S50B30 Engine Oil

[M Dizzle]

Simple Question.

Wondering what you guys are running and why. Been doing some research and curious if anyone has reasons for using a particular oil.

I'm currently running Motul 0W40, recommended by James @ RRT...but I can't give the detailed explanation of why...maybe he'll chime in :)

TIA.

[Dreamer99]

For my S50B32 I requested Mobil1 0w40 or Motul 5w40 full synthetic due the the reviews on this weight of oil but my mechanic did not listen and put in Motul 15w50 blended synthetic. He will not change my oil again.

[liquidtension]

i used to use castrol tws 10w60
since april i've been using motul 5w30, no problems so far

[JamesM3M5]

Motul is discontinuing 0W40. It's a shame, since it's an ester-based oil (Group-V) that resists sludge and coking in the sludge-prone Audi/VW 1.8T engines. I have it in my engine now, but will end up switching to a different oil later on - which I'm not sure yet.

They now have 0W30 E-Tech Lite which is also ester-based, but SAE 30-weight, which is a bit thin for older engines. Newer ACEA oil specs are really gearing toward extended drain intervals and/or better fuel economy. Thinner oils mean less work for the oil pump. If the engine is designed with clearances, bearing tolerances, and oil flow characteristics based on these thinner 30-weight oils, then by all means they're fine for use on a daily driver/occasional track car. But once you get into high RPM use, the high temperature/high shear (HTHS) spec is really much more important to prevent thermal and mechanical oil breakdown and metal-to-metal contact.

The Motul 5W40 X-Cess is an excellent oil we use in just about any US M50/S50 engine, meets BMW LL-98 spec. It's a Group-IV PAO synthetic, so not quite as expensive as the ester-based E-tech oils. We ran a high-mileage 325i E36 on track with another friend in a high mileage 323is. He was running Mobil 1 (don't know what weight), we had Motul 5W40. The 325i came off the track purring like a kitten, while his 323is had such a bad lifter tick it actually had a misfire on more than one cylinder until the lifters finally pumped back up.

Castrol TWS 10W60 is an SAE 60-weight, so you'll have to make sure the oil is up to temp before really getting on it. It's heavy stuff to pump around the engine, and unless you're seeing a lot of race use with really high oil temps, it's just too thick to run comfortably on a street car. For racing S14, S50 and S54 engines, we use the Motul 300V line of ester based oils.

So for the solid-lifter, shim-over-bucket, fully variable VANOS S50B30 and B32, stick with a 40 or 50-weight oil, depending on application and local weather conditions. Track the car a lot in the hot summer? Or just driving to and from work with an occasional track weekend in the Pacific Northwest? I'm somewhere in between, and I'll probably be using Motul 5W40 X-cess with oil analysis every 30-60 days to make sure the engine is holding up. I replaced the rod bearings and upgraded to a VAC oil pump last December. If you live in a hot climate and track the car a lot, use the 300V 15W50. If it's a pure track car that's running high revs (7600-8800RPM) and pushing 350-400 crank HP, then you'll want to stick with the 300V 20W60.

[shalashaska1985]

From my short experiance with the S50B30 i can say that the mobile1 0W40 is the best out there. i used 5W40 Shell and it wasnt that good (alot of ticking noise). used the TWS 10W60 and believe me u dont want that oil in ur car even if u track it (dam too heavy on the engine).
since i used mobile1, as guys suggested here on the forum, ive been really happy with the car (noise is reduced and car is responsive)

[M Dizzle]

Thanks.

[rennen5]

For my S50B32, I have been using Motul 300V Chrono 10w-40, it seems to have a peculiar smell to it, kind of like a freshly mixed pot of clearcoat, but my car absolutely loves it. Who would have guessed? Oh, I can get you a great deal on Motul if anyone is interested.

[JClark]

Interested in Motul deal... :cool

Is there an oil good for these motors thats easy to come by at an auto parts store?

[JamesM3M5]

For my S50B32, I have been using Motul 300V Chrono 10w-40, it seems to have a peculiar smell to it, kind of like a freshly mixed pot of clearcoat, but my car absolutely loves it. Who would have guessed? Oh, I can get you a great deal on Motul if anyone is interested.
I switched to Motul 300V 15W50 for the track months, and 10W40 for the off-season. 300V is their top-of-the-line Group V Ester-based oil that is made from vegetable matter, not crude oil. It smells like coconut oil. We use it in all our racecars and recommend it for customers with turbos, since it can take the extreme heat of turbines.

I recommend the 300V Chrono 10W40 for all US engines that get tracked as well as US engines with turbos, while the S54 and Euro S50s should use the 15W50 at the track, especially during hotter months or in hotter climates.

[DusM3]

I recommend the 300V Chrono 10W40 for all US engines that get tracked as well as US engines with turbos, while the S54 and Euro S50s should use the 15W50 at the track, especially during hotter months or in hotter climates.

I'm looking to switch oils soon to try and get some smoother running and better protection. Currently I'm using the standard stuff (tws 10w60) and like the results I got with ester synthetics in a 2-stroke kart ie no deposits or seizures. But I'm a little confused about the various weights being recommended..the cold weather viscosity-lower value for colder ambients until the engine warms up, but then since the running temps. won't vary too much, would the viscosity then be the same for any climate? So why 40 , 50 or 60.
How much variation in engine temp. is normal? does tracking raise the temp. that much?
Cheers.

[Razziel24]

Mobil1 5w50 here

[MauiM3Mania]

James, has your thoughts and oils suggested changed in the past nine years?


Motul is discontinuing 0W40. It's a shame, since it's an ester-based oil (Group-V) that resists sludge and coking in the sludge-prone Audi/VW 1.8T engines. I have it in my engine now, but will end up switching to a different oil later on - which I'm not sure yet.

They now have 0W30 E-Tech Lite which is also ester-based, but SAE 30-weight, which is a bit thin for older engines. Newer ACEA oil specs are really gearing toward extended drain intervals and/or better fuel economy. Thinner oils mean less work for the oil pump. If the engine is designed with clearances, bearing tolerances, and oil flow characteristics based on these thinner 30-weight oils, then by all means they're fine for use on a daily driver/occasional track car. But once you get into high RPM use, the high temperature/high shear (HTHS) spec is really much more important to prevent thermal and mechanical oil breakdown and metal-to-metal contact.

The Motul 5W40 X-Cess is an excellent oil we use in just about any US M50/S50 engine, meets BMW LL-98 spec. It's a Group-IV PAO synthetic, so not quite as expensive as the ester-based E-tech oils. We ran a high-mileage 325i E36 on track with another friend in a high mileage 323is. He was running Mobil 1 (don't know what weight), we had Motul 5W40. The 325i came off the track purring like a kitten, while his 323is had such a bad lifter tick it actually had a misfire on more than one cylinder until the lifters finally pumped back up.

Castrol TWS 10W60 is an SAE 60-weight, so you'll have to make sure the oil is up to temp before really getting on it. It's heavy stuff to pump around the engine, and unless you're seeing a lot of race use with really high oil temps, it's just too thick to run comfortably on a street car. For racing S14, S50 and S54 engines, we use the Motul 300V line of ester based oils.

So for the solid-lifter, shim-over-bucket, fully variable VANOS S50B30 and B32, stick with a 40 or 50-weight oil, depending on application and local weather conditions. Track the car a lot in the hot summer? Or just driving to and from work with an occasional track weekend in the Pacific Northwest? I'm somewhere in between, and I'll probably be using Motul 5W40 X-cess with oil analysis every 30-60 days to make sure the engine is holding up. I replaced the rod bearings and upgraded to a VAC oil pump last December. If you live in a hot climate and track the car a lot, use the 300V 15W50. If it's a pure track car that's running high revs (7600-8800RPM) and pushing 350-400 crank HP, then you'll want to stick with the 300V 20W60.