I went to buy Royal Purple for my first oil change and found it has an API rating of 'SL'. The MINI manual states the oil should be 'SM'. Yet there are a host of people posting that they use and love Royal Purple. I'm concerned about warranty.

Can anyone help shed some light on the implications of going with SL instead of SM?

R

 

go with anything that is both ACEA A3/B3 and BMW LL-01, and you'll be fine.

 

Royal Purple 5w40 is SM I believe. That is what I recently switched to, and I love it.

 

Correct. Here is the page that gives API grades of their oils.
The 5W30 is SL.

http://www.royalpurple.com/motor-oil-pp.html

 

Thank you very much. The store I visited had the 5W30 SL. There was no 5W40 on the shelf. I'll find out where I can get it and go with that.

Thanks again, all.

R

 

For the Clubman, MINI recommends their own brand oil, and two grades of Mobil1, 5w30 and 5w40. There are many, many posts on the forums debating the "best" oil, and all sorts of Euro and U.S. specs and standards, but I'll stick with an oil brand and viscosity specifically recommended by the manufacturer.

 

I think the basic difference between 'SL' and 'SM' is that SM no longer has zinc in it. The zinc is very, very good for protecting bearings under load but why it was removed, I have no idea.
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I have seen folks talk about the A3/B3 rating and the BMW LL-rating, but my owner's manual only specifies weight and SM. And I'm intrigued by the Royal Purple advertising and NAM member testimonials, so if their 5W40 is rated SM, I think I'll try it.

 

Zinc is bad for catalytic converters, so the API has been gradually lowering the allowable zinc levels over the years.

That being said, the zinc is only there as an "extreme pressure" additive, to act as a last line of defense if the oil film has gotten so thin that you're having metal-to-metal contact in the bearing surfaces and other interfaces in the engine. If you change your oil before it's broken down too badly, the lowered levels of zinc shouldn't make any difference in the long-term health of your engine.

 

Thanks for the geat info, Scott. Makes me feel more comfortable with the "M" rated oils. I change mine at 5-6k miles, so oil break down has never been a worry.
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Can you believe I'm having to order Royal Purple 5W40? It appears that no one but me in Northern Alabama wants it.

 

IMHO, I would stick with a Major Brand Motor Oil IE: Mobil 1. And since it is recommended by Mini if you have warranty issues you are safe Bill

 

I can believe it. I am in Chattanooga and while the cost of living is low here the access to some products is also low. At least the internet has made that less of a problem.

 

Well, since RP meets the owners' manual specs, why would I expect a problem unless the label is Xeroxed and pasted on with Elmer's?

R

 

rrcanaglia - I agree. MINI specifies any fully synthetic 5w30 or 5w40 motor oil rated "SM". If Royal Purple meets those specifications, and you like the brand, you certainly wouldn't have any "warranty" issues. Specific brands of oil are recommended, not required. Besides, "Royal Purple" sounds much more exotic than "Mobil1" or "Castrol".

 

Ever notice that exotic sounds like it ought to be the opposite of erotic, but the two seem to go together? I like exotic stuff, like the MINI.

 

I'm rollin' RP 5/30 in the Clubman. I run that in all my vehicles.