[Musashi]

i found out three weeks ago that it is NOT approved nor certified by BMW. This was the result of communication with Liqui Molly DEU and North America after a 20,000 kms experiment with two Molygen batches, and a broader 80,000 km trial of several oils in my cars, and the occasional BMW lower shipped with DEU factory oil.

Molygen is piss poor for a BMW. Safe, yes, but a performance edge killer, sedating the top 10-15% of any inline six. You may get to the eventual Pmax output, but how you get there, the engine's torque along the RPM band per gear, is a different story. My mechanic, a V12 BMW rebuilder, also cautioned me that North American oils and most variation are different than the EU versions. An oil may be Made in germany but with NA additives, thus altering its properties ever so slightly. "If you can tell, you will find the DEU version far smoother" he told me...

In the two Molygen batches I ran, the engine felt sedated when cold, and iffyiish when warmed up. A BMW but somehwta, 10-15% hesitant at the very top of the power band per gear? And esp when 5C, 0C -10C cold really sedated and slightly hesitant, fighting internal resistance. It was ok when warmed, but it felt leagues below when new, and less than in 2017 when i ran Liqui Molly Showing Leichtlauf.

Dec 2020, I had my Molygen observations memorized, Blackstone results to confirm no issues, and switched to DEU Fuchs. It was like getting a new engine, a refined smoothness, feather like pedal responsiveness that I had only felt with DEU stock oil (2014), Leightlauff in 2017, and now, Dec 2020. Although 111,000 kms, my car responded as I knew it at its best. Each gear change smoother. Cold, all the way to -20C, smooth! No hesitancy, no resistance, no pressure. Turbos? Whiirrrr responsive.

WHY? Why two different Molygen batches provided such inferior experience? "not BMW Approved" was the answer... After Google Translated email to Germany, got some very nice replies in English and North American Rep call (under pressing direction from DEU), I was clearly told what I mentioned in the first sentence. At best, Molygen is used as an emergency alternative IF no actual approved oil is on hand.. I was also told that it works well with specific Japanese and US cars, names with known lesser engine tolerances. I was also told that Fuchs is indeed a close match for Leightlauff , as is Motul.

Yes, your car engine will be safe, but under-performing with Molygen. Switch to Fuchs or Motul or Leightlauff and you will forget that Castrol or Shell or Molygen exists.

no, not all LL-01s are created equal. Whatever they add or do to oils for the North American markets, most variations, even if NA 'Recommended' or 'Approved', do not perform as the versions that your engine was designed and tested for at the Ring.

Enclosed a sample Approval letter. Molygen has no such thing.