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Thread: E36 323i engine oil

  1. #1
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    E36 323i engine oil

    Doing an oil change and after a bit of reading there does not seem to be a definitive regarding oil type between semi synthetic 5w30 and fully synthetic 5w40? Both seem fine to use, oil is changed every 6 to 7 k along with filter. So which would be better to use?

  2. #2
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Ive always used 10w40 semi synthetic with no problems, but always on engines in or around 100k miles.

  3. #3
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    i use 5w30 but if yours burns id go 10w40

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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    10W60 is best oil! and very good even if its bit using oil

  5. #5
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Quote Originally Posted by Valdelisbmw
    10W60 is best oil! and very good even if its bit using oil
    Overkill for a 323i?

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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey Bear
    Quote Originally Posted by Valdelisbmw
    10W60 is best oil! and very good even if its bit using oil
    Overkill for a 323i?
    how ? this oil is made to work hard , so how it could be bad for daily driver?

  7. #7
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Takes longer to heat up....

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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey Bear
    Takes longer to heat up....
    in ireland there is no real winter?

  9. #9
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    If the oil takes longer to get to optimum temperature then more wear is occurring on the moving parts. Oil is a trade off. Better characteristics at high temperatures means a trade off at lower temperatures.

    Just because you have a ten w on the bottle doesn't mean 10w40 will perform exactly the same as 10w60.

    Yes it will fall within the "spec" for the 10w number but it won't perform exactly the same from startup.

    So yes the oil is made to work hard at high temperature but it's not the best oil for startup and heat up of the engine.

  10. #10
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    RE: E36 323i engine oil

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey Bear
    If the oil takes longer to get to optimum temperature then more wear is occurring on the moving parts. Oil is a trade off. Better characteristics at high temperatures means a trade off at lower temperatures.

    Just because you have a ten w on the bottle doesn't mean 10w40 will perform exactly the same as 10w60.

    Yes it will fall within the "spec" for the 10w number but it won't perform exactly the same from startup.

    So yes the oil is made to work hard at high temperature but it's not the best oil for startup and heat up of the engine.
    Yes it was made to work like this ,and was made to work for high performance cars
    I don't think that somebody would drive 323 like M3 if u know what I mean. And how bad would be that oil for M cars used to drive in Europe or other countries in winter ? And don't say that they don't use it at winter time or use different oil .
    Did most people drive hard M3 to get to higher temperatures ? But they still use 10W60 ,yes?

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