Hi, all- over the past weekend, I took my first long drive in my '83 400i, going from Virginia to Detroit to have fun in Michigan's Dream Cruise weekend. I'm happy to report that aside from weak air conditioning and an unfortunate meet-up between my front fascia and a tall parking block, the car performed well and was fun to drive. I'm planning to change the oil this week, and this is the first oil change that I've given the car. Any precautions I should consider? Also, my copy of the workshop manual calls for 10W-50 oil, which is virtually impossible to find locally besides perhaps motorcycle shops. I was planning to use more readily-available 10W-40, but was curious what everyone else is using. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks in advance for any responses. Bret
The 400 is a great long-distance cruiser. I use Castrol GTX 20W-50 as recommended by Bill Pollard. You'll need a large drain pan as the sump holds 18.5 quarts. Aidan
Have been using 10w60 fully synthetic, not an expert but have been told that you should definitely not go for a low viscosity 40 as these engines can operate at high temperature. Basically the bigger the range the better ie 10w60 or 10w50 and fully synthetic. Regards Alastair
Thanks all for the recommendations. I checked around and found a local source for Total Quartz 10W-50 full synthetic oil, and will be giving it a try. That, and a 5-gallon drain pan. Bret
Phew very good idea going for even better than manufacturers recommended it being 'synthetic' 10w50 the high end level of viscosity (50) must have been recommended by the manufacturer because the engine temperature would require that. Obviously something lower would mean that the oil would be too thin to cope! when at operating temp. Apparently (not an expert!) temp sensitive, these engines will operate through the min and max rev range without any problem for a long time without breaking! this is specifically what they were designed to do in other words they will handle much more brutal handling than a normal production motor would do under stress, for this they need a big viscocity range for the oil for sure. On the low end (10) i presume! (not an expert again) they recommend this because the oil when cool can get around the engine easier at start up a time when there is much potential wear. (maybe the modern oils have additives other than there stated viscosity that can reduce wear for cold starts) I would not take the chance and would for sure stick to the 10 for lower end. Please check the oil all the time, I go through a litre/quart every 300 miles. Good on you for the cruise just what these cars are for. Regards Alastair
I use Red Line 15 W 50. On my first change I used 10W40 but leakage at front main seal was high. It was greatly reduced with 15W50 and the difference from 10W50 is negligible even for cold starts. Since I add oil in similar amounts to an earlier post and using an oil like Red Line intervals can be longer on oil but filter changes may be more important. Ken
A suggestion that was given to me was to turn the engine over a few times prior to start up when using a 15W. I this way you minimize start wear to almost nothing. Makes sense to me. M1 15W-50 European Formula full syn has 1300 ppm zinc and 1200 ppm phosphorus. Those are about the best numbers for ZDDP you can find in the market IMHO. My engine calls for a 15W-50. Would a 50 weight from the 70s-80s be the same as a 40 oil today? I'll have to run it by the Mobil guys. Ciao, George
If I changed my oil to a fully synthetic, would the seals leak more and would crud in the engine be loosened and cause other problems? Aidan
John I'm going to switch to Mobil 1 15W-50. I was shocked by the price, though, at a local auto parts store - $101 for 6 quarts. Yikes! I found much better deals online - about $46/6 quarts. Where do you buy yours and what do you typically pay? Aidan
Aidan, check out my post above. Wall Mart has 5gt jugs for $22. I bought several jugs a few weeks ago.
Jim What weight oil were they? 15W 50? I never shop at Wartmal, but I might make an exception in this case! Aidan
They had Modil 1 in 15-50, 10-30, and 5-30. There might be other weights but I don't remember. I usually don't go to WM either, it will an interesting trip for you!
There has been much attention given of late to the requirement of anti-wear components within the oils that our older cars require due to the style of cams and tappets. Make sure that your oil has at least 1400-1600 ppm ZDDP(zinc) or you will get premature cam lobe wear.Dozens of posts within the last month or so. I have been using M1 15-50 but switched back to Valvoline VR 20-50..or Castrol GTX 20-50. They are made with this in mind. Or buy the ZDDP aditives for your synthetic...It was deleted from most "modern syns" since it is death on "cats". The trade-off may be a no-brainer since which is cheaper..cats or cam and tappet replacement. Will the usual suspects please chime in.
Jacques Thanks for your comments. According to Mobil's website, "Mobil 1 15W-50 is formulated with SuperSyn, an extra-high viscosity synthetic fluid, plus extra anti-wear additive to provide extra protection for severe service applications such as towing, hauling and racing. Mobil 1 15W-50 is recommended for high performance vehicles including turbocharged and supercharged engines where a thicker oil film is desired. Mobil 1 15W-50 is also recommended for older valve train designs that may benefit from a higher level of anti-wear normally not required for newer generation vehicles. Mobil 1 15W-50 will also provide better anti-wear protection for higher valve spring tensions in certain racing engines. " The 15W 50 oil contains less than 2.5% Zinc dithiophosphate according to the Material Safety Data Sheet, although it doesn't state what its actual concentration is. Any thoughts anyone? Aidan
Excellent.. Also Royal Purple..Mobil 1 Extended Wear 15-20 may have even more ZDDP..just buy its own definition. I'm going to check out Royal Purple again as my particular 1980 400i's oil temp. was consistantly 10 degrees F cooler..also the water temp always showed left of center (90C) when I ran it, but my mechanic didn't have it , so. noooo he used M1 because it was handy..don't you just hate it people foist their own personal agenda upon you..especially at these prices.
I decided to stick with my original choice, the Total Quartz Racing 10W-50 oil. After having read the most recent posts last night, I contacted Total this morning and was a bit surprised to receive a response back from their US lubrication manager before lunch. While this particular weight has a typical Zn content of about 1050 ppm, it has other ingredients designed to reduce wear, and it is certified to the European ACEA A3/B4 standard, which is said to have stringent wear requirements that help ensure backwards compatibility with older engines. Bret
