5w-30 or 5w-40 diesel engine oil

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:13 pm

G'day Gents n Ladies,

I ordered some 5w-40 fully synthetic oil for my 3.0 D-Sport.... in error, when the book says it needs 5w-30 synthetic oil....

wondering if it will be ok in an engine with 175,000 miles on it, or do these engines definitely need 5w-30 oil ?

Obviously here in the UK currently it is sodding cold, & the 5w means the oil is thin at low temperatures anyway for cold start running, so will it harm an old engine with lots of slop in it with 40 oil instead of the 30 oil ??

regards to all
Grant B

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 3:39 pm

5w40 is listed on opieoils for the e53 so will be fine

, you would need LLO4 oil for anything with a particulate filter but most e53 wouldn't have one id have thought maybe just the last ones .

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/service-pack ... hicle.aspx

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 3:52 pm

Many thanks Leslie

it is Shell Helix 5w-40, Fully Synthetic, "for Modern Diesel Engines" so it says anyway lol.... so with any luck it will be fine.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:03 pm

0w40 is fine. If it isn’t LL04 then the change interval is reduced to 12 months. LL01 is also out there but I think that’s petrol only. The ‘LL’ part if for extended service intervals and important for DPF equipped cars as it is a low-ash recipe - less so for yours. If it’s also ‘ACEA C3’ spec that’s probably the most useful bit given you have 175k miles on the engine.

X5-D-Sport · Post by **X5-D-Sport** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:22 pm

YAY, i don't need to swap the oil i just bought. that's a relief.

thank you guys

Alan Gunn · Post by **Alan Gunn** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 6:54 am

Used that in my e53 17?k for the last 5 changes now no problems.

skirlgrip · Post by **skirlgrip** » Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:50 pm

Using 0w40 is perfectly suitable for your vehicle. However, if it doesn't adhere to the LL04 specification, it's advisable to reduce the change interval to 12 months. LL01 is another option, primarily designed for petrol engines. The "LL" designation is crucial for extended service intervals and becomes particularly relevant for cars equipped with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) due to its low-ash formulation, although it's less critical for your specific vehicle.

Checking if the oil is also of "ACEA C3" specification is highly beneficial, especially considering your engine has accumulated 175k miles. The ACEA C3 designation ensures that the oil meets stringent requirements, making it well-suited for high-mileage engines like yours.

X5E53Des · Post by **X5E53Des** » Mon Jan 01, 2024 9:45 pm

Hi all. Just a bit of info from my 17 years of E53 3.0D ownership experience. I don't rate the Castrol BMW oil as (in the diesel engine at least) I think it thickens over time. I only use Mobile One correct grade engine oil now which seems far better for maintaining its viscosity. I also don't let the service change go anything like the service indicators allow / suggest and also as I'm only doing about 8K per year now anyway.
Hope that helps! Happy new year all.

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