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M2 Technical Topics > Mechanical Maintenance: Break-in | Oil & Fluids | Servicing | TSB | Recalls > Oil for Cold Temps

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      12-23-2019, 10:13 AM   #1
Insane_Dawe
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Oil for Cold Temps

Does anyone use different oils in the winters?

I live in Chicago and it's not uncommon to see 0°F or bellow and I would normally run Motul/Liqi Moly 5w40 but given the coming wither should I give Castrol 0W30 or Penzoil 0W40 a try?
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      12-23-2019, 10:59 AM   #2
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5W is good for -35C (-22F), and 0W is good for -40C (-40F). Your 5W-40 is good enough for the kind of weather you are having, so there is no need to change the oil just for cold temperature protection. With that being said, if you car already needs an oil change, you can try some 0W oil, but it is not necessary.
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      12-23-2019, 12:15 PM   #3
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Maybe I'm getting into the weeds a bit to much. Yes 5w40 is able to work down to -30° but I started looking into more details

The stuff I was planning on using, Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40 looks like a great oil but viscosity at 40°C us is 86.2 & it's pour point is -36°C. From what I've seen, a lot of 0W-30 oils like the recommended BMW LL-01 FE 0W-30 are 70 vis & -50ish pour point.

I've been searching around and found Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 5W-30 that is rated LL-01 FE with a viscosity of 70 & Pour of -42 °C while still retaining a relatively high viscosity at 100°C of 12.2 vs the Motul 14.2 or roughly 12 of the BMW stuff. I think this is what I'm going to go with since it seems to split the difference.
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      12-23-2019, 08:17 PM   #4
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I don't understand how 10F of outside temp changes anything inside the motor. When cold, OK. When the engine is up to temp, no.
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      12-26-2019, 09:37 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5.M0NSTER View Post
I don't understand how 10F of outside temp changes anything inside the motor. When cold, OK. When the engine is up to temp, no.
Some days when I just do my usual Gym + Grocery Store routine my engine only gets to 160-170 F when I pull back into the garage. Granted that's the temp of the oil in the pan.

After a long think about it, 0W/5W-30 for winter for the lower viscosity@40C/Pour Point and a 40 weight for the summer/track.
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