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Oil Rebranding
- Thread starter bdfbeemer
- Start date
greenwald
New member
This happened more than a year ago.
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?63581-Oil-Analysis-Update&p=906441&viewfull=1#post906441
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?63581-Oil-Analysis-Update&p=906441&viewfull=1#post906441
A 2014 press release with 2015 the start date...there have been merger rumors for BP and Dutch Shell for some time...did it happen?
http://www.shell.com/global/product...shell-to-be-bmw-recommended-oil-supplier.html
Most bottles are currently BP/Castrol , the exception is the Italian bottled HP 15-50 I believe which is red in color.
http://www.shell.com/global/product...shell-to-be-bmw-recommended-oil-supplier.html
Most bottles are currently BP/Castrol , the exception is the Italian bottled HP 15-50 I believe which is red in color.
lkchris
Active member
Those WalMart shoppers endeared with Rotella will find this isn't the same stuff. Manufactured in Dubai.
natrab
New member
Just a reminder of what I think is the best deal for oil if you want the closest to the BMW brand:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MISDH4
Comes out to a bit over $7.50 a quart and meets the JASO MA2 standard so it can be used with all the new bikes.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MISDH4
Comes out to a bit over $7.50 a quart and meets the JASO MA2 standard so it can be used with all the new bikes.
The 20w50 version of this oil was mid-pack at best in the March 2013 oil comparison article. It was not up to the ZDDP levels that the Spectro or BMW oil tested at the time. In 2013, BMW's oil was blended by Spectro and the results seemed to show that.
marchyman
Cam Killer
And just how important is ZDDP for those with overhead cam engines?
BMWNA had the deal with Spectro. BMW corporate has been pushing Castrol for a long, long time. Is this a similar situation for crazy Americans who feel the need to have the same brand on their oil that they have on their bike?
rxcrider
New member
Interesting that it will all be sourced (at least in terms of base stock) from Shell's Pearl GTL operation in Qatar.
natrab
New member
Hence why I said it's the closest to the BMW brand (and even recommended in the owners manual). While my bike is under warranty (four more years), I'm good with using it so they can't argue that I used the wrong oil if something goes wrong.
I'm not really too concerned with the "best possible" oil for modern BMWs. I haven't heard of many engine failures from using oil without enough ZDDP. As has been said many times before, is the best oil is the kind that is changed on schedule.
And just how important is ZDDP for those with overhead cam engines?
What did the owner's manual call for? I don't own an overhead cam motorcycle.
There may be other spots in one of these engines where it is important. I read a book recently that talks about the "edges" of lubrication. Two situations struck me as important where movement comes to a standstill and there is poor lubrication...that's where ZDDP comes in. When the piston stops at TDC and BDC...no movement, thus oil can't really do it's job there. The other, which probably doesn't apply to the overhead cam engine, is the cam followers as in the Airhead engine. The proper viscosity for that situation is too high for the rest of the engine lubrication requirements. So, ZDDP is used to maintain the lubrication when otherwise the parts would destruct pretty rapidly.
True, but we all have our levels as owners of these machines. Personally, I treat oil as the "blood" of the machine and I think that's pretty important. Full disclosure, my sig line tells you where I'm coming from and ZDDP is something I'm aware of and want to maintain. I have heard (actually change that to seen) of ZDDP-induced failures mostly of the surfaces of cam followers on the pushrod twins. The lubrication required at that point is quite extreme and ZDDP does a long way to protecting the surfaces.
Dirty oil is better than no oil. Clean oil is better than dirty oil. Better yet if it's changed regularly.
Does anyone want to talk tires, too!!
natrab
New member
Does anyone want to talk tires, too!!
What's the best oil for my tires?? Does it need ZDDP?
I only run full synthetic blinker fluid.
pglaves
#13338
And just how important is ZDDP for those with overhead cam engines?
It is not the location of the cam that makes the difference. It is whether the valve train interfaces the camshaft lobes with a roller as on most modern cars, or whether there is a flat faced follower scuffing along against the face of the cam lobe as is done on our BMW motorcycles. Given the flat faced cam followers ZDDP is very important.
pglaves
#13338
I hear this argument all the time and laugh every time I hear or read it. An engine does not need to blow up to suffer from inadequate lubrication. I do know of a few cases where camshafts needed to be replaced, and a few where cam followers needed to be replaced. Not to mention the need for new rings or the need for valve guides or rod or main bearings. These are all wear related items that benefit from or suffer from the quality of the lubrication.
natrab
New member
You have a good point, however I still contest that using the basic specified oil by BMW is perfectly sufficient to maintain it and have many happy miles. I am the type who goes on quests to have the "best of the best" in many cases, but I'm satisfied with what BMW recommends for my bike. If someone points out a better oil for the same price as what I linked, I'd gladly switch. I just don't feel it's worth paying a bunch more money on oil that isn't necessary. I have to change my oil 5 or 6 times a year and those costs add up.
Philosophy plays a part of it as well as I don't have any great attachment to my bike and consider it replaceable. It is a tool for my use and if it got destroyed today, I'd buy a new one tomorrow and just move on. I expect to hit 150-200k miles with my bike in the next 4-5 years and will probably replace it around then.
pglaves
#13338
I agree completely that following the BMW specification is "good enough". What I don't agree with is using car oils that fail to meet that spec; or using a diesel oil that fails to meet the spec but is cheap, etc.
I personally do not and never have used synthetic oil in any of our several BMWs. I don't disaprove of synthetic oils - I just don't happen to have any motorcycles or cars that need them. If I had an Airhead today I would be using a synthetic oil in it because of the wide temperature variation and high temperatures at which they operte. But water cooled F or K bikes and even Oilheads don't see these operating conditions unless they overheat. Then it is time to change oil immediately.
Always remember:
Good oil is better than bad oil
Clean oil is better than dirty oil
Some oil is better than no oil
natrab
New member
Are you referring to Rotella T6 in the beginning there? What are your thoughts on it? I heard it has high levels of ZDDP and I use it in most of my other bikes (not my BMW as the weight is wrong for me).
