Which Castrol Oil ? TWS or Titanium ?

[Clubber]

Its time for my semi-annual oil service and my mechanic just told me that there are now two recommended Castrol oils for our cars.

One is the TWS as we know but with a slightly different name, EDGE Professional TWS.

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/TheSultan2/IMG_0261_zpsjw63mejc.jpg (http://s593.photobucket.com/user/TheSultan2/media/IMG_0261_zpsjw63mejc.jpg.html)

The other is the all new EDGE Titanium FST,

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/TheSultan2/IMG_0260_zpsfsyp6562.jpg (http://s593.photobucket.com/user/TheSultan2/media/IMG_0260_zpsfsyp6562.jpg.html)

As far as I understand, the first one, TWS, is basically our old tws with a new packaging and a very slightly improved formula. Titanium FST however, seems like an all new oil which is now recommended for all M models with added titanium and etc.

So my question is, which one to use ? Should we choose "newer always better" approach and choose the Titanium FST or should we go with "Don't fix it if it isn't broke" way.

Looking forward to your opinions.

P.S. Those boxes have new goodies to go in with the oil too :)

[Neil M]

EDGE Professional TWS 10W-60, 10 year old tech deserves old tech oil. :thumbs:

[J2LTB]

If you didnt already know this - TWS stands for Ten W Sixty

Im sure ive used both types TWS and titanium without any issues. Make sure on the back it says suitable for M series cars.

[JBird]

Do I need to buy 6L or 7L of 10W60 for an oil change? I thought it took 5.5L, so though 6 should be enough - is that right?

Opieoils automatically suggests 7L if I search by car - which seems wrong.

Also, has anyone had any issues with the new Titanium stuff? Seems difficult to get the older one (at least in Germany).

[mattCSLnut]

Do I need to buy 6L or 7L of 10W60 for an oil change? I thought it took 5.5L, so though 6 should be enough - is that right?

Opieoils automatically suggests 7L if I search by car - which seems wrong.

Also, has anyone had any issues with the new Titanium stuff? Seems difficult to get the older one (at least in Germany).

That is correct mate :thumbs:... 6 litres will suffice.
I've always used the recommended Castrol TWS so I've no opinion on the New oil but if I were U I'd stick with the old faithful "Ten W Sixty" Castrol and maybe look for it on German eBay ;)

[JBird]

Cheers Matt

Becoming as rare as hens teeth this stuff.

Castrol don't even list it anymore.

http://oilselector.castrol.com/c/uk/eng/recommendation/2870e8b5456cc76172a3be22253cf56f/BMW/3-Series-E46-(1998-2006)/M3-CSL-(2002-2004)

[select]

My workshop used the Titanium FST because as already mentioned, the old one is not availiable anymore. I don't think it makes that much of an difference.

[Mike R]

I have read that the TWS is a special mix specifically designed for our engines (originally it was a 5w30, but this caused issues with the rod bearings with how people were using the cars), so BMW switched to the specially mixed TWS. Accordingly, I have seen it mentioned not to use any other 10w60 for this reason.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Has any technical bulletin been released to BMW about which Shell oil now to use (I have heard that we should now be using the new BMW Twin Turbo 5w40 oil)?

[alexk]

There are so many changes and I am confused.
So I switched to extra virgin olive oil and the car runs great !

[JBird]

How long have you been using the Titanium stuff?

My workshop used the Titanium FST because as already mentioned, the old one is not availiable anymore. I don't think it makes that much of an difference.

[mattCSLnut]

There are so many changes and I am confused.
So I switched to extra virgin olive oil and the car runs great !

:hahaha: Spanish, Italian or Greek ? ;)

[JBird]

Here is a comparison of the old TWS vs the new FST 10W60. This is just a few screenshots taken from the PDS's for the two oils. The TWS is from the original 2004 datasheet. I could only find in in German, but its self explanatory.

High and low temp viscosity are similar enough. The new oil is marginally less denser. over 5.5L you will save a whopping 60.6g in weight.

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CastrolCompare_zps9vkfyfci.png (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/JBirdCSL/media/CastrolCompare_zps9vkfyfci.png.html)

And here is what the FST marketing dept have to say. Presumably the line about M vehicles and competition has some testing background, before the switch back to shell.

To be honest I am leaning towards FST. The saying of old oils for old motors, maybe true for something seriously vintage, but TWS is itself 20 years old oil technology, the S54 is 10 years old, and FST 10 years newer. The S54 was actually originally developed with 5W40, then afterwards BMW started recommending 10W60 after all the issues.

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/FST2_zps8c09thmt.png (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/JBirdCSL/media/FST2_zps8c09thmt.png.html)

[alexk]

I put the FST 10W-60 1k km ago.
Didn't notice any difference.
Car still makes me smile and goes fast. :thumbs:

@Matt: Greek ;)

[NZ_M3]

A member asked me to post here so I am just going to cut and paste a reply I wrote last year here.

To be honest I think the new shell stuff is probably a better oil. If it's good enough for Ferrari I am sure it is good enough for the M motor.

Here's the reply from a year ago


I believe the two are basically the same product actually.
*
Here's some specs:
*
TWS (for M) : Now known as TWS Edge Professional
*
Relative density @ 20.0 deg C = 0.865
Viscosity at 40 deg C = 163.1
Viscosity at 100 deg C = 24.3
Viscosity Index = 181
Flash Point (closed) deg C = 198
Pour point deg C = -42
TBN = 8.1
*
http://www.tds.castrol.co.nz/pdf/10709_Edge%20Professional%20TWS%2010W-60.pdf
http://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/6FDB8BF64A70767380257B520054A718/$File/BPXE-96ZTLQ.pdf
*
Compare that to the Titanium:
http://www.tds.castrol.co.nz/pdf/10806_EDGE%2010W-60%20SN.pdf
*
Almost exactly the same specification.
*
Now if you really want to get to the bottom of it all, why don't you PM the guy (Doug Hillary is his name) that developed it for Castrol himself directly on this forum below LOL (seems from what he says, it was developed and then branded separately, one for BMW and one for Castrol itself):
*
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2988455

[terraphantm]

The edge professional stuff is not the same as the old tws and isn't the ester-based oil Doug Hillary worked on. That stuff is gone. The new Edge professional is essentially the same as the "Edge Sport" 10w-60 that they used to sell.

[NZ_M3]

The edge professional stuff is not the same as the old tws and isn't the ester-based oil Doug Hillary worked on. That stuff is gone. The new Edge professional is essentially the same as the "Edge Sport" 10w-60 that they used to sell.

The products are all branded slightly differently around the globe.


FYI BMW NZ is still using and supplying Castrol Edge Professional TWS for the early M engines and S54 specifically. So go figure.

[JBird]

I also noticed when looking at the datasheets that the oils themselves are different depending on country. i.e., Oz TWS was different to Europe TWS. Makes sense, as different environments, but I suspect the main reason is simply sourcing the base product locally.