What oil is best? I know it's a very generic question.

[Brandon73fjord]

I'm in Texas so it gets hot. I assume Mobil 1 is the best but what weight?

[roadhog0]

I'm in Washington and have been recommended to use 20W-40 Conventional oil by the local BMW 2002 guy. I think this would be way to thick to be used in Texas though.

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm in Washington and have been recommended to use 20W-40 Conventional oil by the local BMW 2002 guy. I think this would be way to thick to be used in Texas though.

The original question: "I'm in Texas so it gets hot. I assume Mobil 1 is the best but what weight?"

Yes it's a generic question, compounded since the questioner did not detail anything about his specific engine (used, stock, condition . . .) Does "the local BMW 2002 guy" know this information? When in doubt, how about referring to the owners manual which specifies 20W50? (Cue CD!) The archives contain gobs of information on this very subject.

In theory, 20W40 is a lighter weight oil than 20W50. Some might think 20W40 might be too light or thin for a hot Texas climate.

[Napes]

I'm in the hot southwest and I use 20W-50 year-round. Been doing so for the past 28 yrs. I usually use Castrol GTX. It's what c.d. and the Factory recommend, weight-wise.

Bob Napier

[72Fjord02]

Castrol 20w-50 is a popular choice and the recommended weight.

[KFunk]

I'm a big fan of Valvoline's VR1 20W-50 'racing oil.' It's not as expensive as synthetic, and always runs pretty damn good for me, well better than the Castrol GTX 20W-50. It's also got plenty of zinc additive for older cars/valves, and they even put the stickers for that on the bottle now.

[TobyB]

KFunk's right on- an old carbed engine dirties its oil pretty quickly,

so a heavier dino oil with zinc is just fine.

Castrol has, near as I can figure, no zinc left (google 'oil starburst')

and anyway, the ads are so gawdawful offensive that I don't buy it anymore.

Generic answer- 'heavy'. don't use the 'water' 0w oils, and you'll do better.

t

[Meintii]

I'm a big fan of Valvoline's VR1 20W-50 'racing oil.' It's not as expensive as synthetic, and always runs pretty damn good for me, well better than the Castrol GTX 20W-50. It's also got plenty of zinc additive for older cars/valves, and they even put the stickers for that on the bottle now.

Tru dat! thats what I use... it about $3.99 a quart round here in GA. I used to use castrol, but since they got rid of the zinc, i switched

[BruceH]

I'm a big fan of Valvoline's VR1 20W-50 'racing oil.' It's not as expensive as synthetic, and always runs pretty damn good for me, well better than the Castrol GTX 20W-50. It's also got plenty of zinc additive for older cars/valves, and they even put the stickers for that on the bottle now.[/quote

Tru dat! thats what I use... it about $3.99 a quart round here in GA. I used to use castrol, but since they got rid of the zinc, i switched

Where are you finding it? You are in the Sugar Hill area right?

[biltwok2]

From an experience, synthetic. Personal choice is M----1.

We were developing parts for a hi-perf sports car, and had rented a race track and driver. However, could not keep this $$$$ car cool. Tried taping off radiator, running with heater on high, removing front licesne hardware, etc. One timed lap was all we could get, and oil temp was approaching 250!

As a last attempt to get our data, changed oil to M----1. Nothing else. Oil temp dropped by 25 to 30 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!! and we could run at race track speed as long as we wanted, often going 15 or 20 laps for durabilty results.

My rational is that any time you can take temp out of the oil, good things are happening. Been using it ever since in all my cars.

[KFunk]

and anyway, the ads are so gawdawful offensive that I don't buy it anymore.

holy crap, i never made the connection in my mind between the oil and those horrible commercials. They've been playing that same damn Camaro on a ramp commercial repeatedly for at least 5 to 10 years now, I bet. It just plays over and over on every TV show involving cars. What annoys me as well is the fact that a vertical force from falling oil can't really stop a horizontally moving car very well.

[TobyB]

it was the dipstick ads that did me in.

I mean, 'sludge' is such a BS thing to try to scare the unenlightened masses

with in the first place

(just change your oil regularly, you fools)

but gaaa- I can't take the dipstick guy.

t

[dogmuddybuddy]

20 w 50 Castrol

[jgerry2002]

15w-50 Mobil 1 synthetic.

Neither motor uses much (maybe 1/2 quart every 3k miles).

Lasts a whole season, street, track, whatever.

[DanOKC]

I wasn't gonna even read this thread, my brain said " Castrol 20/50, you know it's recommend by BMW, have used it for almost 30 years". Then I remembered a similar thread on another BMW forum & I did some googling about the zinc & other additives. From other non BMW forums, & some oil company sites spec sheets on oils, it appears the oil companies have reduced the zinc phospate & the other additives that are known to clog catalytic convertors, so the problem is our older high rpm motors had a benefit from the zinc & other stuff that is now not there or in very low amounts. I also think the 20/50 castrol is thinner than it used to be, maybe I'm wrong, but I am just going from observation. If you read a few engine builders talking about more tappet failures on V8's & other types of failures in recent years & they blame it on the oil changes, there probably is something to it. Now I gotta find the receipt for those 2 5 quarts of 20/50 GTX I just got at wal mart for 12.50 & take em back ! Time to find some valvoline racing or mobil 1.