Castrol update

I just wanted to let folks know that Castrol STP synth is now BMW LL-01 certified. There's a buy one get one free sale at advance auto for January. The weight that I bought was 5w-40. I didn't check if the other weights were certified. Sorry.

None of this is on BMW or Castrol's website. But it's now the first certification listing on the new bottles. Price was $35 for 8 qts, which is a far cry from my usual $80 on amsoil or redline.

Just thought you should know in case you see an oil change on the horizon. Take care.

Never heard of Castrol STP

meh... my dino runs on stegosaurus bones.

Originally Posted by MySatinDoll

meh... my dino runs on stegosaurus bones.

Wait until the first time you take the head off your beloved M30. Big 'ol rotten tar boogers when you go to pull the head bolts. The smell will knock you clean off your feet.

Then there's the party going on in timing chain cover, behind the ends of the camshafts, and how just many overheats has the motor seen in it's lifetime?

...Dino? I don't normally discuss oil, but it's 2013 and syn just makes plain sense...just sayin

Originally Posted by Radian

...Dino? I don't normally discuss oil, but it's 2013 and syn just makes plain sense...just sayin

But the engine was designed in the late 80s for delivery in early 90s models.

Originally Posted by _Ethrty-Andy_

But the engine was designed in the late 80s for delivery in early 90s models.

I do not belive the engines were designed specifically for lesser oils. New oils do everything old ones do and more. There is zero advantage to running dino other than price.

Originally Posted by Radian

Wait until the first time you take the head off your beloved M30. Big 'ol rotten tar boogers when you go to pull the head bolts. The smell will knock you clean off your feet.

Well unless you bought it brand new and have been running the engine since conception on syn oils they all will have those Big 'ol Tar boogers. So that's an irrelevant statement.

BTW Just for giggles I had pulled the head not too long ago in preperation for a turbo build.
You know to make sure everything was up to snuff and able to handle what I throw at it. Funny thing... pretty clean, no sludge, no work needed.

Originally Posted by Radian

Then there's the party going on in timing chain cover, behind the ends of the camshafts, and how just many overheats has the motor seen in it's lifetime?

This guy must think I'm a rookie. Don't let the post count fool you.

Maybe your m30 was not well taken care of which is why your interjecting with observations from your vehicle. If that's what you experienced then thats messed up.
But you see. I've taken care of my car. To the point where I've basically brought it back to spec from a literal rust bucket (yep I have pics if you want to see).

So I appreciate the heads up. But the attempt to poke and jab isn't necessary.

Now to answer your overheating question...Zero overheating, head nor block is out of spec or showing evidence of stress. Still strong. .

Originally Posted by Radian

...Dino? I don't normally discuss oil, but it's 2013 and syn just makes plain sense...just sayin

Well that's my choice. If your happy running syn. Good for you. I run dino and my car is happy. If I had a newer car.Then yeah I'd run syn oil. But not necessary in my case.

Cheers.

If I took your statement the wrong way.
My bad (my son has the flu, I've been tending to him since he's been home... my patience is razor thin right now).

But again it's my choice of oils.

Originally Posted by snowsled7

I do not belive the engines were designed specifically for lesser oils. New oils do everything old ones do and more. There is zero advantage to running dino other than price.

There isn't sled. Just my choice.

No offense to my friend Andy but, I just don't understand the argument about old engines only needing old oil designs. Even brand new engines will run fine on dino but, they will almost always run longer, regardless of age or design, on a good synthetic.

Now in our M30 cars, the engine may outlast the rest of the car so it may be pointless to spend the extra on synthetics but, I am a firm believer in their distinct advantages over dino.

To each his own for sure. Fact is, oil choice almost never kills an engine. Lack of maint. will though. Change it with whatever makes you feel good

Sorry if I was over the top yesterday fellas.
My patience was questionable yesterday out of my concern for my little man.

So I'll start over.

Yes syn oils are a definite technological improvement for vehicles.
My car doesn't get much road action (possibly 3000miles every 6 to 8 months)
However I do oil changes roughly every season or every 3 to 4 months (depending)
This being the case I really wouldn't see the advantages of a syn oil like others would.

Which is why I've stuck with regular conventional oils.
Now if this was a newer bmw. Definitely synthetic oils.

Sorry if I previously had sound like a Douche canoe.

Originally Posted by snowsled7

Even brand new engines will run fine on dino

Nope. Theres parts of the system that are different. My dads 05 1.8T passat uses synth from the factory. He topped it off with a half quart of my dino elixir and it gummed up the entire top end and his pump. Needed all 4 plugs, coil packs, gaskets and a thorough cleaning,

My z came with dino piddle from the factory and I started using synth. It would pass through the pcv much easier and get burnt up in the combustion chamber, and it got so exponentially worse under load. It coated and sank into my intake plenum amd runners. A bitch to clean it all out. Im back on the conventional amd no issues. I clean out my oil catch can 5x fewer.

Sent from Joe's Galaxy Tab 2 via BimmerApp

My old 535 runs great on 0w-40 full synth. No leaks and has used about 1/4 qt over the last 5000 miles. It is due for its sixth change under my care, no idea what went through it for the first 150k.

I have gone back and forth between oils on dozens of vehicles and never experienced any issues with either, or the fact that I switched from one to the other.

Those VW's have an engine heat issue the way I understand it. They are well known for cooking oil and sludging up. I guess you had better use synth to combat the heat but I do not see this as designed to take advantage of oil but a band-aid for mistakes.

I will not bring up your Z because I understand you are sensitive about it and I am trying to play nice around here these days

I wouldn't run dino in a newer car, I don't run it in my old one. I even pay $40/gal for synth 2-stroke oil for my sled. I do know from experience that there are plenty of cars which will tolerate either just fine but, obviously some cars have a preference.

The only oil related issue I ever had, in a 50 vehicle history, was my old restored Buick. I ran synth in the freshly rebuilt 455. The carb tuning was a little off and the camshaft pretty radical so fuel dilution probably caused a spun rod bearing. I understand that dino tolerates fuel dilution better than synth. Synthetic may have contributed to a failure on that dinosaur aged design. So that helps make your point.

Not much point in trying to defend my statement though because I prefer synthetic and wouldn't try running dino in a car spec'd for synthetic. I can and do run synthetic in a car spec'd for dino. Thanks for the catch.

My z just got a fancy new mishimoto (sponsorship perk) oil cooler today. 5 hour installation. To help combat the cooking oil. Its a race car with a catalytic converter essentially. Ive put 2500 miles on it in 2012. Everytime it goes out, motor, tranny, diff, and tires get a good workout. It used to be for drifting but I grew up.

Ill report back on running synth through it with the oil cooler.


Welcome to my Saturday morning gentlemen.

Sent from Joe's Galaxy SIII via BimmerApp

At a Castrol Tech night I went to the nice man said run it on whatever was recomended at the time vehicle of manufacture - I stick to that. I do changes at half the recomended intervals. That said - lack of changes will kill an engine no matter what oil is used. Regular changes for the win!!

Originally Posted by BMWFatherFigure

At a Castrol Tech night I went to the nice man said run it on whatever was recomended at the time vehicle of manufacture - I stick to that. I do changes at half the recomended intervals. That said - lack of changes will kill an engine no matter what oil is used. Regular changes for the win!!

The only problem I see with using what was originally reccomended is that they don't make the oils that were reccomended anymore. In the last 20 years since my car was built the API ratings have changed probably 5 times, meaning formulations have changed that many times to keep up with the new standards. The oils specified for these cars simply do not exist anymore, not in the formulations they had back then anyway.

So yes, change it hot, change it often.

Synth vs. Dino... If it doesn't have rollers, you need the ZDDP (the slippery stuff) that API has been taking OUT a bit at a time. They say it shortens the catalytic converter life. ZDDP (aka STP oil additive Blue bottle) can be added to older no-cat engines. Tech bulletins from Competition Cams confirm failures on new cams running new API oils.

Originally Posted by TR6guy

Synth vs. Dino... If it doesn't have rollers, you need the ZDDP (the slippery stuff) that API has been taking OUT a bit at a time. They say it shortens the catalytic converter life. ZDDP (aka STP oil additive Blue bottle) can be added to older no-cat engines. Tech bulletins from Competition Cams confirm failures on new cams running new API oils.

There are published zddp numbers for pretty much all oils. The Mobil 1 european forumla I use has one of the higher zddp counts of the modern oils. There is a balance for me as my car has both a cat convertor and solid tappets. With the valves adjusted properly my engine is silky smooth and quiet.

Mobil 1 chart showing zinc levels... 0w-40 @ 1100 and BMW approved
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...duct_Guide.pdf

Originally Posted by snowsled7

i do not belive the engines were designed specifically for lesser oils. New oils do everything old ones do and more. There is zero advantage to running dino other than price.

+1

Originally Posted by snowsled7

There are published zddp numbers for pretty much all oils. The Mobil 1 european forumla I use has one of the higher zddp counts of the modern oils. There is a balance for me as my car has both a cat convertor and solid tappets. With the valves adjusted properly my engine is silky smooth and quiet.

Mobil 1 chart showing zinc levels... 0w-40 @ 1100 and BMW approved
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...duct_Guide.pdf

Only acceptable ZDDP content in a synthetic I've heard of was NON API rated Redline.
U.S. formula Mobil1 was specifically listed as " not enough " ZDDP for flat tappet engines.
My info is a few years old. I have a '71 TR6 that is used to LOTS of STP in with the Dino oil.
Cheers!

And so, the oil debate rages on

E90 fan boiz in E34 territory

Originally Posted by TR6guy

Only acceptable ZDDP content in a synthetic I've heard of was NON API rated Redline.
U.S. formula Mobil1 was specifically listed as " not enough " ZDDP for flat tappet engines.
My info is a few years old. I have a '71 TR6 that is used to LOTS of STP in with the Dino oil.
Cheers!

Did you READ the link I posted?

The "acceptable" number I see tossed around is 1200 ppm. The M1 euro (sold at walmart) is at 1100 compared to 750-900 for most of their oils. They also have a couple racing formulations at 1200 and 1300 ppm of zinc.

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with synthetic or dino since zddp is an additive.

Interesting. Please present source. As you pointed out, Castrol nor BMW says anything about it. Considering what it takes to get a manufactures approval, I would be shouting it from the roof tops! The European Syntec 0W-30 is approved. FYI, neither Amsoil nor Redline, although they both make good products, is approved LL-01. Then again there is the whole 'meets' or 'exceeds' versus 'approved' very, very tired debate!

What it boils down to (excuse the pun) is personal preference, vehicle usage, weight, and the almighty dollar.

People are going to swear by what is better till their eyeballs bleed and excrete vital body fluids out of their lower extremities.
The average person will disregard or lack the knowledge of any facts related to either oil or the additives.
They usually go with what they're told at the stealership where they bought their BMW.

Some TV ad with a corvette or something fast driving around a open track or road.
Which usually ends with the driver driving into the sunset or to some hot chick blowing kisses as her air magically flows around her shoulders.

Or some random car mag ad showing a modified or semi stock sports car and go with that.

Then you have the few who view it all as a inconvenience and drop their jalopy off at stiffy lube and top off.

I can appreciate how this conversation has progressed.
Carry on.
Subscribed

Originally Posted by snowsled7

Did you READ the link I posted?

The "acceptable" number I see tossed around is 1200 ppm. The M1 euro (sold at walmart) is at 1100 compared to 750-900 for most of their oils. They also have a couple racing formulations at 1200 and 1300 ppm of zinc.

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with synthetic or dino since zddp is an additive.

Yes i did...
According to SAE Tech bulletin# 770087, Any flat tappet engine will need more ZDDP than is supplied in ANY API rated oil since 1993.
They started reducing ZDDP From 0.15% by volume to 0.075% (as of 2004) in 1988.
Reason: The zink that is emitted into exhaust streams shortens the life of cats. The useful life standard is 150k (2009) as set by EPA.
Cordially...