How trustworthy are the OEM oil temp & coolant gauges?

[heinzboehmer]

That's not correct, the buffer is about the same (if not the same, I can't recall the Non-M), but the operating temp is about 10*c on a M vs Non-M.

Dug around and found some good info. Buffer is 10C on M3s and 40C on non-Ms.

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/ms42-and-coolant-snitch.886775/#post-15455435

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/diy-changing-temperature-gauge-buffer-range-with-pa-soft-1-4.1013600/

[K-Dawg]

I don't understand why people run LM. Pretty sure because marketing.

FCP doesn't carry TWS. I considered Twin Power, but LM was cheaper. 🤷

I guess you could call that marketing. 😀

[Obioban]

FCP doesn't carry TWS. I considered Twin Power, but LM was cheaper. 🤷

I guess you could call that marketing. 😀

Isn’t castrol back to being the supplier for 10w-60? As in, I believe the twin power through Fcp is TWS at this point.

[Tbonem3]

That's the idea. I've yet to find confirmation in a UPC# change or some other evidence we could use to be (more) sure we're getting the latest bottles with BP juice not Shell.

That said, with Advanced auto parts or Amazon's multi-yearly half-off discounts, there's no reason to not use TWS imo.

[Obioban]

Sketchy to buy oil on Amazon— many compelling fakes.

[George Hill]

Sketchy to buy oil on Amazon— many compelling fakes.

100%!

[lvm3sm46]

And again BMW twin power on FCP with free returns makes it "The One" to use. There is no way anyone could justify buying another oil anywhere else.

[Flat-Six]

FWIW, I was at the track last weekend, Southern Ga, 90 degrees, my water temp stayed right around 200, and my oil temp stayed about 1/3 between 210 and second dot all weekend except when I followed a friend to close for a lap then my oil went to the second dot and water temp went 3/4, but once I got fresh air went back to normal. Regardless of what the manual states, I never like to see oil temp above 250 if I am pushing it, but that’s my personal preference.

I am running BMW 10/60, as well as stock cooling system with the o-ring kit mentioned above.

[jet_dogg]

I can't imagine skimping on something as critical as oil to save a few bucks.

[tlow98]

Sketchy to buy oil on Amazon— many compelling fakes.

I’ve bought fake NGKs on Amazon about 2 years ago. The electrodes looked like they had 300k on them when they were at 10k miles. They started misfiring.

The silver lining was they didn’t come apart and grenade my n52. I felt very fortunate for that.

With that being said I’ve always bought my Castrol 0w-40 on Amazon. I didn’t realize fake oil is also a thing now. Ugh. Thanks for the heads up.

[jet_dogg]

Pro tip: don't buy anything from amazon.

[Obioban]

Pro tip: don't buy anything from amazon.

Yeah, I’ve mom since stopped using Amazon… but thats hard to sell people on. Not using it for critical items like engine oil is an easier sell 😜

[Tbonem3]

Ok, don't wanna order from amazon? Here you go:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CAS064

[bigjae46]

The current blue bottles are BP/Castrol.

I ran Mobil 1 0w-40 with an aftermarket oil pressure gauge. Temps were even higher but cooled off a lot quicker. I don't have data but I didn't see any noticeable differences in pressure vs TWS. Probably not worth dropping viscosity that much.

I have a CSF radiator, no heater core, no fan, aluminum expansion tank in the drug bin, OFH diverter valve, OE oil cooler and a secondary oil cooler in front of the radiator. I have zero coolant temp issues. I topped out at 190 when it was 95 degrees out. I usually run ambient + 100 for coolant temps.

Oil temps are another story. I am at 317whp, nothing spectacular. I run ambient +180-190. If its 70 degrees out then I'm at 250-260. If I tried hard enough, like drop into 2nd gear, I would certainly be closing in on 300. This is with the BMW 10w-60. My buddy uses Ravenoil and has better oil temps than me.

Here's a video from May 15 from Angleton, TX - 89 degrees and sunny.

[FBloggs]

Ok, don't wanna order from amazon? Here you go:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CAS064

Did that.
NAPA flaked out of the deal and said they would refund my card...