Synthetic oil is wrong for the e-34???

[Russell]

The following is an exchange that Performing Imports and I had over the past two days regarding Synthetic oil in the e34. They do not recommend it as the car was "not designed" for it. Apparently there is some concern about "Vanos rattle". I found the response interesting

Looking for reaction from other people. TIA

Russell Casey wrote 112104
I saw on one of the BMW Bulletin boards, perhaps Bimmerboard, that your company or technician does not recommend synthetic oil in a 95 525i. I bought the car at 72,000 miles-now 102,000. I did use Mobil 1 -20w50. Now I use Mobil 1 0w40 and have done so for about 15, 000 miles. I have changed the oil/filter about 3 times now after starting to use 0w40. By the way, the 0w40 stopped a slight rattle when the engine first started on a cold day.

I am worried now? Should I be?

--------------
His response 11/22/04

Russell
That engine was never intended for synthetic oils, and we do not recommend them. But, if you are happy with the results you are getting - keep using the oil you like. It won't hurt the engine. If your Vanos unit starts to rattle you will need to switch back to 20/50.

Performing Imports

[632 Regal]

dudes smoking crack.

You have no worries as the synthetic you are currently using is WAY better than the grades and certifications of the very best dino oil back when your engine was designed.

There must be a reason they are making that claim, such as they sell some special oil? I met an engine builder one time that swore it was the worst thing ever put in an engine, a discussion even made him start arguing with me. He said "have you ever seen an engine that ran that crap in it?". Uhhh yes sir, can I have my gasket kit now?

Never went back there.

[Warren N.CA]

The following is an exchange that Performing Imports and I had over the past two days regarding Synthetic oil in the e34. They do not recommend it as the car was "not designed" for it. Apparently there is some concern about "Vanos rattle". I found the response interesting

Looking for reaction from other people. TIA

Russell Casey wrote 112104
I saw on one of the BMW Bulletin boards, perhaps Bimmerboard, that your company or technician does not recommend synthetic oil in a 95 525i. I bought the car at 72,000 miles-now 102,000. I did use Mobil 1 -20w50. Now I use Mobil 1 0w40 and have done so for about 15, 000 miles. I have changed the oil/filter about 3 times now after starting to use 0w40. By the way, the 0w40 stopped a slight rattle when the engine first started on a cold day.

I am worried now? Should I be?

--------------
His response 11/22/04

Russell
That engine was never intended for synthetic oils, and we do not recommend them. But, if you are happy with the results you are getting - keep using the oil you like. It won't hurt the engine. If your Vanos unit starts to rattle you will need to switch back to 20/50.

Performing Imports

[chamilun]

heard the same recommendation the other day.

"older cars have more leaks with synthetic".

if i had the 6 cyl, id probably run standard oil as well, however. V8=synthetic

[Russell]

What difference does it make if it is a v8 or a 6? BTW, no leaks on my 6 with Mobil 1 0w40.

heard the same recommendation the other day.

"older cars have more leaks with synthetic".

if i had the 6 cyl, id probably run standard oil as well, however. V8=synthetic

[Mobius]

"older cars have more leaks with synthetic".

No.

Most synthetic oils, being the 'premium line' of oils also come with a much more thorough detergent mix, and synthetic oil is much better at holding dirt in suspension than mineral oils are. Those two factors make SWITCHING to synthetic on a HIGH MILEAGE engine a point to consider; as age and mineral oils have likely caused seals and gaskets (really just crankshaft seals) to soak up oil and swell. When you expose these seals to synthetic, all the crap in the seals that's causing them to swell is flushed out, and they shrink and leak. Realistically, though, if they're worn enough to leak, they were bad anyways.

This is not a problem unless the engine has been running mineral oil for the majority of its life.

Aside from cost, there is no other reason to not switch to synthetic.

Synthetic oils are fully compatible with mineral oils (what do you think synthetic 'blends' like Castrol Syntec are?).

Synthetic oils meet (and often exceed) the same grading criteria as mineral oils (er, the popular brands do - I think the jury is still out on wacko pyramid-scheme oils like amsoil).

Anybody who tells you they "aren't compatible" with this or that is full of ****.

[cary]

Synthetic oils meet (and often exceed) the same grading criteria as mineral oils (er, the popular brands do - I think the jury is still out on wacko pyramid-scheme oils like amsoil).

I didn't like Amsoil for years because of their distribution method. However, their oils consistantly turn in top notch wear numbers in Used Oil Analysis. The reason I don't recommend it is that Mobil 1 is every bit as good of an oil and is available for $4-5 a quart v. the $6-8 quart for Amsoil. Bottom line, good product but not worth the extra cost.

[shragon]

mobil-1 5w30 every oil change.

[cary]

mobil-1 5w30 every oil change.

Read the many previous posts explaining why you should not be running M1 5w-30.

[chamilun]

personally, i dont know who is right. read the following perspective:

Paul Brand: Quit using synthetic oil?
May 8, 2004 CARE08

QI have a '97 four-cylinder Toyota Corolla. I have used synthetic oil for most of the car's life, and now it has 137,000 miles on it. Should I consider going to that new oil for "higher mileage cars" or should I stick with synthetic, or do you have other advice on that matter? Also, the car seems to be losing oil, as my oil light comes on before I am scheduled to do my oil change. I check my oil and I am about a quart low. Why is this happening? There is no sign of an oil leak on my garage floor or in my parking spot at work.

A Oil consumption of one quart in 3,000 to 5,000 miles is completely normal for any engine, and absolutely not a problem for an engine with 137,000 miles on it. So your choice of synthetic oil very likely paid off with exceptional engine life.

If the minor oil consumption is caused by normal wear to the piston ring/cylinder wall area, then you might find a reduction in oil consumption by changing to a "high mileage" organic oil. I think the key here is organic/petroleum-based oil, rather than some type of additive or blending for higher mileage engines.

As a product of nature, petroleum lubricants have random-sized molecules that when blended into a 5W-30 oil have an average molecule size of a 5W oil. Some of the lubricant's hydrocarbon molecules will be larger, others will be smaller.

Not so with a chemically manufactured synthetic lubricant. Each and every molecule of a 5W-30 synthetic oil is precisely the same 5W size. This is one of the key advantages of synthetic oils, because the uniform molecule structure means consistent performance and no change in viscosity over the life of the lubricant.

But with your higher-mileage engine, the random molecular size of a high-quality 5W-30 petroleum lubricant might be an advantage. The larger molecules might help prevent or block smaller molecules from getting past the piston rings and end up being burned in the combustion chamber.

What do you have to lose? Try an oil and filter change with a premium petroleum lubricant, and see if oil consumption decreases.

No.

Most synthetic oils, being the 'premium line' of oils also come with a much more thorough detergent mix, and synthetic oil is much better at holding dirt in suspension than mineral oils are. Those two factors make SWITCHING to synthetic on a HIGH MILEAGE engine a point to consider; as age and mineral oils have likely caused seals and gaskets (really just crankshaft seals) to soak up oil and swell. When you expose these seals to synthetic, all the crap in the seals that's causing them to swell is flushed out, and they shrink and leak. Realistically, though, if they're worn enough to leak, they were bad anyways.

This is not a problem unless the engine has been running mineral oil for the majority of its life.

Aside from cost, there is no other reason to not switch to synthetic.

Synthetic oils are fully compatible with mineral oils (what do you think synthetic 'blends' like Castrol Syntec are?).

Synthetic oils meet (and often exceed) the same grading criteria as mineral oils (er, the popular brands do - I think the jury is still out on wacko pyramid-scheme oils like amsoil).

Anybody who tells you they "aren't compatible" with this or that is full of ****.