Motor Oil To 325ci -01?

[AlexW]

Hi,

I'm wondering if it's OK to use "Synthetic 5W-40 Motor Oil" to a 325CI -01?

If it's not, what should I use?

Best Regards
Alexander

[peterkulesza]

yes.

[storme]

no


use 0w 30 or 5w 30 castrol SLII long life

it is for 15000 mile[extended service]

or an equivalent synthetic

5w 40 isnt recommended in the beemer hand book,,or at halfords in the oil chart

i have spent a lot of time recently looking at their chart,,,,so i know my onions


go with the recommened

the hand book even says 10w 30 if needed

[zibby]

Hi ! if you want to know about oils for yours car read my post from Dec. 15 2004 , belive me I used to be part of oil "cartel" in Europe.

[white 330ci]

yes 5w-40 is fine, i use the recomended 0w-40 mobil which is recomended

[peterkulesza]

ok:

1. 0w30 have had problems with main bearings (specifically, the 99-03 m3 motor had manufacturing faults) BUT:

DEALERS (READ WARRANTY) USE 5W30 FOR ALL 6 CYLINDERS IN THE U.S. NOT REPEAT NOT 0W30.

one has to be very careful, becayse the film strength in synthetics is very different, despite similar viscosity ratings.

2. castrol synthetics i.e. 5w30 or 5w40 have almost the same film strentgh, and vary minimally by the hot (30 versus 40) viscosity modifier, which is a different polymer in these two oils. the synthetic base is liklely the same, although i have not seem their formula (or gave enough shit to mass spec it myself).

hence yes, it is ok to use this particular oil whether 5w30 or 5w40.

i would be VERY hesitant to be guided by recommendations of a british parts store (halfords??) in this case.

3. mobil 0w40 is i think what european dealers use, although i would be very interested in the "oil cartel dude" to comment on this.

mobil few years ago reformulated its synthetics, which i find to be better than castrol. mobil has NO ASH (which is definitely present in castrol synthetics), and has very good hot film strength (the are confident enough not to add zinc to their formula).

i do not know the difference between their 0w versus 5w, but unless you are in siberia or minnesota, i would go with 5w.

peter

[storme]

hehe i did answer the question rather quickly!!!!


i was thinking of my own 318ci

the bigger engined cars would use a different oil!!

but it should still tell you in the hand book,,also halfords would use the castrol recommendations,,from the castrol book
me.......
i prefer mobil 1 any day!! 5w 30 for me

[AIO]

If your car is a newer (2004+) model, use Castrol Formula SLX (SAE 0W30). You'll have to replace it only every 25,000km.

[peterkulesza]

just to beat this to death:

i read in consumer reports once a test they did in ford crown victorias used as cabs in the city. if i remember, they compared regular dyno juice, synthetics and change intervals of 3.5 k and 7 k.

NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER. not in compression, weithgt of piston rings etc etc.

one may argue it makes no difference for a stone age iron v8 (but it will for a stressed exotic alloy), but i kind of suspect that other parts will fail before any of this will matter....

[redeye]

i have a 325ci - 2001 (01) and bmw service in my area said they use
CASTROL SLX 0W 30

dont mix with anything else ,ring whoever does your oil change/service and ask what they used its the safest way.