Camhead Owners Oil Question

I have always used 20w-50w weight oil in my previous boxers. I was reading the manual for the 2010 Gs & see the are recommending 5w-40w & 10w-40w I was looking at Mobil1 & can find neither weight. I would like to know what others are using?

kencc said:

I have always used 20w-50w weight oil in my previous boxers. I was reading the manual for the 2010 Gs & see the are recommending 5w-40w & 10w-40w I was looking at Mobil1 & can find neither weight. I would like to know what others are using?

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Based on other threads I've read, there seems to be no agreement about this.

One dealer in my area swears by 20W-50 in the new camheads (I spoke with them twice about it and they swear they were told specifically not to use different weights in the camheads than in the older hexheads, despite what the manual says ?????).

The other dealer in my area says 20w-50 is too heavy (which would seem to agree with the owner's manual). They didn't recommend anything "lighter" than 10w-50 though (which is the heaviest oil listed in the manual).

I'm still running 20w-50, but I will be switching to 10w-50 when I change the oil next week. Manual says it's good down to freezing.

Twin cams

This has to equal quite a few more close tolerances and therefore the lesser weight oils perhaps. No doubt. 10w50 makes a lot of sense. The top end at 40w would worry me too. Randy

This confusion reminds me of when Ford went to 5W20. I had one of the first ones and my local dealer wouldn't even stock it. They had used 10W30 for years and they just knew the 5W20 wouldn't hold up because it wasn't thick enough. They were wrong and the engines using the thinner oil haven't had any oil issues and last just as long.

Interesting questions (and answers). Back in 1979 I bought a new SAAB 900 Turbo while in Sweden. The car came with oil in the crankcase (duh) and at 2000 miles I changed it to 20/50. The car started using a bit of oil. It had not done this before. I went by the dealership and they told me the thick oil was clinging to the cylinder walls and to use at least 10/30. I changed to 10/30 and the oil consumption stopped. That SAAB lasted thirteen years with me back home in the states and at a bit over 400,000 miles I sold it and bought something else. That frog barf green SAAB is still seen around town driven by the lady I sold it to in about '82 or so. I missed that car for years and finally got another one that is now approaching 200,000 miles and uses no oil at all running Mobil 1 in 10/30 weight. Oil is changed spring and fall regardless of mileage.

There is only one very simple and correct answer to any of these oil threads.

RTFM! For my '09 RT, the Castrol logo in actually printed on the manual! They've written down the spec quiet clearly.

xrstrider said:

There is only one very simple and correct answer to any of these oil threads.

RTFM! For my '09 RT, the Castrol logo in actually printed on the manual! They've written down the spec quiet clearly.

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In exchange for which Castrol paid to print the manual. Just BMW scratching out the last possible penny in everything they do.

xrstrider said:

There is only one very simple and correct answer to any of these oil threads.

RTFM! For my '09 RT, the Castrol logo in actually printed on the manual! They've written down the spec quiet clearly.

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I have RTFM & I see where its says Castrol I am looking for 5w-40 or 10w-40w fully synthetic which they claim they make. I have been to a number of retail places & am unable to find these weights. The closes I can find is 5w- 50w. castrol syntec. Mobil 1 does not have these weights either that is why I posed the question to inquire what others are using.

Go here to find, "where to buy" the Castrol oil near you.

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/iframe.do?categoryId=9021346&contentId=7038271

No I'm not a salesman. But I did recently learn how to use Google

xrstrider said:

Go here to find, "where to buy" the Castrol oil near you.

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/iframe.do?categoryId=9021346&contentId=7038271

No I'm not a salesman. But I did recently learn how to use Google

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I did I put in boston Ma & a 50 mile radius & came up with no results.