Quote:
Originally Posted by ard
Nice write up...so, damn, I hate doing this...
How will you handle BMW and the fact that you arent using the correct oil? (Per BMW) Curious if you will just skip the rest of the maintenance plan, and if you are concerned that BMW might have you on a technicality.
Also, the stuff about gunk/sludge, etc, is kinda crazy talk.... Unless you've run a UOA and they found something there....
If this turns into an oil thread, can we all agree to delete the posts????
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All good questions. I'm glad you asked.
As far as not using BMW oil, there may be some risk there, but I read the specific CPO warranty that I signed and there is nothing indicating loss of coverage based on the use of non-OEM fluids or parts. Maybe I should add some clarification that I was not intending to convince anyone to use a specific product. I was just trying to avoid posts questioning why I used what I did. To avoid a negligence claim, I would definitely bring my BMW in if the vehicle was at a maintenance interval or requested maintenance, but based on mileage, I will be out of the maintenance plan before I am anywhere close to the next 15k mile oil change.
My sludge removal comment may be a complete non issue, but there could be other contents such as fine metal particilate, filter mateial (unlikely), who knows what else that could be removed. My whole thought process is to remove as much of whatever is in there and replace it with clean oil. I changed the "lifetime" differential and transmission fluids in my ZHP at 60k, and I could see a metal streak follow my finger when I swirled it around in the fluid. Scary. According to my X5's maintenance records, the oil was changed at about 12k-13k mile intervals. I cannot say right now whether or not that allowed for any excessive wear or the buildup of "gunk", but I personally sleep a little better doing a couple extra things to drain as much oil as possible and change the oil at lower intervals (7.5k miles) than BMW recommends (15k miles).
Like I said in the original post, I'm sure the existing oil in the engine was still able to protect it, but it made me feel better to change it. I was again just sharing my thought process, which in retrospect, did nothing to help the DIY writeup.
I did save a sample of oil that I will be sending in for analysis just so I know what I'm working with. I'll try to include the results in the original post.
And I agree, there is no need to discuss oil here. Plenty of those threads already.
Dave