Best oil for e36

[bluedragon323i]

Hey.. I just got an e36 323i cabrio and want to give it some fresh oil, was looking about online and Mobil one fully synthetic seems a good shout.. Anybody got any tips or ideas? Also might change the spark plugs, any good brands or models that are better than the average shit a local garage would shove in??! Also was looking at renovo cabrio roof treatment? Any honest reviews on that stuff? Cheers...

[sierrarot328i]

I would stick with bmw oil. $7.50 at the dealership (leith bmw in Raleigh nc). Many people here would say Mobil 1 0w-40, amsoil, Lubro Moly or German Castrol 0w-30. Those are fine too but they might be more expensive. If you change your oil every 5000 miles like I do, lower cost oil such as the bmw oil might be better for your wallet in the long run. You'd need 7 bottles for your car.

I use Mann filter and you can get them pretty cheap at amazon. Genuine BMW oil filter costs around 15 after the BMWCCA discount.

Also it would be nice to get a magnetic drain plug.

I use NGK BKR6EQUP spark plugs.

[shlalaw]

Your instincts are good. See this for BMW recommendations:

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/SyntheticEngineOils.aspx

[ECSTuning]

Genuine BMW oil is hard to beat, Lubro Moly, Motul, Eneos, and many other also make great quality oils which the M52 in your 323i will be happy with.


http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/44673_x200.jpghttp://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/236671_x200.jpghttp://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/25367_x200.jpg (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E36-323i-M52_2.5L/Maintenance/Engine/Inspection_1/?salesrep=JRiggsbee&utm_source=bimmerforums&utm_medium=forum&utm_content=JRiggsbee&utm_campaign=postreply)

[slocar]

There's nothing high tech or fancy about an m52. It will run just fine with any oil or spark plug (and yes, I did buy NGK BKR6E ... the single electrode copper core plugs for mine ... the $1.50 variety).

Don't fall into the BMW 15k oil change interval trap .. . whatever you use change it at least twice in that time period.

[MParallel]

This question comes up on every single car forum like twice per month.

There is no single best oil.

But the most expensive A-brand fully synthetic stuff in correct grade is normally the best. Don't skimp on oil, as it's much cheaper than engine parts.

[bluedragon323i]

Thanks guys, great to see people happy to help, meant to say I'm I the uk so some of the stuff I haven't heard of.. Is it 7500 miles every change bmw suggests? What about new bulbs, like the cool blue look, checking eBay and there is so many types, it's a minefield...

Yeah I want to give her a treat with top grade juice!!!

[slocar]

Thanks guys, great to see people happy to help, meant to say I'm I the uk so some of the stuff I haven't heard of.. Is it 7500 miles every change bmw suggests? What about new bulbs, like the cool blue look, checking eBay and there is so many types, it's a minefield...

Yeah I want to give her a treat with top grade juice!!!

BMW suggests 15000, which is why I said to not follow that ... way too long even for a synthetic in my opinion.

As for bulbs ... headlight bulbs?

[Moron95M3]

in before extra vigrin!

[bluedragon323i]

Yeah headlight bulbs, give it a fresher look, winter nights call for better visibility too!!

[Moron95M3]

Yeah headlight bulbs, give it a fresher look, winter nights call for better visibility too!!


blue =/= 'better' visibilty.

blue = 'cool'

white = better vision.


If you want to do it cheap, get silverstars. (9006/9005 for our oem housings)


If you want to be cool and have good visibilty, get some glass housings with projectors - then run HIDS (6000k bulbs - just a hint of blue/white).

That'll end up costing $200-300 ish. And you'll have to find all the parts. (although new silverstars all around are close to 100 on their own?).

[bluedragon323i]

Did the e36 m3 not come with standard xenons?

[m42b18]

I would be a bit wary if switching from regular dino oil to synthetic. I switched to mobil-1 0w40 and after about two weeks my oil pan gasket sprung a decent leak (my engine was previously bone dry). I replaced the oil pan gasket and went back to 10w40 regular oil and am back to being leak free. Nothing wrong with mobil-1, just be wary of making the switch on older cars although many have switched without a problem so my car could be some odd exception...

[bluedragon323i]

Yikes!!!

[Phx328i]

i personally went to my local bmw dealership for my oil and filter, The oil was 8.25. I talked to the guy at the counter, he said its best to change the oil every 4k-6k miles depending on your driving habbits and where your located; heat, dust, snow, cold ect..

[Alan777]

Mobil 1/OEM filter.

[Moron95M3]

Did the e36 m3 not come with standard xenons?

they do not.

Unless you're in Europe?

[bluedragon323i]

I am in Europe you moron!! He he

[goatherder]

Mobil 1 10w40 from Walmart in the 5qt jug for about $25. Used to run 15w50 but then Walmart stopped selling the jugs of it. It takes 3 jugs to change the oil twice. I use an OEM-supplier oil filter or Wix brand only, which comes from NAPA, Carquest, Oreilly's, etc. Pelican sells oil filters for $6.xx.

I change oil at 5000 miles or so. 15000 mile oil change intervals are spec'd by manufacturers who have absolutely NO interest in seeing your car go to 300k miles. They want to you to wear it out so they can sell you a new one. At 15k miles your oil will be severely contaminated, and not doing it's job very well.

My wife has put 113k miles on her 328 sedan in the last 5 years. 205k now and climbing by 500 per week. Almost no problems at all. These are good cars if you treat them right.

[Moron95M3]

I am in Europe you moron!! He he

ha, well then. You're lucky, you already have nice glass headlights (us in the states only have plastic lights).


You also have an awesome engine then, we only got the US S50 (240hp). :(


pics!!! pics of the engine now! (we all drool over the real S50 when we see one)

[darknezz7]

I would be a bit wary if switching from regular dino oil to synthetic. I switched to mobil-1 0w40 and after about two weeks my oil pan gasket sprung a decent leak (my engine was previously bone dry). I replaced the oil pan gasket and went back to 10w40 regular oil and am back to being leak free. Nothing wrong with mobil-1, just be wary of making the switch on older cars although many have switched without a problem so my car could be some odd exception...


No its because the synthetic oil cleaned the crap out of the gasket which was old, would have leaked eventually and needed replaced anyway.

whatever you do dont buy those cheap "blue" bulbs off ebay. They only last a few weeks.

As far as oil, I use castrol gtx high mileage in all my vehicles. Cause its a semi synthetic, I know it works good, its $17 a 5qt jug at walmart. I only use premium wix filters.

[jagerking]

Mobil 1 10w40 from Walmart in the 5qt jug for about $25. Used to run 15w50 but then Walmart stopped selling the jugs of it. It takes 3 jugs to change the oil twice. I use an OEM-supplier oil filter or Wix brand only, which comes from NAPA, Carquest, Oreilly's, etc. Pelican sells oil filters for $6.xx.

I change oil at 5000 miles or so. 15000 mile oil change intervals are spec'd by manufacturers who have absolutely NO interest in seeing your car go to 300k miles. They want to you to wear it out so they can sell you a new one. At 15k miles your oil will be severely contaminated, and not doing it's job very well.

My wife has put 113k miles on her 328 sedan in the last 5 years. 205k now and climbing by 500 per week. Almost no problems at all. These are good cars if you treat them right.

This is pretty much untrue. It's not the car manufacturers who set the oil interval, it's what the oil is capable of. BMW prides their cars on longevity; it's in every book ever written about the brand. BMW doesn't profit on an engine going bad at 150k. It profits on you keeping it running until it's well past 300k. Oil testing is very thorough, and information can be found reagarding it's capability from the manufacturer of the oil (BMW uses Castrol).
I change my oil once per year, or at 25k miles, whichever comes first. That's the recommended interval by the manufacturer of the oil (who profits $0 if my engine goes bad). That being said, I change my filter every 5k to remove any contamination under normal engine wear. Changing your oil before you really need to (as recommended by the manufacturer of the oil) is really just wasting it. The additives they contain and the protection they offer last much, much longer than the amber color.

[m42b18]

No its because the synthetic oil cleaned the crap out of the gasket which was old, would have leaked eventually and needed replaced anyway.

Never heard of this reasoning before? I was under the assumption that synthetic oil reacts with gaskets differently than regular oil and can seep past a gasket that has been saturated with regular oil

[darknezz7]

Well thats what Ive always heard. Probably a combination of things, bottom line is the gasket is old anyway.

eek I would never go over 5k on an oil chaing. maybe 7.5 with GOOD full synthetic.

My jeep I have to do around 3k cause it just gets so black and I can even see my oil pressure get lower at idle on old oil, thats what I go by and thats how I know castrol holds up well. The 4.0 is a dirty beast though compared to bmws ;)

[tmaxx445]

I have always used Mobil One 10w-40 for the cooler months here in North Carolina and 15w-50 for the summer months or if I am going to be doing a track event with the oil. I use OEM German made filters only (Mann, Hengst, Ect.). It is probably clear by this point in the thread that it is 95% personal opinion on oil choice; as long as you pick or reasonable viscosity for your climate/usage and change it at normal intervals for the oil typo you should be fine.;) If we were talking about a s54 or something of that nature then it might be different but the M/S5x series of motors are not too picky and are very robust motors.:buttrock






tmaxx445

[MParallel]

The only BMW's with Xenon during the e36 era was the E38 7-series, and iirc the facelift E39 5-series.

Back then xenon was pretty fancy and high-tech and only found on expensive cars.

[slocar]

^ there were actually some e32s with OEM xenons!


Sent through a teleportation device

[bluedragon323i]

Castrol edge 5w-40w seems good.. 7500 per change also.. As for my headlights, they seem plastic, I know the us ones were lower quality but mine are stock..

Moron guy.. I only have 168 horses..

What about the k and n air filter? You don't seem to achieve any power increase!! Are they worth the money? Yeah the bulbs on eBay look crap, really wanted to just get a box to see what the colour was like!!

Had a look at the oil plug magnet thing.. Couldn't find one for a bm e36!!!

[Automaticftp]

What about the k and n air filter? You don't seem to achieve any power increase!! Are they worth the money?

No.

Just . . . no.

[goatherder]

This is pretty much untrue. ....

No it's not. There IS a conspiracy, but it's a secret conspiracy...so you don't know about it.

[s1dc9]

I've been running Castrol GTX 20w-50 and Mahle filter with no problems. As far as plugs, I'm using Bosch... but give this a look : http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/SparkPlugChart.pdf

[shlalaw]

I would be a bit wary if switching from regular dino oil to synthetic. I switched to mobil-1 0w40 and after about two weeks my oil pan gasket sprung a decent leak (my engine was previously bone dry). I replaced the oil pan gasket and went back to 10w40 regular oil and am back to being leak free. Nothing wrong with mobil-1, just be wary of making the switch on older cars although many have switched without a problem so my car could be some odd exception...

Switched from dino to mobil 1 synthetic 0W-40 without problems. Depends on the car, I guess.


Had a look at the oil plug magnet thing.. Couldn't find one for a bm e36!!!

You mean like this?

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E36-M3-S50_3.0l/ES251839/