Oil change interval question

[mestes1999]

So I want to change my oil myself at 7500 miles instead of waiting til 15k miles for the free service.

My question is, will this reset the oil counter to another 15k miles so I can't get the free 'normal' oil change?

[gatorfast]

No. You have to reset the maintenance interval manually.

[mestes1999]

Okay thanks. I was asking because on my previous 550i, it needed oil service in 700 miles, and said to add 1 quart. When I added the quart, it bumped the service up to 2000 miles.

[FVM3]

IMHO 7500 miles for a oil change is way too long, 5k is max to me

[davesaddiction]

Blackstone Labs reports for our cars has shown that ~10k miles is probably the right interval with the Castrol 10w60. 7500 is being cautious, but 5000 really seems like overkill with such an expensive synthetic oil.

The fact that BMW has revised their interval from 15k down to 10k going forward pretty much proves that 15k was too long...

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by FVM3

IMHO 7500 miles for a oil change is way too long, 5k is max to me

7500 is what's recommended in Mike Miller's Old School BMW Maintenance Schedule, and even owners of tracked cars that change their oil at that interval and send it out for analysis learn that there's plenty of usable life left. 5000 is normal for non-synthetic oil, but good synthetic oil can legitimately go longer. I use 7500 on my car that sees 6-8 track days per year.

[elm3]

I've been changing mine every 7500 miles. 5k is overkill, like others have said.

[ChrisK]

I change my oil from 6.5k-7.5k

[TTSam]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I change my oil from 6.5k-7.5k

Same here except in my case it is 7500-8000 is kilometers! (5,000 miles)

[happos2]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Blackstone Labs reports for our cars has shown that ~10k miles is probably the right interval with the Castrol 10w60. 7500 is being cautious, but 5000 really seems like overkill with such an expensive synthetic oil.

The fact that BMW has revised their interval from 15k down to 10k going forward pretty much proves that 15k was too long...

They did? Learn something new every day! Woot!

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by happos2

They did? Learn something new every day! Woot!

Not for our cars, but for new BMWs. Maybe those under maintenance can convince their dealers to give them free changes every 10k, though.

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=868293

[happos2]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Not for our cars, but for new BMWs. Maybe those under maintenance can convince their dealers to give them free changes every 10k, though.

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=868293

Thanks for the info!

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Not for our cars, but for new BMWs. Maybe those under maintenance can convince their dealers to give them free changes every 10k, though.

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=868293

Free retroactive interval reductions won't happen. I'm sure they've got some BS claim that some engine or tuning tweak necessitates 10K changes, but everything before is still just fine on 15K even within the same vehicle model. My production month of 3/11 was the first month where the brake fluid interval was RAISED from every 2 years to every 3 years, without any corresponding change in the fluid or the braking system. I don't really care though, I do it annually anyway.

[pkimM3r]

hmm....so right now I'm at 6000 miles with 3 track days and 3 hard canyon days....should be ok for another track day (2 weekends from now) before an oil change? (im at the half level and did add about 250mL last week). This shit is confusing.

[lsmkr01]

Originally Posted by pkim1079

hmm....so right now I'm at 6000 miles with 3 track days and 3 hard canyon days....should be ok for another track day (2 weekends from now) before an oil change? (im at the half level and did add about 250mL last week). This shit is confusing.

With that many track days between oil changes I would not go over 5k miles. I was doing 7500. I too am switching to 5k between changes and I havent tracked my car yet. Many many many of spirited drives though

[pkimM3r]

Now youre just confusing me more! Ha. Ill do the next track day and then do the oil change (should be around 6700 miles). We'll see what the oil analysis says and then go fron there.

Are you guys literally just placing the little sampler in the oil stream coming out of the car?

[lsmkr01]

Originally Posted by pkim1079

Now youre just confusing me more! Ha. Ill do the next track day and then do the oil change (should be around 6700 miles). We'll see what the oil analysis says and then go fron there.

Are you guys literally just placing the little sampler in the oil stream coming out of the car?

To clarify, 7500 was considered okay but after more info has come up over the years its becoming clear the safer route is every 5k. I'm also switching to a thinner Mobil 1 0W-40 as soon as I hit 5k. I just got a change at the dealer with 10W-60 a little over 1k miles ago. For the super tight clearances on our engines the 0W-40 will be more effective at protecting the engine components before/after it reaches normal operating temp and also prolong the life of the rob bearings. Tighter clearance engines benefit from a thinner oil that can penetrate the voids and lubricate them from friction.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by lsmkr01

To clarify, 7500 was considered okay but after more info has come up over the years its becoming clear the safer route is every 5k. I'm also switching to a thinner Mobil 1 0W-40 as soon as I hit 5k. I just got a change at the dealer with 10W-60 a little over 1k miles ago. For the super tight clearances on our engines the 0W-40 will be more effective at protecting the engine components before/after it reaches normal operating temp and also prolong the life of the rob bearings. Tighter clearance engines benefit from a thinner oil that can penetrate the voids and lubricate them from friction.

So you're thinking BMW specified 10W-60 despite those benefits just to hold up under track conditions?

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by lsmkr01

To clarify, 7500 was considered okay but after more info has come up over the years its becoming clear the safer route is every 5k. I'm also switching to a thinner Mobil 1 0W-40 as soon as I hit 5k. I just got a change at the dealer with 10W-60 a little over 1k miles ago. For the super tight clearances on our engines the 0W-40 will be more effective at protecting the engine components before/after it reaches normal operating temp and also prolong the life of the rob bearings. Tighter clearance engines benefit from a thinner oil that can penetrate the voids and lubricate them from friction.

Yeah, but I also read that the thinner oil is ok for people that DO NOT track the car. I believe we are talking about the same thread.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by lsmkr01

To clarify, 7500 was considered okay but after more info has come up over the years its becoming clear the safer route is every 5k. I'm also switching to a thinner Mobil 1 0W-40 as soon as I hit 5k. I just got a change at the dealer with 10W-60 a little over 1k miles ago. For the super tight clearances on our engines the 0W-40 will be more effective at protecting the engine components before/after it reaches normal operating temp and also prolong the life of the rob bearings. Tighter clearance engines benefit from a thinner oil that can penetrate the voids and lubricate them from friction.

What info are you referring to? If you look at the oil analysis thread it seems like the TWS holds up just fine at 7,500 miles and beyond What makes you think 5k is necessary?

[lsmkr01]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

What info are you referring to? If you look at the oil analysis thread it seems like the TWS holds up just fine at 7,500 miles and beyond What makes you think 5k is necessary?

I was referencing the advice of aa getman master mechanic' advice for the S85. He said the same applys to the S65. The guy has cracked open enough of our engines to replace rod bearings that I would have no reason to say other wise. also the guy on our own forum that work in the business of engine building and maintenance have all came to the same conclusion. This has been going on for years starting with the V10 in the early 06 M cars.

[dex37]

There is a guy on the German M-Forum, who works as an engineer or something in Castrol. He also owns a Z4 with S54 engine. He said that the 10W60 oil starts to loose its characteristics significantly above around 6.200mi (10.000km). I've halved the first oil interval (around 6.500mi) and now I've started changing the oil every 5.000mi (8.000km). Especially if you track the car and also drive it in winter I wouldn't keep the oil longer than 6.500 miles.