Engine oil Z3 M
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Engine oil Z3 M
Anybody out there aware on the regularity of changing engine oil as I don't do a lot of miles so service lights do not drop that quickly?
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- Joined: Fri 14 Aug, 2009 10:24
- Posts: 907
- Location: Houghton-Le-Spring
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
The more offen you change the oil the better it is for the engine. I also don’t do a lot of miles each year, but I change the oil every year, regardless of how small the mileage is from the previous year.
If you change it yourself it makes the oil change a lot cheaper as well.
If you change it yourself it makes the oil change a lot cheaper as well.
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
What grade aee you using?
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Re: Engine oil Z3 M
As suggested, yearly would be ok.
A few grades have been suggested or favoured, 0/40 being one.
I’m sure my last change was 5/30
A few grades have been suggested or favoured, 0/40 being one.
I’m sure my last change was 5/30
Gazza
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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- Joined: Fri 14 Aug, 2009 10:24
- Posts: 907
- Location: Houghton-Le-Spring
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
I use 5-40 fully synthetic then whatever your favourite brand is.
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
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Re: Engine oil Z3 M
I usually use good quality 5W 30 LL04.....can't go wrong with Mobil 1
Edit.....mine is a 3.0 not a M
Edit.....mine is a 3.0 not a M
Last edited by Bobafixit on Sat 20 Oct, 2018 07:47, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
It depends on the engine. S54s use different oil from S50s...
http://www.porterbility.co.uk/BMW_Oil_Sheets.htm
http://www.porterbility.co.uk/BMW_Oil_Sheets.htm
Pingu
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
I was under the impression all M Series used 10w 60, not sure why it would be for specific engines, mine is the S50 by the way
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Re: Engine oil Z3 M
Engine oil is very complicated. It's like blood. Oil grades are like blood types in their simplicity. There are just a few types of blood, O, A, B and AB with rhesus + and -, right? Wrong? There are many subtleties that make some blood better than others at different things (hence blood doping) - it's the same with engine oil. The grade only describes the flow characteristics. That is only one of the many things that make an oil fit for purpose.
Any engine will run for a limited time on almost any oil, but high performance engines perform best when they have the correct oil - and the M is all about performance.
The correct oil is the one recommended by the engine manufacturer, not the oil recommended by the oil supplier. The oil supplier will recommend the oil from their range that they think is closest to the correct oil.
I know that you are not talking about using a cheap oil, but just in case, here are my thoughts...
My personal definition of high performance is 100bhp/litre. An engine that is not close to that can use off-the shelf oil to the correct grade, but an engine that is close to, or above, should use the correct oil. I skimp on oil in my van, but not in my Smart or the M. I could skimp on the oil in my 330, but choose not to.
Any engine will run for a limited time on almost any oil, but high performance engines perform best when they have the correct oil - and the M is all about performance.
The correct oil is the one recommended by the engine manufacturer, not the oil recommended by the oil supplier. The oil supplier will recommend the oil from their range that they think is closest to the correct oil.
I know that you are not talking about using a cheap oil, but just in case, here are my thoughts...
My personal definition of high performance is 100bhp/litre. An engine that is not close to that can use off-the shelf oil to the correct grade, but an engine that is close to, or above, should use the correct oil. I skimp on oil in my van, but not in my Smart or the M. I could skimp on the oil in my 330, but choose not to.
Pingu
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
All the above responses are good advice. I can only add that the frequency of oil changes should be a balance between the mileage since the previous oil change, and the overall mileage the engine has done since new.
The greater the overall mileage, the more frequent one should do oil changes. Generally a 3 - 4000 mile per change is best for higher mileage cars. So, if you use your car as a daily, and your mileage is generated in "city" type driving conditions, you might want to do an oil change every 3000 miles, if on the other hand you accumulate your miles with weekend cruising, then every 4000 miles would be adequate.
As for the grade of oil you use, it's best to follow the specs listed in your handbook. But for sheer durability, full synthetic oils are better than "natural" mineral oils. The truth is that fully synthetic oils are still around 70% "natural oils" but they have additives which started out as natural oils, but have been processed so much that they no longer resemble anything natural, and hence the term fully synthetic. The fully synthetic properties are specifically developed to ensure the oil doesn't break down under high performance conditions of pressure, heat, cold, and also provide functions like wear and friction protection. Some oils like "high mileage" oils contain higher levels of specific "swelling" additives which soften and swell up seals which otherwise would be hard and prone to cracking causing oil leaks etc. Full synthetic oils also contain additives which prevent "varnish" and sludge from forming as deposits on surfaces. They keep these contaminants in suspension within the oil rather than allow them to be deposited on internal parts where they can cause wear and blockages.
Mobil 1 is possibly the best common brand name oil. Royal Purple is more expensive, and possibly even better, but unless you're going to be track racing, Royal Purple is not justified. Castrol Edge fully synthetic is also good and probably less expensive than Mobil 1.
The oil recommended by BMW isn't just sucked out their thumb. BMW will have approached an oil manufacturer and specified what they want in an oil for the cars they build. The oil manufacturer then produces an oil to those requirements, and the motor manufacturer then makes that oil the specified oil for use in their motors. It is obviously in the interest of the oil manufacturer to provide a product which meets or exceeds those specifications.
The greater the overall mileage, the more frequent one should do oil changes. Generally a 3 - 4000 mile per change is best for higher mileage cars. So, if you use your car as a daily, and your mileage is generated in "city" type driving conditions, you might want to do an oil change every 3000 miles, if on the other hand you accumulate your miles with weekend cruising, then every 4000 miles would be adequate.
As for the grade of oil you use, it's best to follow the specs listed in your handbook. But for sheer durability, full synthetic oils are better than "natural" mineral oils. The truth is that fully synthetic oils are still around 70% "natural oils" but they have additives which started out as natural oils, but have been processed so much that they no longer resemble anything natural, and hence the term fully synthetic. The fully synthetic properties are specifically developed to ensure the oil doesn't break down under high performance conditions of pressure, heat, cold, and also provide functions like wear and friction protection. Some oils like "high mileage" oils contain higher levels of specific "swelling" additives which soften and swell up seals which otherwise would be hard and prone to cracking causing oil leaks etc. Full synthetic oils also contain additives which prevent "varnish" and sludge from forming as deposits on surfaces. They keep these contaminants in suspension within the oil rather than allow them to be deposited on internal parts where they can cause wear and blockages.
Mobil 1 is possibly the best common brand name oil. Royal Purple is more expensive, and possibly even better, but unless you're going to be track racing, Royal Purple is not justified. Castrol Edge fully synthetic is also good and probably less expensive than Mobil 1.
The oil recommended by BMW isn't just sucked out their thumb. BMW will have approached an oil manufacturer and specified what they want in an oil for the cars they build. The oil manufacturer then produces an oil to those requirements, and the motor manufacturer then makes that oil the specified oil for use in their motors. It is obviously in the interest of the oil manufacturer to provide a product which meets or exceeds those specifications.
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
BMW oil must be really special, I got a price for an oil service on the Z4M for £199. The CSL however came out at £293
Gazza
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
I use the Castrol Edge here. The oil costs me around £55 for the fully synthetic and the filter with new O ring and washer costs £15. So £70 for an oil change if I do it myself. If I had someone else do it, it would cost an extra £15. Someone is making huge profits on oil in the UK !!
TBH, I prefer doing it myself. I usually run the motor so it's well heated before draining and leave it to drip into the catch tray for a few hours. Also, I jack it so that the drain hole is tilted lower to get as much old oil out as possible. I then pour the old oil into the plastic containers which the new oil came in and drop them off at a local service station who are happy to take it off me for recycling. I also give them the old filter which they dispose of for me.
TBH, I prefer doing it myself. I usually run the motor so it's well heated before draining and leave it to drip into the catch tray for a few hours. Also, I jack it so that the drain hole is tilted lower to get as much old oil out as possible. I then pour the old oil into the plastic containers which the new oil came in and drop them off at a local service station who are happy to take it off me for recycling. I also give them the old filter which they dispose of for me.
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
Same here, I find that when taken to a garage they seem to take as least time as possible draining the old oil, leaving remnants of the old in the sump. Always best to do these little jobs yourself if possible for peace of mind and the thoroughness. BTW I purchased my Castrol Edge 10w60 from EBay @ £87 for 10 litres, bit of a bargain compared to the garage prices?
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Re: Engine oil Z3 M
Not a problem doing the oil change myself but, with the CSL it really needs FBMWSH
Gazza
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster , BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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- Joined: Tue 02 Feb, 2016 13:13
- Posts: 18
- Location: Cheltenham . Gloucestershire
Re: Engine oil Z3 M
Another one for you guys! My partner put her 2000 1.9 Z in for an MOT but it failed on emissions, they recommended a new exhaust system (?) . I asked them to investigate further as the exhaust (I believed) was simply that. They split the exhaust at the CAT but this past the analysis, so I argued it couldn't be a fail as there is nothing to change the gases from there on. We took it to another station as they were sticking to there analysis which it promptly passed without any issues from that part of the test. Does anybody out there have any ideas how this may have failed in the first place as I am puzzeled?
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