oil, ensure that the engine oil belongs to one of the viscosity grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40, and SAE 5W-30 or malfunctions or engine damage may occur.

Approved oil types
Gasoline engine
BMW Longlife-01.
BMW Longlife-01 FE.

The possible viscosity variances for the N55 are quite small.
0W to a 5W cold viscosity and 30 to 40 hot viscosity is not a big of a difference. (compared to a 0W-30 to a 0W-60)

BMW Longlife-01 and BMW Longlife-01 FE certification is important as other oils not having this lable could ruin the engine. (different or missing chemical additives)

Above quoted text from the owner's manual
http://dn1.bmwsections.com/dl.php?li.../2013_3s_s.zip

Hope I got it right..

[lens]

Originally Posted by oceanview

In general two factors are important:
Viscosity and Quality (BMW allowance)





The possible viscosity variances for the N55 are quite small.
0W to a 5W cold viscosity and 30 to 40 hot viscosity is not a big of a difference. (compared to a 0W-30 to a 0W-60)

BMW Longlife-01 and BMW Longlife-01 FE certification is important as other oils not having this lable could ruin the engine. (different or missing chemical additives)

Above quoted text from the owner's manual
http://dn1.bmwsections.com/dl.php?li.../2013_3s_s.zip

Hope I got it right..

30-40 hot viscosity is a huge difference.

Smoother idle, smoother engine. I've noticed a significant better running engine going from 5w-30 to 5w-40.

[xxxjecxxx2]

I just did oil change yesterday and I've been using Mobil 1 0w-40 for the last 10 years.

I just changed to Castrol 0w-40 because the M1 is no longer approved for BMW LL-01.

Agreed to purchase from Walmart!

[FSociety]

BMW seems to be using 0w-30 & 5w-30 in our free maintenance, considering buying 5w-40 for the summer heat months

[dreamspeed]

What over meets BMW specs if you are in warranty. If you are out of warranty just get any reputable brand that's the appropriate weight.

Like others have mentioned, Castro and Mobil 1 for ~25 a 5qt jug at Walmart are great. Mobil runs rebates pretty often that drop the price per jug to ~15.

[oceanview]

Originally Posted by chaungo

30-40 hot viscosity is a huge difference.

Smoother idle, smoother engine. I've noticed a significant better running engine going from 5w-30 to 5w-40.

Sorry for my late response.
First the 5w-40 has a higher viscosity as the 5w-30. Which means the 40 Oil is thicker compared to the 30 Oil.
At the same oil temperature the engine needs more power to run with a SAE40 Oil than with a SAE30 Oil.
http://articles.sae.org/11945/
So what you write makes no sense to me.

[lens]

Originally Posted by oceanview

Sorry for my late response.
First the 5w-40 has a higher viscosity as the 5w-30. Which means the 40 Oil is thicker compared to the 30 Oil.
At the same oil temperature the engine needs more power to run with a SAE40 Oil than with a SAE30 Oil.
http://articles.sae.org/11945/
So what you write makes no sense to me.

There is no sense there, all you need to do is run 5w30 for awhile, then switch to 5w40 (motul, liquimoly) and you'll feel the difference.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by cosmicdebris48059

I'm sure this is an old subject, but I'm new to this (turbo) engine platform and was wondering what everyone else is using for the "Life Blood" of their engine? I strongly feel engine oil is just that, the "Life Blood" of your motor. I've read a lot of different things about addatives in various different engine oils being good and or bad for the turbo. I'm sure BMW oil is good enough, but there's Always something better. I've been thinking Motul or Liqui Moly, possibly even Red Line. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...

Top three easy picks, Liqui Molly, Total and Shell. Have tried them all. Every expert (as in petro-chemist, chemical engineers or PhD in the field) you may ask or see on youtube will tell you that the OEM, recommended and approved are mandatory checks. These are found on the material sheet, perhaps the most important, overlooked piece of oil documentation and are a simplified way of saying that the oil's construct/molecules/polymers are actually compatible with a specific engine design.

The N55 is a high performance engine that runs hot. In the US, I regard the 40 a minimum, and higher if tracking. Some manufacturers make an LL-01 5W-40, and, as of 2019, Liqui Moly now makes 0W-40 synthetic LL-01, which I am trying to get as we speak. Shell's Platinum Euro version (repackaged as Penzoil) makes LL-01. Very specific oil batches exist, for example, for 1980s/1990s oil-cooled race cars that require one oil change per 30-50 lap weekend or 5,000 km intervals other wise.

The specialists say that, under no circumstance one should use oil not meeting the key manufacturer checklist: SAE approval, viscosity and LL-type specifics. The certification process these products go through are very extensive, everything down to the last polymer is analyzed in labs and then actual kinematic testing in test engines. When certified the product sheet will say BMW LL-01 approved. LL-04 is for diesels, different chemicals, not for petrol engines. If a product does not have the BMW approval even though another grade from that same company does, it means that the company has not bothered certifying it OR the manufacturer has not approved it, i.e. it failed testing.

Brand wise, BMW switched from Castrol to Shell (Penzoil in NA). That aside, from Autobahn to race tracks, everyone using French Total swears by it as besting Shell/Castrol and being largely superior to Motul. Total Quartz 9000, made in Montreal, would be the latest LL-01 iteration, with a new 5W-30 just launched February 2018:

http://blogtotal.ca/en/products/tota...-20-and-5w-30/

Which one is the best? I used Total through winters- pure coincidence. Summer 2019 will do Total. Presently, Liqui Molly is the best transformative engine 'feel' experience. BlackStone confirmed no engine issues.

[SeanWRT]

Different opinions can go on and on and make a hundred pages. Don't waste time.

LL01 or LL01 FE is the only thing you should stick to. Other than that, just try and decide for yourself.

[ceedawg]

AMSOIL and MANN Filters FTW all the way

[FastF30]

I drive 2000-3000 a year... would all suggest once a year oil change... ?