Interesting oil Zinc content article

[ragtoplvr]

Cliffs note version 1200 PPM is a minimum.

or for a lot more information including where to get zinc additives you could carry just in case you find yourself in no passing Montana and need oil with no dealer nearby

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti...continues.aspx

I am not making any other comments, just hope you all enjoy the information!

Rod

[RSPENNACHIO]

I did enjoyed the reading. Now I can't wait to enjoy the posts that should soon follow.

[PGlaves]

Cliffs note version 1200 PPM is a minimum.

or for a lot more information including where to get zinc additives you could carry just in case you find yourself in no passing Montana and need oil with no dealer nearby

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti...continues.aspx

I am not making any other comments, just hope you all enjoy the information!

Rod

Which coincides exactly with the position BMW took years ago with API SJ rated oil when BMW declared by service bulletin and in subsequent owners manuals that SG or SH oil was required and that SJ and later "upgrades" were insufficient for our bikes. Lab testing shows SG typically at 1600 ppm, SH at 1200 ppm, and the later ratings around 800 ppm.

Note however than in 20w50 wt. some oils meet both SM and SH and so state on the bottle, because the limitation on ZDDP is not required for an SM rating in 20w50 weight.

Read the label carefully and never believe the EPA, Big Three, API propaganda that says each API rating supercedes and is as good as all previous ratings because it simply isn't true.

[cycleman2]

Yep this should get some folks excited. Just whats needed another oil thread that doesn't prove anything that isn't already known.

[lkchris]

Yep this should get some folks excited. Just whats needed another oil thread that doesn't prove anything that isn't already known.

Oh, are you sure?

VW/Audi, Mercedes, and BMW for their cars publish their own oil specifications and they aren't anything as "quaint" as "SJ," etc.

Among USA oil companies, mainly only Mobil 1 sees fit to be tested/approved to these German specifications. In any event, the key is that the "approval" is PRINTED ON THE BOTTLE.

BMW goes its own way a bit in the USA and has local firms formulate and package oil to its specifications--the only exception being that German Castrol 10W-60 is imported for the M-car guys. Generally speaking, BMW's specifications read like "Long Life 01," etc., but we never see that on the motorcycle side.

BMW is closely aligned with Castrol, and it's of some use to peruse European websites to discover which versions of that oil BMW specifies there.

For example: http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/media/...66_low_res.pdf (From http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/servic...-tips/oil.html)

Yes, most of the siliness of "oil threads" is all the talk around various oils that "might work," i.e. trying to adapt (rationalize) various WalMart offerings and the like.

For owners of Euro machinery it's simple: use what the manufacturer recommends. Why anyone would consider anything else is nuts. Remember, it's PRINTED ON THE BOTTLE. And this doesn't mean "SJ" and it doesn't mean "motorcycle" and it doesn't mean "V-twin."

[deilenberger]

Kent,

Interesting - the TWS10W-60 (M-engine oil from Castrol) is one I've considered an alternative to BMW synthetic motorcycle oil. I have had Blackstone do analysis of this oil used from my M cars.. have to dig the results out and see if there is a hint of the zinc level in it.

For BMW 15W-50 oil, Blackstone kindly did a gratis analysis of some "virgin" oil (and a paid for analysis of 6,000 mile used oil.)

VIRGIN SAMPLE BMW 15W-50 Synthetic oil:


USED SAMPLE BMW 15W-50 Synthetic oil:


Note the zinc numbers.. (interesting that the used sample shows a higher number..)

M3 (S54 engine) Castrol TWS 10W-60 oil:


The final sample ^^^ above is of the Castrol TWS "M-Oil".. a made in Germany oil that BMW strongly recommends the use of in the high-revving S54 engine. This was a test result I dug up on an M3 website I'm active on (not my results..) The zinc, moly and phosphorus numbers all look fairly well matched to the BMW motorcycle oil, viscosity remains stable "at temperature." The magnesium number is considerably higher (which I think is a good thing..) The only concern I would have is the flash point (where the oil starts to burn) is a bit lower. It might be a reasonable substitute for BMW Synthetic when the BMW oils get to $20/quart again (the TWS can be had at a BMW cage dealer for ~ $8-11/quart depending on if you have a BMW-CCA membership discount.)

[88bmwjeff]

Read the label carefully and never believe the EPA, Big Three, API propaganda that says each API rating supercedes and is as good as all previous ratings because it simply isn't true.

Castrol doesn't put the amount of zinc on the label or on their website. Granted, the oil I use is either SG or SH, I don't remember which.

[cycleman2]

Oh, are you sure?

VW/Audi, Mercedes, and BMW for their cars publish their own oil specifications and they aren't anything as "quaint" as "SJ," etc.

Among USA oil companies, mainly only Mobil 1 sees fit to be tested/approved to these German specifications. In any event, the key is that the "approval" is PRINTED ON THE BOTTLE.

BMW goes its own way a bit in the USA and has local firms formulate and package oil to its specifications--the only exception being that German Castrol 10W-60 is imported for the M-car guys. Generally speaking, BMW's specifications read like "Long Life 01," etc., but we never see that on the motorcycle side.

BMW is closely aligned with Castrol, and it's of some use to peruse European websites to discover which versions of that oil BMW specifies there.

For example: http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/media/...66_low_res.pdf (From http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/servic...-tips/oil.html)

Yes, most of the siliness of "oil threads" is all the talk around various oils that "might work," i.e. trying to adapt (rationalize) various WalMart offerings and the like.

For owners of Euro machinery it's simple: use what the manufacturer recommends. Why anyone would consider anything else is nuts. Remember, it's PRINTED ON THE BOTTLE. And this doesn't mean "SJ" and it doesn't mean "motorcycle" and it doesn't mean "V-twin."

I agree - Use what the manufacture recommends. Like I said we already new that.