What Type / Weight of Oil To Use? Tranny, engine, and diff...

[GOT8SPD]

I'm a super noob at this...only had my BMW for 4 days now =)

I have no idea about the history of this car so i got a Bosch oil filter, and some 5-30 oil and i'm looking to do an oil change probably next weekend when i get some time...

My questions are....
how much oil does the engine take?
what weight oil should i use in the transmission? (maybe even what type)
and how much oil would i need to replace the oil in the tranny?

Maybe while i'm at it i should replace the diff oil....weight/type/brand...any info is greatly appreciated.

I've owned Honda's all my life...finally saw the light...haha. Thanks for the help in advance.

[Wh33lhop]

1) http://tinyurl.com/yj2ajpd

2&3) It depends, some use ATF and some use 75W90-ish gear oil.

4) If you want to go synthetic, get some Redline 75W90 (LS) or some Mobil 1, same weight. If you've got an LSD, make sure it's got friction modifiers (it'll say "safe for vehicles with limited slip differentials" or similar).

If I were you instead of 5W30 I'd use 20W50 Valvoline VR-1 or Castrol GTX. M20s tend to like a bit thicker oil, and high-zinc stuff is your friend.

[GOT8SPD]

I was on the Mobil1 website and they recommend 0W-40 full syn...i wonder if i should try that? The car has 175,000 miles. the 5W-30 oil i bought is Castrol...but maybe i can just use that on another car...

I guess i just have to watch it to see how much oil it burns..

[u3b3rg33k]

I run 15w50 mobil 1, with 192k+ miles. It's got over 1000 ppm of ZDDP (this is a good thing for M20s), and the temp range is -10F to 105F, according to my factory manual.
5w30 seems way too thin to me. BMW recommends 5w30 for temps of -40F to 20F.

[SpecM]

a good-running m20 wouldn't burn even 5w30, but it can cause damage to your valvetrain, DO NOT use it... 0w40 is for newer BMWs, not ours

I would recomend Castrol GTX or Valvoline VR1 20w50, or Mobile1 15w50, or Shell RotellaT 15w40

the Bosch filter should be fine, but for next time get a Mann filter, they are the OEM filter. PM "Blunt" on here, he can get them for you pretty cheap

btw, tell us what kind of BMW you have, that might help too!

[GOT8SPD]

I would recomend Castrol GTX or Valvoline VR1 20w50, or Mobile1 15w50, or Shell RotellaT 15w40

btw, tell us what kind of BMW you have, that might help too!

Just the standard Castrol GTX in the same heavy weights? Which Mobil1 15w50 are you speaking of? I looked on their website and it looks to be only available in full synthetic. I use synthetic in my Lexus IS F, but after reading a few threads on the forum, i guess its bad to use it if my seals are old? I do have a couple small leaks here and there from the valve cover gasket and another one somewhere else. I haven't had a chance to clean everything up to find the leak.

I guess i'm just shocked that it would use such a heavy weight oil (15w50). I understand that it's a different motor design and it's has more miles but like i said, i've come from the Honda world and you use only like 5w30 or 10w-40 at most. I use 0W-30 in my IS F! That stuff is like water!

I have a 1990 BMW 325i...everything looks stock so i'm gonna say it has whatever straight 6 it's suppose to come with. :)

[SpecM]

all Mobile1 is fully synthetic, and the bit about synthetic being bad for older cars/engines is a myth. BUT, I would replace the seals/gaskets that are leaking before you let your motor leak out some $7/qrt oil

but yes, the design of the valvetrain is from the 1960's. The rockers have no hydraulic tappits to "cushion" them, they ride right on the cam face. A heavier oil with lots of anti-shear properties (like synthics, or conventional oils with a high zinc and phosphorous content) are really preferable

I use Shell Rotella 15w40, it's an inexpensive and commonly available oil that's really made for desiel engines. Oils that are made for desiel engines have a good bit of zinc (for now anyway, and even now not as much as they used to), due to the high-stress nature of a diesel engine

And its really not so much of an issue with the miles or the age. BMW designed the engine to use a thicker oil, and it should have been using such an oil since its first oil change. Look in your owner's manual... it will tell you to use 15w40 or 15w50

The 325i's hold 5 qrts of oil, btw

[87-325ic]

i thought it was 4.25 with the filter... i better go double check what i did!

i use castrol GTX 20w50 it was only 15 bucks at walmart for 5 quarts!!!

[hotballs]

but yes, the design of the valvetrain is from the 1960's. The rockers have no hydraulic tappits to "cushion" them, they ride right on the cam face. A heavier oil with lots of anti-shear properties (like synthics, or conventional oils with a high zinc and phosphorous content) are really preferable

I use Shell Rotella 15w40, it's an inexpensive and commonly available oil that's really made for desiel engines. Oils that are made for desiel engines have a good bit of zinc (for now anyway, and even now not as much as they used to), due to the high-stress nature of a diesel engine

And its really not so much of an issue with the miles or the age. BMW designed the engine to use a thicker oil, and it should have been using such an oil since its first oil change. Look in your owner's manual... it will tell you to use 15w40 or 15w50

The 325i's hold 5 qrts of oil, btw

This. I run the dino oil 15w40. They make a synthetic 5w40 I believe, but no need for synthetic at that age. All the damage has probably already been done. A heavy weight oil is your best choice. 20w50 or the Shell Rotella T should do the trick.

5 quarts? I put 4 in and it's right in the middle of the dipstick. I have a 2.7 bottom end though. :?

[SpecM]

5 quarts? I put 4 in and it's right in the middle of the dipstick. I have a 2.7 bottom end though. :?

do you have an oil cooler? models with them take 4.8 quarts, I always toss in 5

[hotballs]

do you have an oil cooler? models with them take 4.8 quarts, I always toss in 5

Good point, no oil cooler.

[5KWattson]

i ran 15-w40 diesel oil in my M20, but the m50 gets some nice mobil1 10-w40 :) she loves every drop of it.

also i used synchro-max royal purple in the trans an a full syn-gear oil in the diff with friction mod agent with a new cover gasket and prop shaft seals