Changes to Modern Car Engines. Motor Oils Standard

This is going to be clear as “mud”. I have been a licensed automotive mechanic since 1976 and still at it and the changes to engines and motor oils is incredible. This could get very long indeed, let’s say there are 2 major standards API and ACEA, the former is the American the later is the European lubricant standards. The Europeans started to create their own standards mainly driven by their car manufacturers as they found the API standards were not to their liking.

Please take a look at them by clicking on the links down below. (Your browser will open and load the page content in a new tab. To return to this page you should close that tab).

Fuchs Synthetic Motor Oil

Motor Oil Specifications

https://www.api.org/products-and-services/engine-oil/eolcs-categories-and- classifications/oil-categories

https://www.acea.be/uploads/news_documents/ACEA_European_oil_sequences_2016.pdf

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.71_en.html
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/d/d/en/Spec_223_2.pdf
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/bevo-sheets-sort1.html

https://360.lubrizol.com/Specifications/BMW/BMW-Longlife-17-FE
https://360.lubrizol.com/Specifications/BMW/BMW-Longlife-12-FE
https://360.lubrizol.com/Specifications/BMW/BMW-Longlife-04
https://360.lubrizol.com/Specifications/BMW/BMW-Longlife-01

https://products.liqui-moly.com/top-tec-6200-0w-20-7.html

If money is no object and you want the best keeping the oil specification grade in mind by the respective manufacturers than this is the best money can buy , group 5 ester based synthetic motor oils. Not recommended for diesels with DPF filter equipped vehicles! Take a look at it at here.

I have a small car repair facility in Mississauga, Ontario where we work on 3 brands: BMW, Mercedes and Porsche cars. There is a great push for efficiency from the manufacturers side especially since they pay penalty to the EPA, so they will try any trick in the book to reduce the internal friction and the pumping losses within the ICE as much as possibly can.

BMW

We have variable oil pump on say BMW since 2006 , every part, oil notwithstanding has been crucified to the finest details, hence we have 0-20 W oil for awhile now to reduce pumping losses. There used to be an intensive push from the regulatory side (EPA) to reduce fuel consumption which Europe used to trail behind,  not anymore.

Europe wanted to get more aggressive on regulating emission and fuel consumption ultimately driving forward to electrification.

Most manufacturers have their own “secret” recipe for their own proprietary motor oils which gets more and more complicated by the day.

For instance BMW has LL01 (older cars) then LL04 which is low SAPS which succeeds LL01 and were intended for diesels with DPF in mind but it is not recommended in NA for gas engines due to our Sulphur content in our gasoline per say. Then later we had an LL14+ and even later the LL17+.

Mercedes

Mercedes has 229.31, 229.51, 229.61, 229.71 (Diesel low SAPS) then 229.3,  229.5, 229.52, 229.6, 229.72. Does it look complicated enough?

This whole thing is in my opinion is completely out of hand and everyone will try to toot their own horn to their liking and you as the consumer it’s your responsibility to know what belongs in your lovely high tech state of the art engine.

For instance you get the oil level warning, with this little jewels and you need to top up your oil, most of them will have no dipstick to discourage you to put anything wrong in there. So good luck to you to find the appropriate lubricant at your gas station or department store lately.

Having put the wrong oil for instance 229.5 (the most common) oil into a DPF equipped diesel engine (229.51) will ruin the DPF by contaminating it with zinc which will render it defective and will void the warranty on your emission system in a hurry.

This whole silly stuff is all out on the window in my opinion in particularly in NA as people thumb their nose up on light efficient cars. Instead they want monster SUV  trucks or massive pick up trucks with gigantic gas guzzling engines. There is this huge tug of war between governments, car  manufacturers and the public.

The governments want electric cars, the public wants 800+ horsepower trucks, the car manufacturers are on the hook for making gas guzzlers.

We are also caught in between to provide the appropriate slur(oil) for the application,  you get the picture.

My only question is: Where is the common sense in all of this may I ask?

The problem with all this high tech stuff is, the general public has no idea as we often find wrong oils and filters has been installed elsewhere, in a lot of places they are not aware of this fancy specifications.

I hope this helps.  All the best, cheers.

Any questions, how may we help? Call us for more details: 905.795.0419

Related:

European import cars motor oil specifications.

What could be done wrong possibly with a simple oil change

Techmax on Facebook
Visit us on Facebook

Fall Vehicle Maintenance

The fall is upon us again, this is the time to have your car checked and inspected to prevent any issues in cold weather.

We Use Liqui Moly & Fuchs Motor Oils

We recommend a comprehensive physical check up, perhaps paired with an oil change, naturally with approved proper synthetic motor oil and German oil filter to ensure longevity. We use Liqui Moly and Fuchs motor oils with manufacturers approved ratings, which is essential to keep your warranty intact. We document the appropriate approval numbers on the invoice for future reference.

Fuchs Synthetic Motor Oils for BMMW and Mercedes BenzFuchs Synthetic Motor Oil for Your Fine BMW – Mercedes – Porsche

In case we find something notable at the time of the inspection, like excessive wear or fluid leak, we will bring it to your attention and for easy reference we will take a picture or visually will show you on your vehicle if you’re present the issue at hand.

We will provide detailed description and choices to make an informed decision. Proper description and recommendations prioritizing the issues at hand and the order which they should be corrected, you always have a choice.

BMW & Mercedes Benz Proper Maintenance

Proper preventative maintenance is essential to reliable vehicle operation and ensures years of affordable motoring without major break downs. Tires are the only contact between you, your automobile and the road, so tread carefully, worn tires will overwhelm your vehicles sophisticated traction and it’s stability control system.

Liqui Moly Lubricants for European Import CarsLiqui Moly lubricants & Additives

Worn Tires & Canadian Winter

Worn tires will wear your brakes out prematurely as well, since they are the first choice for said stability control system to stabilize the vehicle in poor driving conditions. Also you should not drive winter time if your car’s tires are worn.

Any questions how may we help? Contact us via on-line contact form or give as a call to 905.795.0419.

Related:

Noelle Performance Partnered with Liqui Moly

BMW & Mercedes Benz Preventative Maintenance

Liqui Moly Developed and produced in Germany for your car. Tested on the racing circuits, proven daily on the road.

Engine oil essentials.

Brake sets for German Import Cars.

Techmax European Import Car Repair Shop in Mississaug on Social Media.

Techmax on LinkedIn

 

Facebook

Instagram

Crankshaft bearing issues with the BMW M3 – S65 engines

The dreaded crankshaft bearing issues with the BMW M3 – S65 engines. Let’s get the facts straight, the actual failure rate is extremely low considering the volume of cars built over the five years, approximately twenty six thousand  (2008 to 2013 ) for the general public.

This particular engine has been built as a high revving normally aspirated high output performance engine pre-dominantly designed to compete with Porsche in the various road races over the years.

The first examples were squeezed into the E46 chassis. E46 chassis where they became legendary in Europe and North America. Worth to note, the same engine has been the sole M BMW Motorsport of choice in all the factory supported M race cars the M3 and the MZ 4 from 2005 until  2015 which speaks volumes about this particular engines durably. Its safe to say the engine is well built to perform. It preforms very well under racing conditions, and performs just as well under daily driving over the life of the engine perhaps.

However, there are a few things to remember, if you own one of this cars for instance the bearing load on the connecting rod will increase 25 fold from six thousand rpm to eight thousand five hundred rpm.

Liqui MolyLiqui Moly Lubricants

Because of the high revving nature of the engine we recommend to switch from the factory recommend TSW Castrol motor oil to the more robust build Liqui Moly 10-60 motor oil. Furthermore we also recommend to shortening  the oil change intervals to maximum ten thousand kilometres at most.

Also we ad (despite that BMW not endorsing any additives at least not on paper) a Liqui Moly MOS/2 (molybdenum disulfide, graphite) additive which gets embedded in the bearings at each or at least every second oil change.

If you have oversized calipers and use your S65 equipped M3 for competition purposes you should convert your lubrication to a dry sump system, regardless of cost. The factory set up not designed with extreme G forces in mind period.

We have serviced many of this cars with this maintenance method, and never had a bearing failure even at spiritedly driven M3 cars at near two hundred thousand kilometres. Draw your own conclusions.

liqui moly adictive We wish you all the best and happy motoring from Techmax.

 

Related:

Liqui Moly Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubricants & Additives

More information on Liqui Moly lubricants.

Liqui Moly Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubricants & Additives

Liqui Moly

The success of a motor oil measured in more than just sold litres and gallons figures, it also includes many different values.

We at Techmax Auto Repair. Inc. only use two German made motor oils. One of them for over 19 years is Liqui Moly fully synthetic motor oils. We also use their proven additives for gas and or diesel engines, which needs no further proof than many of our clients cars passed the three hundred thousand kilometres, some exceeded the half a million in our continued care.

Multiple leading German automotive magazines independently have asked their nearly six million readers to rate the best brand of motor oil in Germany. The magazines were Auto motor und Sport, Auto Zeitung, Auto Bild and Motor Klassik as well they all choose LIQUI MOLY.

This has been Liqui Moly’s victory march for many many years, readers and enthusiast did not choose them by accident, they choose LIQUI MOLY motor oils for their quality. Worth to note they are also have the factory approvals of all the German auto manufacturers as well.

I said quality at above,  many readers who voted for LIQUI MOLY stated, they made their a decision, based on stability, predictability, price and service.

best oil brandThe Auto Motor und Sport and Auto Zeitung readers celebrated their sixth victory for LIQUI MOLY over the years. LIQUI MOLY has been chosen over established names like Castrol, Mobil oil and Shell which is speaks volumes by itself.

The results in Motor Klassik and Auto Bild show an almost identical picture. Here Liquid Moly lubricants was voted to the top position for the fifth time in succession.

The companies reaction was : “Our products’ quality is unequalled by others and the motto Made in Germany is a quality assurance to our clients from LIQUI MOLY as a recognized brand around the globe which chosen 1st place even in our home land, Germany.”

We carry and use a wide selection of motor oils, lubricants and additives from Liqui Moly, in fact we use them every day. Read more about Liqui Moly or give us a call to
(1) 905.795.0419 if you have any related question.

Liqui Moly Volkswagen race carLiqui Moly Race Team Engstler’s Davit Kajaia definitely made an impact on his maiden appearance in the TCR International Series in April 2016. His performance at the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf Gti TCR at the Bahrain International Circuit was so impressive that he was named by the TCR panel of jurors as one of the two candidates for the first Fan Award of the season.