Reccomended Oil?

[Xenocide]

I just bought my car and put in some 0w40 (**** is expensive)

Well after driving 1000 miles i have lost 1 full quart of oil...had to fill it up today. Oil is absolutely pouring out of my oil filter housing I can see it seep out when i run the engine. I am about to change that gasket, along with the valve cover gasket.

What is the recommended oil for our cars? would it be bad to switch back to dino oil? It would be easier on my seals so more of them do not start leaking.

[CirrusSR22]

Mobil 1 0w-40 is just fine. I used it for about four years and just recently changed to Castrol Syntec 0w-30 (Made in Germany formula) on my last change. Fix your gaskets and all will be fine with Mobil 0W-40.

[Xenocide]

Is there anything else besides that, (mainly cheaper) that I can run??

comming from mustangs, im used to a $24.99 oil change including a filter and that was using mobil 1 synthetic..

[themightyquinn]

Originally Posted by Xenocide

comming from mustangs, im used to a $24.99 oil change including a filter and that was using mobil 1 synthetic..

That's the price you pay for fine German engineering

I used BMW Synthetic on my last change, 5w30, and found it for around $5.40/qt. over on getbmwparts.com (Tischer BMW). Good luck in your search.

[Xenocide]

Is mobil 1 synthetic 5w30 good? Its much cheaper than the 0w40, I don't really have...any cold weather driving, i live in the southeast,,

[ShortE36]

Shell Rotella T (synthetic) 5w-40 @ Walmart. $20/gallon (4 quarts). But $6 for the other quart you'll need for a total of 5. Filter you can get at most local auto parts stores unless you insist on using MANN. Hengst or Mahle are usually available at Advance Auto Parts or AutoZone. Or simply you could go to the dealer - they're not that much more there. At the local stores, even though the box says Purolator, it's probably made by Hengst or Mahle. It will say it on the inside ring on either the bottom or the top of the filter.

[aceyx]

Try finding the 5L jugs of Mobil1. A little cheaper but way handier.

[ShortE36]

Makes disposal of the old oil a lot easier too. My local Advance Auto Parts takes my old oil for free.

[cooljess76]

Yeah I use castrol syntec 5-30 in my cars and it works fine. Mobil1 is just as good. Heck, these things probably don't even need synthetic, but if you've already switched, keep using it. When I dropped the oil pan on my M3, I almost had a heart attack. The previous owner was using 0 weight and for a second I thought it had coolant mixed in it because it was so thin. Took a clear water bottle and took a little sample. No oil/water separation, what a relief. It also explained why the motor was leaking from every seal. I don't like 0 weight oil, it's too thin IMO.

[noga]

Im just did an oil change last week using 10W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic

[nyle]

i've always used 15w-40... i think that's what the manual says. its hard to find the 15w sometimes though, so i think the last time around i did 10w40

[jflip2002]

I echo Jess' feelings on 0 weight being too thin. Maybe its just my paranoia, though. I work at a dealership, and if you get your filter there, and a full case of 5-30 BMW synthetic, they SHOULD give you a deal on the package. We do at least...... our BMW oil is just Castrol anyhow...

The manual does infact say 15w-40, though, IIRC. Ive never went quite THAT heavy, but I used to run 10w-40 since my mileage was higher on my last TI. On the one Im picking up saturday ( HELL YES), I will use 10w-30.

[nyle]

yeah. i've just always followed the manual. my last engine (i like that i can say that now lol) could've used it anyway because it had a leak somewhere. i should probably start doing research so i know more about it. i don't really know much about oil.

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by jflip2002

I echo Jess' feelings on 0 weight being too thin.

It really depends where you live. AK, MN, SD in the winter, for sure.

[CirrusSR22]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

Heck, these things probably don't even need synthetic

I don't even think they do need synthetic. Doesn't the owners manual just say to use whatever the SPI rating was back in the late 1990s? (SL, etc...) At least my 1996 does. The whole BMW LL-98, LL-01, LL-04 thing doesn't even apply to us I don't believe.

Anyone know what a 1998 or 1999 owner's manual says?

I do use the 0W-30/40 oils in Minnesota. It's almost a guarantee I'll be starting at -20F at least once per winter.