X5 50i And Want To USe 20-50 Motor Oil.

[x550i]

I have a 2011 X5 50i, and live in South Florida. I have a couple of questions.

Can I use 20-50 Motor Oil in it?

Can I use 20-50 Non Synthetic Motor Oil in it?

If I do decide to use either of these will it ruin the internals of the engine or
anything else? Or will I just need to make sure to let the engine warm up a
bit (not really in issue in South Florida), before driving.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[Critter7r]

I wouldn't be comfortable recommending 20/50 oil for any modern BMW, regardless of climate. If you wanted to go from 0/20 to 5/30, or from 5/20 to 10/30 (depending on what oil your engine takes), I think you'd be ok. 20/50 seems excessive.

[M3rocket]

I don't understand the question -- do you have a surplus of 20w50 lying around? Your owner's manual provides BMW's recommended specs -- typically synthetic 0w40 (such as Mobil 1) or similar. And why downgrade to non-synthetic? You'd have to change the oil twice as often as synthetic, and be shortening the life of your engine in the long run. If you're worried about high temps in S. Florida, I believe you're over-thinking it. Besides, warming-up the vehicle (aka: idling, to compensate for thicker oil) is bad for your engine, the environment, and wastes fuel.

[Ryan5034]

Your VANOS system is quite sensitive to oil pressure. Changing the weight of engine oil changes the oil pressure. Using non synthetic will sludge up the turbo oil lines likely.

I’m sure it would work for a while but certainly not recommended.

[peter2772000]

Vanos aside, I believe that the only reason manufacturers are insisting on 0W30 oil is for fuel economy. They're pushed incessantly by the EPA to decrease fuel consumption. I run 20W50 in my ML350 Bluetec in summer and run the same viscocity in my FJ.

I will admit to one thing though. Way back in 1984, we purchased a Dodge Minivan Cargo, first one in Montreal. Came with a Mitsu 2.6 litre engine. While the engine didn't seem to have any issues with the 20W50 I ran in summer, the oil-pressure sending unit was less than thrilled. It'd take a dump (leak) near the end of every summer. Put 2 + 2 together and used only 10W30 from then on. Only vehicle that ever had any sort of an issue with this viscocity though.

[jclausen]

Why 20w50, if I wanted to do that in would run the 10w60 m oil