new owner: oil weight and plugs??

[mrmckie]

i just picked up a 91 318i w/ 230k on it. what weight oil should i be using and what spark plugs do you guys recommend?

..it's going to be a DD. It also has a starting(half dead battery) and idling problem, which i think maybe a vacuum problem or a fuel problem. It's leaking fuel from the line comming from the filter to the engine. Once it's in the upper RPM's it doesn't die so i dunno. I have a new filter and fuel line so i hope these fix the problem.

[revhard7]

the bentely says u must use 15w50 but i think the best oil is 10w30 or 40 for the m42,, 20w50 will starve the lifters im using 10w40 synthetic..ps fix the fuel line fast if u have low fuel pressure it will cause detonation, dnt drive it till u fix it. gd luck

[mrmckie]

the bentely says u must use 15w50 but i think the best oil is 10w30 or 40 for the m42,, 20w50 will starve the lifters im using 10w40 synthetic..ps fix the fuel line fast if u have low fuel pressure it will cause detonation, dnt drive it till u fix it. gd luck

koo, i use that weight in the 86 325 so cool. i may go with the bentley on this then for now.

Autozone says they have some bosch platinum 2 plugs for 4.99 each, so i think i'll run with those too.

any takes on these plugs

[revhard7]

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=85231 this might help for the plugs..

[bmwm42]

I use ngk BKR6EQUP plugs on my m42 and love em also use them on my e39 and use 5w 40 on the m42 also have used 15w 40 oil use is a personal preferance

[mrmckie]

i ended grabbin the bosch and some conventional 10w40 oil. i'm just waiting for my oil filter and intake manifold gaskets to arrvive. And i'm getting the hoses that are missing to hopefully fix this idle problem.

Who ever was working on the car was a jackass..the tps and alot of vaccum hoses werent connected

[///digitalme]

i use 10w30 on my m42...before that the shop i took it to do a free oil change they put 20w50 and the little m42 didnt like that oil it would make a lot of noise ....id go 10w30 or 10w40 no matter on miles have to take care of this engine since it gets super expensive!
timing is a huge deal on these im about to do timing on mine and parts were around 580

[YetiX]

Since you're in CT you might want to run 5w30 during the winter and then switch to 10w40 during the summer.

For plugs, stick with the NGK's. The general consensus is that the M42 doesn't like Bosch Platinum plugs.

[tonywonder]

i think im using 0w-40 mobil-1 synthetic or it could be a 5W- not sure. and im too lazy to go check the bottle right now. synthetic only for my car. and i believe i got NGK plugs i havent swapped them yet though i hear theres some probs with the bosch plat. thinner oil will leak a bit, mine has a very small leak, nothing major though. i wouldnt suggest using dino oil in these engines because of the hydraulic tappets. they tend to start clicking if they get gunked up.