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bmw engine oil

58K views 84 replies 24 participants last post by  Bhduck 
#1 ·
I had service today, and I was forced by the service man to fill my engine with their oil. Or else I lose warranty (oh god). I don't know what kind of crap they forced me to put in my engine, as no description on the bottle is written. first of all, I do not want to use mineral oil, as i am storing now my bike for 6 moths, and mineral oil deteriorates in 3 months even if you do not use it. i hate when the bike companies force people to use 'their oil' because they make money by being affiliated with one of the oil brands. but when nothing is written on the bottle, not even who made it, this pisses me off.
 
#2 ·
Oil Info

BMW branded motor oil is going to be a high quality product. All current BMW motor oils, to my knowledge are being made by the Shell Oil company, utilizing their new production technology. All current Shell motorcycle oils are manufactured from natural gas, not crude oil, which results in a much cleaner and higher quality product. BMW Advantec 15W-50, recommended for the G310 bikes is actually a semi-synthetic oil. Other BMW oils are full synthetic. I do not know why BMW choose to utilize full synthetic oil in some models and semi-synthetic in the G310. I plan to use the Shell branded full synthetic Advance Motorcycle Oil, 15W-50 in my G310R. This oil can be purchased at any Advance Auto Parts Store for around $12.00 per container. Any of these oils, BMW branded or not, produced by Shell should be as good or better than anything available on the market. Check out Shells website for their line of motorcycle oils and have fun on your G310!
 
#4 ·
BMW branded motor oil is going to be a high quality product. All current BMW motor oils, to my knowledge are being made by the Shell Oil company, utilizing their new production technology. All current Shell motorcycle oils are manufactured from natural gas, not crude oil, which results in a much cleaner and higher quality product. BMW Advantec 15W-50, recommended for the G310 bikes is actually a semi-synthetic oil. Other BMW oils are full synthetic. I do not know why BMW choose to utilize full synthetic oil in some models and semi-synthetic in the G310. I plan to use the Shell branded full synthetic Advance Motorcycle Oil, 15W-50 in my G310R. This oil can be purchased at any Advance Auto Parts Store for around $12.00 per container. Any of these oils, BMW branded or not, produced by Shell should be as good or better than anything available on the market. Check out Shells website for their line of motorcycle oils and have fun on your G310!
thanks. I assume that you refer to the Shell Advanced Ultra oil, right? good to know this. never heard of GTL engine oil. do you think it is better than ester based synthetic? unfortunately, i doubt that the dealer has this oil, and they will not approve any oil without bmw name on it at the service oil change. I usually use Motul 7100 synthetic or Mobil 1. do you think that bmw semi-synthetic will deteriorate during 6 months storage?
 
#3 ·
It must be a market specific local requirement. For us, as long as the oil meets manufacturer specifications there is no compulsion to only use their stuff. If I remember correctly, my local dealer uses Motul, bike is still under warranty. No problem.

Same thing with Jeep in NZ. I don't have to use their branded oil as long as it meets the requirements.
 
#5 ·
Yes, I referred to the Shell Advanced Ultra full-synthetic. I am not a lubrication engineer, just a biker that has learned from past experience that there are real advantages to full-synthetic motor oil usage. I know of no real world tests conducted comparing GTL to ester based oils. I used Mobil 1 for years with outstanding service but to my knowledge Mobil does not produce a 15w-50 full-synthetic motorcycle oil. I would have no issues with utilizing BMW semi-synthetic for a six month storage period and this is the oil that is currently in my machine. Consider checking with BMW corporate about your dealer pressuring you to use only BMW branded products. The owners manual states to use SAE 15W-50, API SJ/JASO MA2 and recommends the BMW branded product be used. The manual only recommends, it does not require the use of BMW oils. As long as your oil selection is of the appropriate grade and specification documented in your owners manual, there should be no issues.
 
#6 ·
yes, but these dealers in India are pretty stupid. of course, they have no way to check what oil I put in my engine, but still... different colour, etc... Anyway, for winter time 15w50w is too high viscosity. it is good for hot weather. engines like this like 10w40, or even 10w30 (what is used in honda crf 250)l. I am going now to Thailand where I have 3 bikes, and there nobody cares what oil I put in my engine.

the GTL oil seems to be a very interesting option, but not enough tests have been done to prove its superiority. we live in the age of marketing, and you never know what is true...
 
#11 ·
What Kris said is "There were NO markings on the bottle" which translates to: You have no idea what they used.


I would drain the oil and replace it with a known brand on a factory labeled bottle. I would also find a different dealer. If that is not possible, make them use factory labeled bottles (which are generally printed directly on the bottle, no paper/plastic label) and watch them pour it in. Make sure it is not a refilled bottle.


Sounds like they are scamming you and using a cheaper oil. I also think they are lying about warranty being voided. Call HQ in India and see what they say.


You can always change yourself (keep receipts of oil and filter) but if they have to drain to do service on engine, you are stuck.
 
#12 ·
This is my second bike that I have rebuild engine. I doesn't matter I have seen the internal parts and did my own coatings fitments and micro polishing of all internal parts. I have no idea about this BMWs coatings and its properties. So I did my own stuff main reason to do this was I did not like the engine sound and valve rattle so open up and made it quitter engine. I did 3000 kms test its fine and feeling good.
 
#15 ·
I live on the tropics and I’ve just bought a used 310GS which is due for a service being 14 months old even though it’s only done 3300km.
I have enough Mobil 1 fully synthetic left over from my other bike’s service, but it’s 5-50!
I’m guessing this will be ok to use even though the ‘5’ is made for cold starting which I DEFINITELY never need to worry about.
It’s by far the most expensive oil on the shelf and works fine on my 650 V-Strom!


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#18 ·
GEOFF, Mobil 1 does not make a 5W-50 for motorcycles. They make a 4T that is 10W-40 and a V-Twin which I think is 10W-50 for Harleys.


The 5W-50 is for Cars/Trucks Only. DO NOT use in a motorcycle or you will damage engine.
 
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#22 ·
How would it damage it?

Damage seems fantastically unlikely to me. While I wouldn't recommend using an oil outside the manufacturers spec, i do believe this is unlikely to cause a problem.

Only way I can see using a lighter weight capacity multi weight but otherwise compatible oil causing a problem would be if you cooked off so much of the lighter weight component that the oil level dropped significantly and you ignored it.

On the ST1300/Pan European forum there are hundreds of thousands of miles reported on Shell Rotella T6 5w40 full synthetic oil for heavy diesel trucks. I ran it in my own ST1300 for more than 60k miles before switching to royal purple, now amsoil. Zero issues.

my G310R is at 126mi, picked up on Sunday. I'll probably do an oil and filter in a couple weeks and it will get amsoil 10w-40 metric motorcycle oil like my other bikes.

My advice is to use a high quality synthetic oil that meets or exeeds the spec and makes rational sense weight wise. With multi weight oils having more viscosity capacity at either end is really not a risk. Change your oil regularly.

All that said, at least in the U.S., Mobil 1 is not a true ester synthetic product at this time. They are using group IV, non ester, petroleum derived base stocks. I will not use a non synthetic or non ester based oil in my own vehicles anymore.
 
#20 ·
I'm in the US and living in California, so I have more consumer rights. :)
As long as I follow the recommended oil from the manual (I recall JASO 2), the warranty is covered. I don't even have to take it to the dealer for service. I called the BMW dealer, and that was what they told me.

I went out and purchased Rotella T6 and a $10 oil filter and changed the oil myself.
$25 total.
 
#23 ·
the reason why 5w... is not good for bikes is that it is not protecting the engine enough when it is not yet warm... no bikes are using 5w.... the additional thing to check if it is actually for 4 stroke bikes and have enough friction additives for the clutch. using such oil will not 'damage' your bike like immediately, but very gradually. and one more thing, using such oil in a hot climate is a suicide... in snow, it can make some sense...
 
#24 ·
1) That's not how multi weight oils work.
2) Film strength determines protection. Weight determines pumping by viscosity.
3) Clutches do not like friction modifiers and this is one vulnerability to the wet clutches common to motorcycles. Should the friction discs get impregnated with a friction reducer enough they'll loose their ability to engage. The clutch will slip. Should this happen repair is a simple and easy matter of replacing the friction discs. No engine damage.

Why is using a 5w-40 or 50 oil "suicide" in the heat? if it doesn't cook off, why? A good synthetic will easily maintain its integrity during normal operating temperatures even in hot weather.

Where does this "gradual" damage come from? Are you thinking a 300cc single pushed hard is going to run forever? Didn't make 50K km in the magazine test using bmw oil and filters.

Are all these cars running 0w synthetic now committing mass suicide? They often operate with and maintain higher internal engine temperatures than our bikes.

ST1300/PanEuropean's have hundreds of thousands of miles behind them on 5w40 T6. Saying 5w multi weight isn't used in bikes is not true.

we need more facts in this exchange and less supposition, drama, and sensationalism.

I guess this being a new forum it'll go through this phase..

I stand by my past comment; An otherwise compatible oil with a greater viscosity range will do no harm.
 
#26 ·
It is not the 5W weight, it is the fact that car/truck oils are not designed for motorcycles and do not have the correct additives required hence the JASO spec.

Cars do not rev as high as motorcycles, but I think if you have something like a HD it may not matter, but it will in a sportbike. Mostly has to do with WET CLUTCH.

For Reference:

https://mobiloil.com/en/faq/ask-our...ts/difference-between-car-and-motorcycle-oils





 
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#27 ·
of course people selling the oil want to drive margin.

https://rotella.shell.com/en_us/products/full-synthetic-and-blend-oil/t6-full-synthetic.html

just read the comments.

Your arguments seem intended to justify a position but lack a technical explanation and are contradicted by documented testing. Additionally I have previously addressed the wet clutch issue and you seem to ignore the real concern there, friction modifiers. Not whether there's a car, truck, or motorcycle on the bottle.

Car engines do typically operate at lower rpm. This is irrelevant to our discussion however as there's been no suggestion of a lack of film strength.

Comments of "damage will occur" and using a particular oil is "suicide" need to be justified or they're sensationalist and should be called as such. There are real things to worry about, using an otherwise compatible 5w40 oil isn't one of them. That's where all this silliness started.
 
#28 ·
LOL.

I just watched the twisted throttle video (I know those guys from living in New England and I finally had time) in the video he even explains how automotive oils are fine in bikes. Just avoid the wrong friction modifiers..

I think the kids call that a "self-own" when you undercut yourself, completely.
 
#29 ·
I realise that none of us are probably automotive chemists, BUT, I’ve read other forums where posters are advocating mixing certain high performance oils and additives with their normal oil; some claiming noticeable reduction in engine noise on the G310.
So, I’ve got my 2L ofMobil1 5-50 fully synthetic sitting on the shelf which I don’t want to waste because it was **** expensive.
What if I bought a HIGH PERFORMANCE oil such as Royal Purple 10-40 and mixed the 2 50:50?
In basic theory, would I end up with 8:45 fully synthetic, or would it just curdle like trying to mix cream and water!
Or should I just stop being stupid and buy 1.6L of the good stuff and stomach the cost?
Please be kind.......


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#53 ·
What made you choose a racing oil instead of the oil Motul is recomending for BMW G310GS/R?

On Motuls web pages they have a lubricants recomendations function here, that says use Motul 7100 4T 15W-50 or 5100 4T 15W-50. Both meet the recomendations by BMW. As I understand it, BMW does NOT tell you to use a BMW labeled oil, they only recomend the use of oils meeting specific standards/classifications and viscocity class. As stated in the technical manual of your bike under section "Technical data".
 
#34 ·
Can somebody confirm....
I don’t have a torque wrench, but I recall reading an instruction somewhere ( but as usual can’t remember where) about a simple manual way of tightening your oil filter.
It was something along the lines.... Screw on the filter until the rubber gasket JUST touches the engine, and then turn ‘2 full turns’ ??.... but I can’t recall how many turns it was!!



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#36 ·
Well I changed the oil for MOTUL and a K&N filter (by quite a considerable margin THE most expensive 2L of oil and filter I’ve EVER bought) and have now rode around 200km in anticipation of wonderful things!
Well.... I’ve got to say I’m wondering what else I could have spent the the extra cash on as disappointment doesn’t come close to describing my thoughts.
Has the oil made the engine any quieter?...... NO!
Has it made the shifting any easier?.... Definitely NOT, in fact it’s WORSE and more difficult to engage neutral!
The old oil (about 3000km old) when drained was BLACK, but there were no bits stuck onto the magnetic plug.
So I’m beginning to wonder what was in the engine before and what’s wrong with what I’ve put in now!



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#49 ·
BMW MOTORRAD are coming to replace my brake calipers next week which is good to hear (as I’m in Philippines where there has been no recall..... yet), BUT even though I have only just changed the oil myself for Motul fully synthetic and a K&N filter, they are insisting on replacing the oil with ‘BMW recommended’ oil!!!!!
This is ‘annoying’ because I’ve used one of the highest quality motorbike oils on the market and I feel I’m being held to ransom in order for them to change my calipers!
I feel like i must reluctantly accept their terms!


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