23i Oil Recommendations

[Bodben]

Hi All,
Quick question, just done my first 10,000 miles in the 23i (and 10,000 since a major service) so I want to do an oil change.

Is there any in particular that is favoured? ECP says Castrol 0W30.

Thanks!

 

[Silverstar]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

 

[Bodben]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

Thank you Silverstar, handy info right there! Am I correct that the 23/30i hold 7 Litres?

Cheers!

 

[flybobbie]

Last 5 oil changes i have used Mobil 1 every 10k miles, no problems. But i do change the filter every 5k.

 

[Smartbear]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

Thank you Silverstar, handy info right there! Am I correct that the 23/30i hold 7 Litres?

Cheers!

6.5litres i think
Rob

 

[Silverstar]

Yep 6.5 Litres

 

[Z4Sparky]

I use Quantum Platinum 5w40 in mine.

I went through a similar dilemma of trying to figure out which oil and there doesn't seem to be a 100% correct answer, bust as Silverstar says, if it meets the LL-04 specs you can't really go wrong.

 

[srhutch]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

I thought engine flushing was to be avoided these days.

 

[mcbutler]

Castrol Edge Titanium fully synthetic as recommended by the people who design and test the engine i.e. BMW.....
Buy from OPIE OILS online, after your first purchase you will get a 15% off voucher regularly via email.
They do service packs also.
before you buy get a price from your local indy to do the work and supply oi/filterl, it actually turned out cheaper than buying the oil retail and doing it myself for me!!!

 

[mcbutler]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

I thought engine flushing was to be avoided these days.

Flushing keeps your lifters clean, helps avoid the dreaded N52 rattle.......

 

[Silverstar]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

I thought engine flushing was to be avoided these days.

Both of my trusted mechanics in the UK and in Spain don't have a bad word to say about flushing the engine. You just add it few minutes before the oil change and then it all drains out with the old oil clearing any gunk in the engine with it, helping to keep the engine clean.

 

[Silverstar]

Flushing keeps your lifters clean, helps avoid the dreaded N52 rattle.......

I thought the N52 lifter rattle only applied to the older engines built before 2007 I think. The ones after were supposed to be rectified and not suffer from this problem?

 

[Z4Sparky]

Check this post out.

Lower down on the first page it has a link to another site that discusses oil viscosities.

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=116857&sid=e02a4ff99f1b14112d0554a9a14eccd0

 

[srhutch]

When I serviced my 2009 30i with 33,000 miles on the clock I used Castrol Magnatec 5W-30 C3. I was told as long as its fully synthetic and meets the BMW LL-04 (long life) then it will be fine. I also flushed the engine with Forte engine flush.

I thought engine flushing was to be avoided these days.

Flushing keeps your lifters clean, helps avoid the dreaded N52 rattle.......

BMW say not to flush or use any additives. If anything flushing could make the hva issue worse as cleaner components more likely to allow oil to drain back down.

 

[mcbutler]

Flushing keeps your lifters clean, helps avoid the dreaded N52 rattle.......

I thought the N52 lifter rattle only applied to the older engines built before 2007 I think. The ones after were supposed to be rectified and not suffer from this problem?

Nope, my last Z4, a 23i was a 2009 car and it had it really bad. Luckily my Warranty Direct policy paid for it, around £1500 for 24 new lifters and labour. I have been told that lifters have been updated but I don't know that for a fact. You can youtube it, pages and pages of it to look at.

 

[mcbutler]

I thought engine flushing was to be avoided these days.

Flushing keeps your lifters clean, helps avoid the dreaded N52 rattle.......

BMW say not to flush or use any additives. If anything flushing could make the hva issue worse as cleaner components more likely to allow oil to drain back down.

That makes no sense to me, they are in effect saying that a brand new engine is more likely to have it than a gunked up old one! also a blocked lifter will cause the problem. So, if your engine is clean with no rattle and you flush it then it just stays clean and nothing changes.
Just my thoughts....

 

[Silverstar]

BMW say not to flush or use any additives. If anything flushing could make the hva issue worse as cleaner components more likely to allow oil to drain back down.

BMW also say that the auto gearbox oil is for life and not to change it and that their car's don't need servicing for 20,000 miles or two years but we all know that isn't true.

 

[Silverstar]

Nope, my last Z4, a 23i was a 2009 car and it had it really bad. Luckily my Warranty Direct policy paid for it, around £1500 for 24 new lifters and labour. I have been told that lifters have been updated but I don't know that for a fact. You can youtube it, pages and pages of it to look at.

I found this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N52

It states a modified head and lifters were fitted after end of 2008. Reading the other reports on the web it seems the lifters were indeed modified and seems to have stopped the problem. It would be interesting to see how many engines suffered this problem in the later build years (2009 onwards). Years ago a lifter in my E30 325i broke, gave me the opportunity to upgrade the top end with a full on Hartge conversion with Hartge high lift camshaft etc, I wonder if such tuning parts are available for this engine.

 

[Bodben]

Castrol Edge Titanium fully synthetic as recommended by the people who design and test the engine i.e. BMW.....
Buy from OPIE OILS online, after your first purchase you will get a 15% off voucher regularly via email.
They do service packs also.

Legend!

This turned out to be the cheapest option by some margin! Oil and filter service pack is on the way!

 

[mcbutler]

Castrol Edge Titanium fully synthetic as recommended by the people who design and test the engine i.e. BMW.....
Buy from OPIE OILS online, after your first purchase you will get a 15% off voucher regularly via email.
They do service packs also.

Legend!

This turned out to be the cheapest option by some margin! Oil and filter service pack is on the way!

Happy to help Bod, now keep an eye on your email for 15% discounts on what you have ordered. Then stock up in advance.
Good advice as our beloved £ falls through the floor against the US $ (go brexit!) and all oil related products soar in price!