Oil preference - synthetic or dino?

[islandmon]

This has got to be an offshoot of the most discussed topic on the internet.

I can't say definitely of anything when it comes to what is what.

I believe in 3000 mile oil changes though using Mobil 1 and factory filters...unless it is a BMW engine that requires Castrol TWS ($14 a liter!) and 9 of those on each change...then I increase it to 5000 miles (twice as much oil than many engines I figure).

I ran 5W-30 Mobil 1 in the Corvette since day one...that engine had 55K on it when I sold it...old style LT4 with 300 degree oil temp max on road course. No problems at 7200 rpm. I always did require 150 oil temp before getting on it.

Our Subaru is similar...5W-30 M1 since day one (ok at the 1200 mile mark from the factory fill up)...now 147,000 miles. Again stress 180 degree oil temps before the fun begins. 3000 mile oil changes.

BMW has had many oil related failures (spun bearings) on M3/M5 engines. Friend lost his M3 (last generation of the 8000 rpm straight 6) just cruising down the road (never autocrossed, never tracked) using BMW factory 15,000 mile intervals. I don't agree with that...oil wears out.

I had a XL500R that uses the oil for both engine and trans and it started to get real notchy shifting after 2000 miles. Oil change made it buttery smooth. That was worth the change for the 2.5 quarts it took-what else gets notchy in an engine.

Loren commented zinc helps old style engines...I think he meant roller lifter rather than rocker-lifter is the concern. I didn't believe it until I pulled a flat tappet out of my Nova and it had concaving lifters (not yet destroyed). I then switched to the Rotella diesel oil. I'm now canning that and moving to a roller cam (more power too!).

My 2 cents, oil is cheap...engines are not if it ever comes to that. Make sure it isn't low and it has heat in it before the green flag-I'm sure you can run whatever you want for brand and be ok. I like convenience and nothing more convenient than M1 at Walmart for $24.

I agree with Tim. This topic is more widely debated than women types, Ginger or MaryAnn, etc. So I ended up using 6 qts of Mobil 1 10w30 plus 11 oz of Rislone's new Zinc ZDDP additive plus 5oz of Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stablilizer with a new K&N filer.

NOW I've got to figure out the best fuel ... been running the 110 octane non-enthanol race fuel (best smelling gasoline around - smells like the old days!). It was interesting how much this fuel smell was in the oil we took out of the motor last night. Rob estimated the compression ratio to be 13:5 to 1 and recommended at least 103 or 104 octane. Anyone know where I can find 103 or 104 non-enthanol gas?

I have researched the race-gas concentrate but it's actually more expensive than buying the race fuel out of the pump locally. VP and other race fuels are twice the price as well.

[twistedwankel]

The big motor guys out here always just went to the local Airport. I assume Homeland Security still lets them in?


All this talk about oil changes made me decide to get it changed in two cars AND go get a flu shot.

[jbrannon7]

When I first got my BMW M Roadster I had heard about oil issues so I sent some samples off to Blackstone labs to be analyzed. Here are the results.

I now change my oil once a year which is still less than 5000 miles. I am going to send another sample next change to see if the engine is still wearing well.


Castrol Syntec 5/50 4401 miles

JOSEPH: Universal averages show typical wear metals for oil from this type engine after 4800 miles run on the oil.
Your oil was in use 4401 miles, and we found all wear at around average levels and in the correct balance to show
normal mechanical parts inside. Air and oil filtration (see silicon and insolubles) appear normal. This was 15W/40
diesel-use engine oil with just a trace of gas in it but no moisture or anti-freeze. The oil's viscosity was mildly lower than
normal but it didn't hurt anything. Nice wearing BMW! Check back to establish engine wear trends.

Castrol Syntec 5/50 3477 miles

JOSEPH: Thanks for the note about the autocross runs that were put on this oil. Had you not told us we would have
never guessed. At 46,045 miles your 3.2L is wearing like a champ! Even with the racing, all wear reads at or below
universal averages and in the proper balance. We see no signs of this engine slowing down and as nicely as your
engine wears you could have easily run this oil longer. We found a trace of fuel, which likely contributed to the slightly
low viscosity, but neither the fuel nor the viscosity is a problem. No other contaminants found. Nice engine!

Castrol Syntec 5/50 3838 miles

JOSEPH: You ran this oil a little longer than the last, and this engine looks better than ever. This type of BMW tends
to wear well anyway (see the low universal averages), but yours looks better than most. The low viscosity is going to be
a fact of life, and there's probably not much you can do about it. Some engines are like that. It's not hurting anything.
No fuel or moisture found, nor was antifreeze present in this sample. If you wanted to run your oil longer you could,
though we can understand why you wouldn't want to mess with the excellent routine you've got now.

Joe

[Tim_M]

jbrannon7: How many miles does your BMW engine have on it?

The oil folks sure have a positive attitude?

[jbrannon7]

jbrannon7: How many miles does your BMW engine have on it?

The oil folks sure have a positive attitude?

I think I have about 65k on it.

Joe

[garage west]

Mary Ann. $.02 Ginger was prettier, but pigtails and hotpants win it. Sorry ladies.

[Jeremy]

I am coming up on 1 year / 8000 miles on my Castrol Syntec. I am a bad car owner.

[twistedwankel]

I am coming up on 1 year / 8000 miles on my Castrol Syntec. I am a bad car owner.

Even the lowly new Camaro has an onboard oil analyzer to tell you when it's time to change the oil and the Dealers won't do it before the message appears. Or so the salesman told me last year. Would rather surprise me if all cars aren't this way with the cheap electronics of today. Stability controls, ABS are mandatory now too, right?

Yes Jeremy, you have a "bad" car and you are it's owner:)

[Loren]

New cars aren't "analyzing" oil. They're just monitoring how the engine has been used and basing the change interval on those inputs. I know BMW, for instance, includes the amount of fuel that has been burned in their calculation. With modern computers, they can also count total engine revolutions, number of cold starts, and whatever else they care to include in their guestimation as to when to change the oil.

My opinion is still that any modern street car using good synthetic oil of the proper weight should be perfectly safe to run at least 10-12k miles between oil changes. On dino oil, 5-6k or more.

[Tim_M]

Come on Loren...I don't know if you keep a car that long! You always show up in something different.

How much does one of those oil analysis cost?

[Boozshey]

Anyone know where I can find 103 or 104 non-enthanol gas?

Have you tried Race Gas on the North East corner of Park and 49th?

[jbrannon7]

How much does one of those oil analysis cost?

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

[islandmon]

Anyone know where I can find 103 or 104 non-enthanol gas?

Have you tried Race Gas on the North East corner of Park and 49th?

Yes - that's where I buy the 110 Octane Sunoco.

[Boozshey]

Anyone know where I can find 103 or 104 non-enthanol gas?

Have you tried Race Gas on the North East corner of Park and 49th?

Yes - that's where I buy the 110 Octane Sunoco.

What about McMullen Oil on the North East corner of 49th and 118th?

Website says they have 103.

11965 49th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33762
(727) 470-6139