Umpteenth oil question.

[66toaster]

I did a search, but really couldn't find any answers. When I first bought my '73 e9 about 9 years ago, the car had been using Rotella T 15-40. Recently my shop has been using Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w-40. Is this the correct weight & should I be using an oil with zinc? Also, does anyone have experience with Brad Penn oil. TIA

 

[Stevehose]

I use Valvoline Racing VR1 20-50 non-synthetic with high zinc. Brad Penn is good stuff not sure if they make a similar product to Valvoline's.

 

[autokunst]

I use Penn Grade 20-50 in the 1600. Haven't had a chance to change oil in the coupe yet...

 

[tferrer]

VR1 20-50 is what I run in all my old cars. It's proven and has decent zinc levels.

 

[HB Chris]

I have been using Kendall GT-1 Competition which has a boosted level of zinc, 20-50. Back in the day I only used Castrol 20-50.

 

[lip277]

5W-40 M1 should be fine.
If I recall correctly, the M10 (and M30's) from our era had 20W-50 recommended by BMW - but newer oil is a bit better than the old dino oil from back then.
I used 15W-50 M1 in my 2002 for the 30 years I had it. I have used that in my M30 (in the E9) also - but now with the M90 installed... Will need to re-evaluate what I put in.
And... Probably go to the 5W-40 as well for the new motor.

For the 5W-40, I use Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck (or Delvac 1). Both are rated for gas motors as well as diesel. And being for diesel, they have higher values of the additives that are being removed from the 'gas only' API rating oils these days.

I've been using TDT or D1 in my M60/M62 and 997 for... uh.... about 550,000 miles all told now... (250k in E38 #1, 240k in E38 #2 and 70k in the 997 - all of these motors running great BTW). I used this oil in my F250 PSD also

 

[Stevehose]

I use Penn Grade 20-50 in the 1600. Haven't had a chance to change oil in the coupe yet...

In doing a little research, it appears the classic version of green Kendall is now rebranded as Penn Grade, and GT-1 is their newer version, both excellent.

EDIT: VR1 has 1400ppm zinc and Kendall GT-1 has 1200, at least in the USA from what I can tell.

 

[deQuincey]

In doing a little research, it appears the classic version of green Kendall is now rebranded as Penn Grade, and GT-1 is their newer version, both excellent. Also from one comparison apparently VR1 has 50% more zinc than Kendall GT-1

excellent info, Steve, could you share how much zinc is in this oil ?

Zinc (%wt) = 0,084 in castrol magnatec

VR1 = ¿?


found that VR1 details specs depending on manufacutring location:

and very surprising info:

 

[Stevehose]

Zinc (%wt) = 0,084 in castrol magnatec

VR1 = ¿?

.084 %wt = 840 ppm

 

[lip277]

Correct - you do NOT wan to use racing oil in a street car....

 

[deQuincey]

.084 %wt = 840 ppm

have you seen the note on use recommendations ?

 

[deQuincey]

Correct - you do NOT wan to use racing oil in a street car....

but the USA pamphlet does not disclose this recommendation
it is the European one the one that says it

 

[Stevehose]

have you seen the note on use recommendations ?

Yes, like you said, I have not seen any reference to that in USA, must be an emissions thing or something. If Valvoline relied on strictly racers and no extended users to buy their products at O'Reilly/Advance et al, they'd not sell very much and would be pulled.

 

[Stevehose]

Correct - you do NOT wan to use racing oil in a street car....

Curious - why?

 

[lip277]

If you look up the info on all the racing oils I have ever seen, it says not for street car use.
Oils for street car use has a different set of additives meant to deal with moisture, acids and having the oil be able to sit for extended periods of time that engines and oils for racing do not have to put up with.

Racing Oil - Motorsports | Mobil™

Mobil 1 Racing™ oils help provide peak performance under grueling race conditions.

www.mobil.com

This is just the 'PC' version of this - The down to earth version is that if you are racing - your engine does not put up with the same challenges that street engines do (they have different ones that are more onerous - but not the same). Racing engines do not have heat cycling, viscosity stabilization, additives for moisture and such that a personal vehicle needs.

You mileage may vary - you are welcome to do as you see fit.
FYI - My family is in the fuel and oil business and I have been around this stuff for over 40 years - I use Mobil1 products exclusively.

 

[Mal CSL 3.0]

I use SAE 20W 50 oil in my E9 (as per the E9 owners handbook) and also for other classic cars. (15W 40 is also suitable). I only ever use a mineral based oil and never a synthetic oil in a classic car.

I wouldn’t use the Mobil 1 synthetic oil your mechanic put in. It’s made for a modern car.

 

[lip277]

I've been using Mobil 1 in my 'old' BMW's and Fords since 1984....
All told - probably about 300,000 miles in the old cars since then. No leaks and no engine issues at all since then.

 

[bavbob]

Well, I am one for Valvoline VR1, 20-50. It goes into my Bavaria, 3.0cs, 635 csi and my M6.

 

[deQuincey]

Oil is a bit difficult thing, you never know what is better, and you tend to get information from the comercial descriptions that you find in the brand documents/adverts

i had a very bad experience with a full synthetic oil from castrol: EDGE 10W60

i returned to magnatec, a part synthetic 10w40, works well for me so far...

 

[tferrer]

All modern, quality oils with sufficient zinc levels are fine for our old cars. Consider, classic cars don't get flogged like modern cars. Nor do they get driven in stop and go, congested conditions on a regular basis and we promptly change the oil when they get anywhere close to 3k miles. It's a non issue. You aren't going to swap your oil and watch the compression jump 10% or miraculously improve the driveability or some such thing. Better off worrying about the pressure in your tires. No THAT will affect the driveability...