Whats your weight? (fossil oil)

[Sirius600]

Since I'm considering switching to synthetic oil, I think it's suiting to start a poll on oil weight. This is for regular oil users ONLY.

Please include your location and the average temperature where you drive.

[J!m]

I'm running Mobil-1 15-50 in my 3.2. I don't remember what I was running in my 1.9, but I think it was 15-40.

I'm in CT (usually) but the BMW is never driven in winter.

[GDB]

Mobil 10-40 in the M44

[2ndBimmer]

I use Castrol 20w50 in the summer (85º), 10w40 in the winter (30º).

[CyPRus]

Just been going according to the manuals that came with my '95. Recommends 15-40 for summer and probably switch to I think it's 5-30 for winter. Probably wrong so I'll be double checking. Supertech is unfortunately what is on the shelves in my area. Not a lot of 15-40 castrol in my area otherwise I'd be using it. Probably order some for my next oil change through napa or something.

[slacker]

Mobil 1 15-50 in Calif. Switched when started tracking my 95 Sport.
Gary

[maurolin]

I only use Mobil 1 RED top I think it is 15w50. douring the summer the oil gets pretty hot and lacks of viscosity. heavier weight keeps the compression going.

[AlaskaBlue]

20W50 I live in Indiana right now it is 0 degrees, but usually during winter it is around freezing or a little above.

[bmwracefan]

20W-50.....for race only

[S10mafia50]

Actually, I run a mix of around 7.5w30 LOL.....dang pushrod gm's LMAO
Andrew

[barische]

10w30 for summer and 5w 30 for winter i use mobil 1 and im at new jersey. at winter we see temp below 30

[angel318ti]

castrol syntec 10W40 year round

[Panzer_M]

15w50 M1

although I just put in 20w50 ValvoSyn.

[w3fl3x]

I run 15w50 mobil 1 too.

Works great for me. It even reduced my vanos noise.

[jmir14]

I just put in 10w30 Mobil 1 full synthetic today about 3 hours ago.
I live up in MA it works well in the winter and summer.

[Adog2107]

All I use is 5w30 Mobil 1 Full Syn...stuff ROCKS

[316i compact]

Motul 8100 xcess 5W-40 whole year

[momorugger]

castrol 10W 40. I live in the rockies, and it often gets pretty cold in the winter at 7200 ft!

[Panzer_M]

also saw today. Mobil 1 Full Syn 10w40(Non E/p)

labelled as new on the bottle(which is it is..they have a older 10w40, but it's a blend and not a full syn)

[Mallard]

dunno what it is but i found this

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:niUILS6sgWgJ:www.zag.si/~jank/public/bmw/olja/Special_olje.doc+10w-50+mobil+1&hl=da&ct=clnk&cd=12&gl=dk

i use 10w-40 in a 1.6 :oops: M43

[Triple_A]

ELF full sythetic 5w30 is all i use.... engine runs smooth gas consumption is down, im happy.

[Will'sBimmer]

Temp. is usally 80-90 on a hot day. I run 10-30w

[Mallard]

im on 5w 50 now, and its much better......... i think :lol:

[gldfshkpr]

Mobil 1, 0w-40 synthetic. California, year round.

[Mr. Crow]

This is the perfect thread for my question.

I just bought my car a lil over a month ago. Im changing my oil tomorrow. I dont know what the guy was running in it.

I would prefer to use synthetic. Should I just put syn oil in my motor anyway? I got 139k on this b***H, and I dont want any leaks starting now.

I live in Southern Ca where the sun is shines bright and is warm as hell in the summer,(in which we are aproaching).

please, advise! :biggrin:

[Texasbimmerfest]

5W-30 TX

[pdxmotorhead]

FUnny I could not find any 15w40 or 20w50 synthetic last time so I tried the 5w30... Ouch.
Engine sounded like a box of rocks I found some 20w50 Royal and its happy and quiet!

Dave

[Marv17]

i keep hearing so many different oil weights. so i get confused which one is the better one. what do you guys recommend for the S52? i live in southern california so the weather is usually like 60-100 degrees.

i've been using the OEM weight which is 5-30? but then used 10-30 to see how it worked out. seemed to quiet it down a bit too.

[pdxmotorhead]

BMW put a nice little chart in the owners manual.

I follow it. :)

Its all about the year and the bearing clearances, depending on how the rod and main bearing clearances were set and the amount of oil pressure and I suppose the phase of the moon, the viscosity affect the actions of some of the internal parts like tensioners etc.

I was told once that the first number on oil is the equivalent viscosity at 0C and the second is at 100C.

So 10W40 is the same viscosity as 10 weight oil at 0 and the same viscosity as 40 weight at 100C so I was told... Guy was a Chevron engineer...

Dave

[318tiFatherFigure]

+1 on the previous post mentioning the chart.
I checked out the chart in the handbook for my '97 318ti M-Pack (Not M) with 242k Km.
It states 20w50 year round, which is about the cheapest there is. I use Castrol GTX and change it more often than the regular service interval. Temps here 10C to 40C over the year. I would not go to some of the thinnest available as the engine was never designed for it from new. 10w? Only if I was above the Artic Circle with a fresh engine.
Because of the situation with my engine I am using GTX Diesel at the moment to clean out the engine interior (more active detergent component). I anticipate changing the filter out before the oil as I expect it to become blocked - I have been caught with that before in similar circumstances.

[LJH]

I used Castrol 5w40 and changed to Mobil 0w40, and it feels good.