it says it in my owners manual. when i bought my car it had 1 green light( 5 lights is new oil). i drove just under 10,000m before the oil service light came on. i have always changed oil at 5k. i guess synthetic oil really is better. how ever i still can't get used to 10k oci.

 

ah ha, now i know who to talk to about this goofy BMW engine

 

Its not goofy, you just have to think like a German to work on them...



ok its goofy.

 

Not following you??
Yes all national oil companys making CJ-4 oil did reduce the ZDDP, as per the EPA requirement.
Yes, diesel exhaust gas treatment is different than in gas engines.
The 'hype' comes in, IMO, when he says they are still able to retain high levels of ZDDP.
Zinc and phosphorous, in engine oil, are like the EP package in a gear lube..... they comes out of solution, coats metal surfaces, and gets 'sacrificed' or depleted from the oil.

My point was shame on Shell for only having 1400 ppm ZDDP in their CI-4 oil to start with (isn't that the implication in his statement?). My used oil samples averages 1400-1500 ppm Zinc, after 5000 miles, including racing and heavy hauling. JMO.

Sorry, No links I know of on brand comparisons of oil depletion. To many variables.... weight, towing, speed, location, OAT, type driving, miles on/condition of engine, etc. That's where oil analysis come in.

RJ

 

A lot of conjecture there....

Are you going to argue that we should ignore oil analysis data to determine appropriate oil change intervals and just blindly change our oil? It does not matter if you think engines are cleaner or not....it does not matter if you think oil has better lubricating qualities now or not....and it does not matter if you think engines are built better now or not. Simply use oil analysis to determine when contaminant levels have exceeded an acceptable level....but always change the filter at least every 7000 miles. Using oil analysis is an awesome way to blow these change interval misconceptions out of the water - you don't have to guess!

 

Well said - Thank you!

 

I didn't realize Rotella T was that bad, additive-wise... seems to have such a good reputation for diesel engines, I'd expect it to have a better additive package than that.

 

I believe that it was the older CJ-4 spec Rotella that garnered the good reputation in the diesel industry. The newer CI-4 spec Rotella seems to be a far cry from its predocessor.

Some good reading HERE

 

Hello,

CTD_Nut: I never said anything about oil analysis. I agree with what you said regarding oil analysis. I do it myself! The post was about credibility of ASE so I made some opinions about the posters opinions. That all.

As far as people asking where did the info for reduced lubricity come from. Look at these other posts talking about the additive packages and their reduction. Also if you really want to get into this there is a ton of info on the net and www.bobstheoilguy.com will probably more than fill anyone up on this subject.

Damon

 

Dont forget, don't all new BMWs now come thru with scheduled service warranties meaning that BMW is paying for them, hence fewer oil changes recommended and fewer oil changes they have to pay for?

 

Fair enough.

 

A.S.E. Credibility is all about consumer perception PERIOD! Does being A.S.E. Certified mean anything to a Tech? Maybe yes if his/her pay is based on the certifications. Does it mean the tech is able to properly diagnose and repair a vehicle if he is certified in an area......NO! According to A.S.E. and the wall plaque my employer hangs on the wall.....I am a Master A.S.E. certified technician as I hold certification in all 8 areas of auto repair. One of which is Automatic transmissions. Yes I have built a couple (read two) transmissions 20+ years ago. But do I feel that I could diagnose and repair any trans. problem.......NO!

I feel A.S.E. Certification is mainly for customer perception, Income to A.S.E. and then for making sure a tech. knows his stuff.

I agree with the old pictures on tests....its a joke!

 

Which for me is an issue right now. I'm aware the topic of this thread is ASE credibility, and I have no data and therefore no opinion on this topic. I have been looking for a '99 - '02 BMW 3-series, and it seems if they have been "maintained to dealer specifications" then there's a nasty reddish, sludgy (is that a word) residue on the inside of the engine oil fill cap. As a practice, I remove this cap with the engine idling to inspect for clarity and cleanliness. One I've observed was completely clean and clear - but the car was a configuration I didn't want. BMW-specific maintance may be great until the warranty's up, but since I tend to buy veichles with 100k on them and run them the next 100 - 150k, I really wouldn't mind seeing a car or truck maintained on the more frequent side as opposed to the less frequent.

 

oh, i see... uh, wait, i am german

 

i think the sludge is from short trip driving. mine had it to. i drive 100m a day and 10k later (86k on the clock)i noticed it has reduced. the dealer service sched i think follows what the car tells you, ie oil service, inspection 1, or inspection 2. (it says this on the in dash computer). as for reliability, if the car was cared for you'll see 200k easily. i don't know what engine a 3 series has( 4, 6 cyl?). mine has the v12 and runs awesome. if bmw could get this beast to run well, imagine how well the smaller engines must be.