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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

30250 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2013 at 11:51 AM

You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Sedan

Messages Page 2798 of 3026

#27967 of 30250 Re: shipo & div2 re: motor oil [potemkin] by shipo

Mar 15, 2005 (7:48 am)

Replying to: potemkin (Mar 15, 2005 6:45 am)
Since I started using Synthetic Oil, I have always used it right from the first oil change and never looked back. I have heard stories that suggest that by switching to synthetic oil later in a cars' life, you run the risk of generating leaks. I have also heard that if you do switch, you should initially change your oil MORE often since the greater cleaning ability of the synthetic oil will start cleaning up what was left behind by your old oil, thus saturating the oil and filter earlier than you would otherwise think.
 
If I was to buy a mid-1990s BMW with say 75,000 miles on it, and if I knew that all of those miles had been run on conventional oil, I would probably convert it to Mobil-1, perform a 4K change, then a 5K change, then level off at say 7,500 miles for my changes thereafter.
 
Why not go to 15,000 miles for the oil change? Well, I can think of a couple of reasons off hand:
1) The newer cars have software in their OBC that determines what the interval should be. My understanding is that the primary piece of data that the OBC looks at is the amount of fuel consumed since the last oil change/OBC Reset, although there may well be other factors that the OBC considers. The computer then alters the interval based upon its calculations. The shortest I have ever heard about was somewhere south of 13K miles while the longest interval was well north of 17K miles (maybe even 18K if I remember correctly). The older cars have no such software, so to extend your oil change intervals too far would kind of like flying blind.
 
2) The newer engines are LEV or ULEV (in fact, the new 3.0 liter mills coming in the 2006 5-Series and E90 3-Series are ULEV-II), and as such, they don't generate as many combustion by-products as the older engines do, and that reduces the amount of particulate matter that the oil is required to hold in suspension, thus the advent of the 15K oil change for the newer engines.
 
Disclaimer: what I have written is based upon what I have read in various places correlated with my own experience. That is a fancy way of saying that this is my gut guess about what would be the proper way for ME to take care of an older BMW that I might own sometime in the future. That means that if I screw up, I shoulder the responsibility of fixing it. In essence, this advice is worth what you paid for it.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#27968 of 30250 Re: shipo & div2 re: motor oil [shipo] by potemkin

Mar 15, 2005 (9:31 am)

Replying to: shipo (Mar 15, 2005 7:48 am)
Thanks for the free (yet valuable) info. I just changed the oil about 500 miles ago, but I'll do that starting with the next oil change.
 
Re: Disclaimer. Acknowledged, understood, and accepted. You are hereby waived of any and all responsibility.

#27969 of 30250 Re: Call this number for 3 Across America [hgeyer] by bmwfrevr

Mar 15, 2005 (11:09 am)

Replying to: hgeyer (Mar 14, 2005 2:40 pm)
thank you, you guys are awesome!!
just got my confirmation in Michigan for Sunday April 17th. this sounds alot of fun, I hope they will have 325 and 330 so I can change my order if the 325 doesn't cut it for me. errrrrr.

#27970 of 30250 Re: Call this number for 3 Across America [bmwfrevr] by dl7265

Mar 15, 2005 (12:02 pm)

Replying to: bmwfrevr (Mar 15, 2005 11:09 am)
WHEW, for those have recently joined (shame on me for letting elapse last year)if you do not have your card, make SURE you have your temporary reference number , or you will not get a spot.
 
DL

#27971 of 30250 got it... by blueguydotcom

Mar 15, 2005 (3:38 pm)

Very nice, doing the 9 am one in San Diego and they said I was within the first 50. Nice.

#27972 of 30250 Re: got it... [blueguydotcom] by kyfdx HOST

Mar 15, 2005 (4:10 pm)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 15, 2005 3:38 pm)
I don't know if I'm actually going to make it, but I'm registered for Cleveland on April 15th, at 9:00 AM..
 
Talk about getting up early....

#27973 of 30250 Re: got it... [kyfdx] by pat

Mar 15, 2005 (5:21 pm)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 15, 2005 4:10 pm)
Um, you call that getting up EARLY?? If only, if only, if only I didn't have to be anywhere until 9 am! I'm due in at 6 at my full-time job, up at 4:20 or else I'm late.
 
Sorry, couldn't resist needling you. But I'm looking forward to reading everyone's experiences with this ...

#27974 of 30250 what happens if... by blueguydotcom

Mar 15, 2005 (5:32 pm)

I'm anxious to play with a BMW and not worry about tire life!

#27975 of 30250 Re: what happens if... [blueguydotcom] by dl7265

Mar 15, 2005 (8:34 pm)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 15, 2005 5:32 pm)
Funny thing, When the New E was introduced a few years ago I was invited to their event at the Texas Motor Speedway.It was set up at the same spot BMW uses for the Drive events. Any ways they young man in line ahead of me to drive the course on a E500 was asking the instructor about the course and was given the green light to take a (spirited run)Well after tire squealing after the 1st set of cones all the Seniors in line began shaking their heads and when he returned his arm band was promptly cut off...
 
DL

#27976 of 30250 Re: got it... [pat] by kyfdx HOST

Mar 16, 2005 (9:03 am)

Replying to: pat (Mar 15, 2005 5:21 pm)
Yeah.. but, I live in KY!! It is an easy 4.5 hour drive..
 
You mean this isn't your full-time job?
 
regards,
kyfdx

Messages Page 2798 of 3026

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