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Change in recommended oil weight (Yay an oil thread!)

natrab

New member
So, long story short, I couldn't find the manual to my 2013 R1200RT so I downloaded a new one from the BMW site. My old manual had a range of oil weights and recommended temperatures on it before. Now it just says 15W-50. I've been using Castrol Power 1 10W40 for 98,000 miles on this bike and nothing has gone wrong (after all, it used to be in the old manual chart as acceptable for anything > 14 degrees F).

Does this mean I should change to the heavier weight? My bike still runs like a top. I could just as easily order the 10W50 which would up the weight a little bit at temp, since the manual seems to imply it.

Let's leave brands out of this. Just speculating about the BMW recommended weight. I find it strange that they recommend 15W anything for all bikes now when in the old manual is said 15W40+ was only for 32 degrees F and up.
 
So, long story short, I couldn't find the manual to my 2013 R1200RT so I downloaded a new one from the BMW site. My old manual had a range of oil weights and recommended temperatures on it before. Now it just says 15W-50. I've been using Castrol Power 1 10W40 for 98,000 miles on this bike and nothing has gone wrong (after all, it used to be in the old manual chart as acceptable for anything > 14 degrees F).

Does this mean I should change to the heavier weight? My bike still runs like a top. I could just as easily order the 10W50 which would up the weight a little bit at temp, since the manual seems to imply it.

Let's leave brands out of this. Just speculating about the BMW recommended weight. I find it strange that they recommend 15W anything for all bikes now when in the old manual is said 15W40+ was only for 32 degrees F and up.

Other than BMW's branded Advantec 15w50 is darn hard to find. Not impossible but not very many choices.
 
After that many miles I'm guessing stick to what you know. I got mine with only 6k on it so, after the first 6k with 20W-50, I switched to Motorex because it's one of the few that offer the weight called for in the '13 owners manual.
 
So, long story short, I couldn't find the manual to my 2013 R1200RT so I downloaded a new one from the BMW site. My old manual had a range of oil weights and recommended temperatures on it before. Now it just says 15W-50. I've been using Castrol Power 1 10W40 for 98,000 miles on this bike and nothing has gone wrong (after all, it used to be in the old manual chart as acceptable for anything > 14 degrees F).

Does this mean I should change to the heavier weight? My bike still runs like a top. I could just as easily order the 10W50 which would up the weight a little bit at temp, since the manual seems to imply it.

Let's leave brands out of this. Just speculating about the BMW recommended weight. I find it strange that they recommend 15W anything for all bikes now when in the old manual is said 15W40+ was only for 32 degrees F and up.

Maybe mix 10W-40 and 20W-40 in a 50:50 ratio; or, alternate between the two weights at oil changes; or, keep on doing what you have been doing. I'd go with the "keep on doing what you have been doing" option.
 
i have been using 15w50 in my 13RT since the 600 mile service...at 107000 miles there have been zero motor issues and she runs like a top...oil comes in the silver jugs full syn...change every 6000 miles rain or shine...
 
i have been using 15w50 in my 13RT since the 600 mile service...at 107000 miles there have been zero motor issues and she runs like a top...oil comes in the silver jugs full syn...change every 6000 miles rain or shine...

I suppose I am thought to know who packages in silver jugs but at the moment it escapes me. I know that Advantec comes in dark grayish blue bottles. So what source are you using for the silver jug oil?
 
It does seem to be a change in favor of their branded oil. Frankly, I would rather just switch to using Rotella T6 as it's the cheapest and I use it in all my other vehicles. I may do it anyway since anything with a warm weight of 40 seems to be fine. The only time I think running 50 in it is in the summer where we crest 100 degrees F.
 
It does seem to be a change in favor of their branded oil. Frankly, I would rather just switch to using Rotella T6 as it's the cheapest and I use it in all my other vehicles. I may do it anyway since anything with a warm weight of 40 seems to be fine. The only time I think running 50 in it is in the summer where we crest 100 degrees F.

It is Rotella T6 here.
 
May not be much help.

My 2018 R1200rt calls for 5w-40 all temperatures. So 40 weight oil is acceptable.
My 2011 R1200r calls for 5w-40 or 5w-50 from minus 4F up, 10w-40 or 10w-50 14F up, and 15w-40 32F up. So either 40 weight oil or 50 weight oil are acceptable at upper end, and as lowest temperature increases, so does viscosity for starting to increase startup protection.

I don't think there are any BMW engineers here, so anyone's input here is just speculation, mine included, so for us to answer your question "Does this mean I should change the weight of oil", is just opinion.

I would not worry much, as you stated, your manual had 40 weight listed as a proper weight, just continue to run it and don't worry about it. WTFK's what goes on in the BMW owners manual department, but their lack of consistency amazes me sometimes. Next time your at a dealer, inquire if there's been an official change posted, however if there was I'm sure it would have been posted here before with all the requisite hobknobbery.

Good luck mate 98,000 miles is awesome, how do you find so much time to ride.
 
I suppose I am thought to know who packages in silver jugs but at the moment it escapes me. I know that Advantec comes in dark grayish blue bottles. So what source are you using for the silver jug oil?

Mobil 1, 15w50 from Amazon.com... :thumb
 
Your BMW dealer carries two versions of Advantec motor oil

15W-50 semisynthetic intended for use in air cooled boxers such as Oilheads, Hexheads, and Camheads.

5W-40 full synthetic intended for use in Wetheads and any other model with a wet clutch.

It’s apples/oranges comparing wet clutch bikes to auto style clutch bikes as regards motor oil. In addition, aircooled motors are different than water cooled motors. (All BMW with wet clutch are water cooled.)

Nothing wrong with using a full synthetic in the older aircooled bikes, but it’s still probably best that it’s 50 weight, as surely aircooled motors feature larger clearances. The W number (first number) of any oil is essentially irrelevant unless you intend to start your motor in arctic conditions. Even then, when I once read some Mobil 1 specifications, 0W,5W, and 10W all featured the same cold pour point. That is minus 55 F, btw, so again ... irrelevant.

It’s fairly critical to use the 5W-40 full synthetic for best wet clutch operation.
 
Your BMW dealer carries two versions of Advantec motor oil

15W-50 semisynthetic intended for use in air cooled boxers such as Oilheads, Hexheads, and Camheads.

5W-40 full synthetic intended for use in Wetheads and any other model with a wet clutch.

Except that my water cooled wet clutch G310GS is specified to use the 15W50 Advantec oil, totally disrupting the neat classification from above.

RTFM!
 
Your BMW dealer carries two versions of Advantec motor oil

15W-50 semisynthetic intended for use in air cooled boxers such as Oilheads, Hexheads, and Camheads.

5W-40 full synthetic intended for use in Wetheads and any other model with a wet clutch.

It’s apples/oranges comparing wet clutch bikes to auto style clutch bikes as regards motor oil. In addition, aircooled motors are different than water cooled motors. (All BMW with wet clutch are water cooled.)

Nothing wrong with using a full synthetic in the older aircooled bikes, but it’s still probably best that it’s 50 weight, as surely aircooled motors feature larger clearances. The W number (first number) of any oil is essentially irrelevant unless you intend to start your motor in arctic conditions. Even then, when I once read some Mobil 1 specifications, 0W,5W, and 10W all featured the same cold pour point. That is minus 55 F, btw, so again ... irrelevant.

It’s fairly critical to use the 5W-40 full synthetic for best wet clutch operation.

The owner's manual for my '11 R1200r (camhead) an air/oil cooled engine, indicates that 5w-40 weight is acceptable as is 15w-50 weight. I don't know what the clearances are in the motor but presume that BMW's engineers do and can specify oil that meets the engine's particular requirements. As a side note according to Amsoil, heavier weight oils conduct less heat than lighter weight oils do. As for "best" wet clutch operation, careful attention to the oils additives package is recommended as some friction modifiers in engine oils can contaminate wet clutch friction disks.

Use what BMW or any engine manufacturer recommend. They've done the calculations, real world tests, and work with oil manufacturers on acceptable additives and the like to get the best blend of performance, fuel economy, and longevity from their products.

Paul, ahmen, RTFM
 
The owner's manual for my '11 R1200r (camhead) an air/oil cooled engine, indicates that 5w-40 weight is acceptable as is 15w-50 weight.


They changed that in the 2013 Camhead. My owners manual (the image with the Castrol recommendation) and the OEM DVD (the image with the BMW part number) both say 15W-50 and they specifically state no molybdenum content.

<snip>...

Use what BMW or any engine manufacturer recommend. They've done the calculations, real world tests, and work with oil manufacturers on acceptable additives and the like to get the best blend of performance, fuel economy, and longevity from their products.

Paul, ahmen, RTFM

I wholeheartedly agree, hence I stick with 15W-50 and make sure the one I use has no moly. Of course, oil being, well, oil, people will and do use what they want. You don't read about these engines self-destructing ever so I infer it's actually close enough to OK to not worry about it.Capture.PNG Capture1.PNG
 

:rofl

https://www.bmwsporttouring.com/topic/93431-experience-experimenting-with-oil/?do=findComment&comment=1032495

Oil analysis of fresh BMW-recommended Advantec oil shows it contains 142ppm of moly.

Liqui-Moly shows 1 ppm.

( I know, moly in the oil is not the same thing as a moly additive. But still...)

Add these results to BMW's many changes in oil recommendations without corresponding engine changes, and I conclude that we spend wayyyy too much time on oil threads.
 
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