Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
Revive
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Post by Revive »

M20 528e gets 20w50 dino every 3-3.5k miles. 2JZ GS300 gets Royal Purple 5w30 every 2-3k miles, typically. :haul:
cek
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Post by cek »

88 911 Gets Brad Penn 20w50 every 6 months.

Vlad and Maytag will get same every 5000.

Vlad's M30B34 eats 1 quart every 500-1000 miles depending on how heavy my right foot is.
turbodan
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Post by turbodan »

Some specs on TWS 10w60 and VR1:

http://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/Fusio ... MJF5_0.pdf

http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/vr1_racing.pdf

One thing to consider when choosing motor oil is your engines oil temperature. A 10w60 is going to be thinner than a 20w50 up to a certain temperature. Depending on where your engine runs you may have better protection with 20w50. My turbo M20 ran around 140 degrees F in the summertime, which is closer to the 40C grade than the 100C.
tn535i
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Post by tn535i »

MicahO wrote:
Mike W. wrote:
Really, it uses that much oil? I've heard about M54s and oil, but never first hand. My M52 regular and TU both use no oil at all that I can tell with 175K and 230K respectively.
Yup - and it's going into combustion somewhere along the way. The driveline is bone-dry everywhere, including the dreaded oil filter housing gasket. I just did the cooling system again (all parts, every 80K whether it needs it or not - let's face it, this is an M54), but no oil in there. I just replaced the oil level sensor (it died and with such a high burn-rate that's a must-have item), and no leaks bottom-side.

I mentioned that the change in consumption happened at 99K. Given the mileage I assumed the CCV system had a problem, as happens to these engines. Swapped everything, no change. But at least that job is out of the way.

Love that car.....
My first thought when seeing this was CV system. Interested because my son purchased a 330ci ZHP car also and it just turned 100k and he also did an oil change so we'll see how it does on consumption soon. He got the prescribed full synthetic meeting the European Car BMW spec, Quaker State I think. What oil are you using?
Last edited by tn535i on Jan 02, 2014 4:11 PM, edited 1 time in total.
oldskool
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Post by oldskool »

oil change threads make me want to punch babies. If this goes 3 pages, I'm heading out to Wal-Mart.
MicahO
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Post by MicahO »

tn535i wrote: My first thought when seeing this was CV system. Interested because my son purchased a 330ci ZHP car also and it just turned 100k and he also did an oil change so we'll see how it does on consumption soon. He got the prescribed full synthetic meeting the European Car BMW spec, Quaker State I think. What oil are you using?
We're getting close no oldskool happiness territory!

Now I run M1 0W40. I ran M1 5W30 for a long time, and at this point the 0W40 makes the car happier. I'll PM some other details before we turn an oil thread into an EPIC OIL THREAD! :laugh:
oldskool
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Post by oldskool »

I'm probably going to be sent to Ban IsIand for this, but I leased a Jeep for 4 years and never once opened the hood. No service whatsoever. No garage. I think it was a V-8. At least that's what they told me. Nice stereo until it just stopped working one day. -I'd lease another.
tn535i
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Post by tn535i »

oldskool, maybe redemption island. I'm going to go behind your back and get everyone to vote you out of the tribe.
G Beats
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by G Beats »

Hello I have a lovely BMW e28 5 series 1988 registered the second of March . So Beat Master Wheels birthday soon. It has done 44,668 Miles from new wife and husband owner from new with full service history. It is immaculate like it has just come out the show room completely original besides the Aplina Alloy wheels, 75 percent back three windows tinted sun strip and Scorpioin cat one impoliser. Even the cassette radio works all good . So how often do you change the oil. I have had four mk 2 Sciroccos in the past and the oil change was ever six thousand. I will be saleing this car in the summer of 2025 always wanted one. It is a blessing to drive one.
Panici
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by Panici »

Generally 1 year or 3k miles for me.
Sometimes I stretch it out, but never more then 5k miles.

Keeps me busy keeping fresh oil in everything! Cheap insurance when you run an engine hard.

Have started to buy Rotella T5/T6 15w40 diesel oil in 5 gallon pails since I run it in two M52 powered cars.
Generally I walk through the oil isle every time I'm at Canadian Tire and pick up oil/filters if they are on sale.
topher800
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by topher800 »

All vehicles, every 5k on the 5k. Just keeps it easy, don't have to worry about what the sticker says. Did they just write the default 3k, or did they write what the manual says. etc.

if (mileage % 5000 == 0)
changeOil()
Blue Shadow
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by Blue Shadow »

Once a year for any vehicles that don't do a good number of miles. This to keep the weather-related changes in the oil system to a minimum.

With regular oil, 3000-5000 is fine. For synthetic oil, it can go significantly longer but the annual change comes into play. Blended oils, get one with proper amount of ZDDP 5000 miles is good.

Remember that part about getting an oil with proper amount ZDDP to protect the valvetrain.
Mike W.
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by Mike W. »

I do about every 5K, or once a year. Do no go off the SI lights as that will go to 9 or 10K miles, just crazy long.
szacsi72
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by szacsi72 »

I see a lot of people in this thread recommend the 20W50 VR1. Wouldn't we be better with the 5W50 version? It also has a ton of ZDDP like the 20w version (1400ppm)
Here are the differences, 20w vs 5w:
-30°C - Basically frozen - <6600
40 °C - 187 - 109
100 °C - 20 - 18.0
VI - 124 - 183
Pour point - -24°C - -39°C

I used the 5w50 in M50 racecars before with great success.
gadget73
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by gadget73 »

All of mine are changed on the wrong schedule according to someone. I'm also using the wrong filter and oil brands.
cek
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Re: Thread spinoff-oil change: how often?

Post by cek »

Since I posted my response above I’ve grown up a bit.

And gotten a Blackstone analysis of almost every oil change.

I changed my oil way too often before. I still think 5-7k is the limit, especially if I’m driving hard. But if I’m only doing 2-3k a year, I no longer do it annually.
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