BMW guys mix it up all the time, I spent a decade on those forum and have had 8 of them.

 

I'll stick with 10w-60 as manuf. recommends.

THe manual does state 5w-50 is acceptable however

 

Again, 007, the manual strictly states: "No other viscosity grades or specifications are acceptable". So why would you question the choice to stick with what's recommended or suggest for others to use something else because 10W-60 is too heavy?

 

Where did you pull this from? Everything I've seen in print states Castrol TWS (apparently now called Edge Professional). I've never seen any documentation saying Edge Sport, so I'm wondering where that came from!

 

The manual does actually say you can use 5w-50, see above post.

 

Yes, Chris, I was referring to using something much lighter than 5w50 or or 10w60.

 

sorry,my bad.

 

I just called AM of Palm Beach Fl. AM rep has been telling them to put in Castrol Edge 5W-50 for the V8V. pn 06205. Supposedly that has been the spec for at least this region for 3 years.

 

Its now just called Castrol Edge. Available on Amazon Prime. $43.96 for 6qts ... AM dealer here was very kind by giving me the PN and saying I could get it anywhere.





With that said... I suppose in other climates I'd call your closest AM dealer and see what headquarters is telling them to do 'currently'.

I just called AM Orlando FL... The master tech said they are using 5W-50 Mobil 1.


And 2cts on quoting a manual that could now be 9 years old... I suppose there have been advancements.. (plus a lighter oil, providing it lubricates sufficiently, is less internal resistance and stress on engine parts...) I am sticking with AM's 'latest' advice for my 2006.

The only thing that bothers me is how much $$$ I am saving on the latest recommendation. ;-)

 

Thanks for the link. I bought my car from Long Island in NY, they just did the annual and used 10w 60. But with the car coming south now perhaps at next service I should opt for 5w, as both are listed in the manual.

 

I have to laugh at this one! Really, you think a "master tech" knows anything about oil testing, quality and if its a match with the manufacturer design??? that's near as insane as you can get. sure, he can change out a clutch, rebuild an engine, but is NO WHERE near qualified to make that call! trust me.... years of racing and experiementing with oils, has shown that there is a HUGE difference in different weight and brands of oil. for example. (now that you mention it) we used Mobil 1 in the (B) race car , and found that at high temps, the oil would fall flat on its face!!!! NO OIL PRESSURE at 260 F at the track. (oil warning light came on around turns and at lower RPM) and weak at best at normal operating conditions. people were spinning bearings with this oil in the engine we were running. sure, it might be fine in other engines, and at the track too, but it was a clear example that the mobil 1 has no where near the viscosity stability at high temps as other premium synthetics of the same weight.


I don't even think that the 5w50 meets the basic specifications in the manual for the oil to be used. this is cheap synthetic. is it really worth the chance to save 5 bucks a month on your $100k AMv8


the suggestion in the manual of the 50 weight was as an alternative. like using water vs distilled for the radiator. both will work, but distilled is much better. you have a race car inspired engine, with certain requirements , especially if you take it to the track. I would not vary from the 60 weight recommended by the design team of AM. if 50 was good, then the manual would change.............. and it hasn't. again, it really has NO bearing on where you live. the engine has thermostats to keep the temps the SAME regardless of Antarctica vs mexico. cold start can be an issue, and that's where the 5 weight can be better in super cold climates. (they sacrifice the operating temp weight for this benefit because there is no 5-60 weight available. too large of a spread, and there are certain disadvantages in stability to the mixture when the spread is large. that is another discussion all together)
your guessing on a ligher oil giving "less stress". its actually more, if its too light. plus, you endanger bearing surfaces if they don't get the oil pressure they need to provide the proper flow patterns. again, mobil 1 has no where near the zinc and other elements needed to protect the AM V8 engine, especially under high stress conditions (track day, etc). so, why take a chance with an oil that is known for turning to "water" when under stress? Because some "master tech" in florida says so? is he really qualified to make the call? Are you really going to trust him?

 

Wow! step away from the caffeine guy. He said in his post the master tech at the AM dealer he called says they use 5w/50 at that dealership. Apparently this on recommendation by the AM Rep.

It's not like the guy at pep boys told him what to use.
Chris

 

FYI: this particular Master Tech he is referring to just so happens to be the number one rated Aston Martin tech in North America. He may not be an oil specialist, but when it comes to Astons, he knows his stuff better than anyone else. So, yes, I would definitely trust him. Just thought you should know before you try to ridicule him and his knowledge.

 

well, if the are putting Mobil 1 in the AMV8s, I would not trust his judgment there. I would have to know more about him and his sources of information, but yes, when it comes to oil recommendations, the manufacturer is pretty much all I will listen to.

Well, that's one dealer I wouldn't go to for an oil change, unless I had something in writing from AM, not just saying it was "ok" to use the oil, but if it was recommended as well. Also, unfortunately, this is a business, and you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes with the manufacturer and the oil companies. The master tech is NOT an oil specialist, but im sure he is a very smart individual.


Porsche is a great example of this . Mobil 1 is the recommended oil, but is it the best for the Porsche? certainly not. But, the engine is so well made and designed that it probably could run on Wesson oil and survive, so its not a big deal. Other engines, the oil is much more critical, expecially in high performance demand applications.

 

Considering that it is Aston that would have to honor the warranty work if there was a problem with using Mobil 1, I suspect that this substitution has been sanctioned by the factory.