amsoil anyone?

[JCL]

Last time I saw an engine like that it had gone just over 50,000 miles on the original oil and filter, in dusty conditions. Not a BMW. We got to install a new engine for him.

24,000 km worked well for me, no oil consumption or wear. I make sure to change it out after two years or so, not annually.

[racingbmwm3]

Originally Posted by JCL

Last time I saw an engine like that it had gone just over 50,000 miles on the original oil and filter, in dusty conditions. Not a BMW. We got to install a new engine for him.

24,000 km worked well for me, no oil consumption or wear. I make sure to change it out after two years or so, not annually.

In 2006 I worked on a 2002 745Li who never changed his oil (don't know why, it was free) since new. He was around 45k miles and engine was running rough. Records didn't show any maintenance or visits. First thing, changed the oil, it came out clumpy. So pulled the valve covers, looked like someone had filled the engine with bearing grease. Spent a day cleaning goop off the valvetrain. Put new oil in with a little ATF, drove it for an hour, changed the oil again. Ran fine. Charged customer time for cleaning the engine + 1 oil change, first one was covered by warranty/maintenance plan. Feel sorry for the next owner, that engine probably didn't last 100k.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by racingbmwm3

In 2006 I worked on a 2002 745Li who never changed his oil (don't know why, it was free) since new. He was around 45k miles and engine was running rough. Records didn't show any maintenance or visits. First thing, changed the oil, it came out clumpy. So pulled the valve covers, looked like someone had filled the engine with bearing grease. Spent a day cleaning goop off the valvetrain. Put new oil in with a little ATF, drove it for an hour, changed the oil again. Ran fine. Charged customer time for cleaning the engine + 1 oil change, first one was covered by warranty/maintenance plan. Feel sorry for the next owner, that engine probably didn't last 100k.

That is the point at which the safety factors are all used up, something like 2 or 3 or 4 times the published spec, IMO. The one I recall was actually a Ford pickup. No oversized sump. It was used extensively on gravel roads, and the air intake was full of dirt as well. When we pulled it down, it was amazing it was even running.