Engine Oil

[astroboy]

Astroboy, tmrw around 2pm u at home or not???? i need top up le.. forgot how to open the bonnet dy..

I ada but I have no oil le.. SMS me la.

... don't go blindly for LL-04 if you don't need it or in fact, don't even know what it is. Ask yourself: are you driving a diesel, with Euro 4M particulate filter, and using Euro 4M fuel, in a country with Euro 4M emission laws? If not, why do you need LL-04?

So I should not use my Castrol SLX 0w-30 and sell it to someone who's running a diesel engine who has a DPF..?!?! and since Malaysian Efficient Dynamic diesel Bimmer doesn't come with DPF, so technically our diesel Bimmer do not need LL-04 until Malaysia diesel standard improves untill Euro 4 standard.

And the fact is favoring LL-01 for us NA petrol engine and to avoid LL-04, unless we can't find LL-01 spec oil... and since SLX 0w-30 is MB229.51, which is something like LL-04, sounds like I should avoid.

 

[Schwepps]

No Astro, that's not right at all. As I said, there's absolutely no harm in using a LL-04 oil, especially if you're going to change it every 12,000km. Our manuals also say LL-01, LL-01 FE and LL-04 are preferred.

But everyone is thinking that LL-04 is a newer standard and a higher no than LL-01, and therefore it must cover and be better than LL-01. I know that's a misconception, and I should say something about it don't you think? LL-04 was put out to meet a EU diesel emission law, and so it has to have lower SAPS. And that means less of some important additives, which results in for example, a lower TBN rating (Total Base Number, an oil's ability to fight acidity, the determinant of the lifespan of an oil) What all this means is that it is not 'better' than LL-01. Does it matter? No. Especially if you're going to change every 12,000km.

Read this thread, especially the SI in the 3rd post: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-for...ll04-oil-my-non-diesel-m54-motor-mistake.html

See also: http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

Phosphorus (a component of ZDDP - Zinc Dialkyl-Dithio-Phosphate) is the key component for valve train protection in an engine and 1600ppm (parts per million) used to be the standard for phosphorus in engine oil. In 1996 the EPA forced that to be dropped to 800ppm and then more recently (2004?) to 400ppm - a quarter of the original spec. Valvetrains and their components are not especially cheap to replace and this drop in phosphorus content has been a problem for many engines (especially those with flat-tappet type cams). So why was the level dropped? Money. Next to lead, it's the second most destructive substance to shove through a catalytic converter. The US government mandated a 150,000 mile liftime on catalytic converters and the quickest way to do that was to drop phosphorous levels and bugger the valvetrain problem. Literally.

You see, government green legislation is great for the environment, but can be detrimental to cars. Do we need to follow EU rules here? No.

I hope you get my point now. Cheers!

 

[racheltoh]

if the oil indication is on, and one ignore it...what will happen to the car???

 

[Schwepps]

if the oil indication is on, and one ignore it...what will happen to the car???

What oil indication, Rachel? If you're talking about a low oil level warning, your oil level is at or below minimum, and if you continue to drive your car, you run the risk of your engine seizing. I don't know how much a new BMW engine will cost, but I reckon it would be close to 6-figure, or more. You'll suffer a huge loss. If this is the oil indication you're talking about, don't drive your car until you top up! Get 2 litres of BMW top-up oil from IA or AB, or just get Shell Helix Ultra 0W-40 from a Shell station. If you've forgotten which one is the oil cap, look in your manual...or call AAM.

 

[MSport]

In case you didn't notice, the OIL cap has a coding of 710.

 

[astroboy]

Rachel, what's the mileage traveled since last oil change? Is oil change due? If due, then just carry out an intermediate oil change.

 

[Schwepps]

Addendum: When you find the oil filler cap, pour in only 1 litre and check the level, Rachel. Overfilling is also a no-no. Keep the other bottle as a spare since you're losing oil.

Alternative: Call MSport. He knows where the filler cap is and might drive all the way over to Shah Alam from KLCC at lunchtime to do it for you. Remind him to stop at Glenmarie to pick up the oil.

 

[ALBundy]

What oil indication, Rachel? If you're talking about a low oil level warning, your oil level is at or below minimum, and if you continue to drive your car, you run the risk of your engine seizing. I don't know how much a new BMW engine will cost, but I reckon it would be close to 6-figure, or more. You'll suffer a huge loss. If this is the oil indication you're talking about, don't drive your car until you top up! Get 2 litres of BMW top-up oil from IA or AB, or just get Shell Helix Ultra 0W-40 from a Shell station. If you've forgotten which one is the oil cap, look in your manual...or call AAM.

New engine is close to 50k with labour charges

 

[astroboy]

I think if oil level is dangerously low, ECU will intercept before allowing engine to seize. Before that, your temperature will shoot up first which will cause your engine to over heat due to low engine oil which happens to act as a cooling agent to regulate temperature in your engine, just like the blood in our veins. So you will get temperature warning too! Oh yes! and perhaps low engine oil pressure too!

But why risk? replace engine oil if soon due or just top up with any engine oil convenient to u* if you really too busy and MSport happen to be out of town.

*: even adding mineral oil is still better than allowing the engine to run with insufficient oil.

U in Subang ma, and you know where to get Torco ma, just drop by my friend's shop and get him to top up for u la. My charges is higher because I get my Torco from him too.. I mark up 10% ma to cover my traveling cost to collect the oil, and even that can't cover toll charges also..

 

[racheltoh]

Ya la..The black oil. Msport, before i can spot the 710 cap hor..I dont remember how to open the bonnet. How come quarter million car dont hv it automatic??? press n open like James Bond's?

The funny thing is n still very frus over it...the day the SA returned the car to me (the SA drove the car to my another house).. so when I picked up the car, the oil indicator came on. That means right, very technically the ppl in IA should spot the problem right.. did they ignore it or just so happen when I picked up the car the problem came??

Sigh..can tahan till Sat for gymkhana? Then I get AB to help.

Btw, it says top up 1L

 

[Schwepps]

New engine is close to 50k with labour charges

REALLY? That's quite cheap actually. Upgrading the engine would be a good option then, instead of modding and sqeezing out a few HP here and there. Sorry sorry, OT.

 

[busybf]

with the warning +1L, can i still drive about 45km to the nearest service centre?

 

[racheltoh]

busybf: can!
This round, the oil indication said top up 1L, but when Astroboy poured in..probably 400 ML only...and the indication didnt come out dy

 

[busybf]

busybf: can!
This round, the oil indication said top up 1L, but when Astroboy poured in..probably 400 ML only...and the indication didnt come out dy

oh ok, tqvm for d info.
just sent to LM to top up 1L cost me RM75

 

[etquah]

Astroboy, any idea how many liter of engine required by our E90320i, 4L or 5 L. Can't find it in the car manual

 

[astroboy]

Astroboy, any idea how many liter of engine required by our E90320i, 4L or 5 L. Can't find it in the car manual

I think 4.25L~4.3L. I don't care, pour 1 botol kao 4L kao tim and keep my finger crossed to see how long will the +1L pops up. Normally after 8k km.. then I replace the oil loo.. hehe... every oil change I save qtr of a liter..

 

[etquah]

Changed to PowerFlow 0-30W, engine feels fresh. Probably new engine oil. Will monitor the performance.

 

[Guna]

Changed to PowerFlow 0-30W, engine feels fresh. Probably new engine oil. Will monitor the performance.

define fresh....please

 

[etquah]

define fresh....please

Light, smooth & eager to go:top:

 

[jag]

my low oil indicator pop up after been driving around 20,000km and i went to ingress and get it top up luckily for free...and totally changed it during the 1st service....
it seems that VW gti engine also facing the same problem when my friend car low oil indicator pop up after been driving around 10000km.