StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
Anything A3/B3 spec or better.
The book says semi synthetic. Yet the main dealer where I bought my car from many years ago said they always use fully synthetic.
There is a theory that fully synthetic is for modern close tolerance engines where there is a bigger gap between services.
Also I've heard semi synthetic is better with hydraulic tappets.
I guess the jury is still out.
There is a theory that fully synthetic is for modern close tolerance engines where there is a bigger gap between services.
Also I've heard semi synthetic is better with hydraulic tappets.
I guess the jury is still out.
Tuskenraider
New Member
I would use a good semi synth. The engines dont require a full synth but it would do any harm if you use one. As said just check the spec and get something that meets it 
JohnnyCrash
New Member
Golden rule is "some oil" is better than "no oil" I use semi-synth and have no problems? although the same engine is used in BMW and they state Fully-Synth only??
Datatek - you must have money to burn?
Datatek - you must have money to burn?
Datatek
Well-Known Member
A) I want it to last, B) It's slightly more economical on diesel especially in the winter. They now do 0W40, that is expensive
I use cheap (30€ for 10l) semi-synthetic 5w40 and change it every 10k to 12k km. I just can not justify Castrol or something similarly priced to throw it away at this rate. Mind you, it's my daily driver, that means at least two and more likely three oil changes yearly.
JohnnyCrash
New Member
A) I want it to last, B) It's slightly more economical on diesel especially in the winter. They now do 0W40, that is expensive
I know - my OH her BMW uses 0-40 and needs toping up every 6k miles??
A) I want it to last, B) It's slightly more economical on diesel especially in the winter. They now do 0W40, that is expensive
Why not just use 3inOne.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
I know - my OH her BMW uses 0-40 and needs toping up every 6k miles??
I change it at 6k miles, never had to top up between changes, but with BMW quality control you never know. My 325i needed 5 litres of oil the go from Brighton to Birmingham. BMW reckoned that was within their limits
JohnnyCrash
New Member
I change it at 6k miles, never had to top up between changes, but with BMW quality control you never know. My 325i needed 5 litres of oil the go from Brighton to Birmingham. BMW reckoned that was within their limits
it's a 135i M sport and again BMW say it's normal?? The last bmw I had was a 120D M sport and when new this used a lot of oil but after 16 months or so it stopped?? and hardly ever used a drop??
Datatek
Well-Known Member
BMW's attitude is that as long as it moves, everything is normal, especially while it's under warranty
StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
I change it at 6k miles, never had to top up between changes, but with BMW quality control you never know. My 325i needed 5 litres of oil the go from Brighton to Birmingham. BMW reckoned that was within their limits
If it was a 1997ish car it may have been one of the many thousands of cars with the bores honed incorrectly (too deep) increasing oil consumption markedly - BMW were producing engines for over a year with the honing machines set incorrectly. Did they admit it? Did they buggery. Mind you they changed a lot of engines where the oil consumption was bad enough to cause visible smoke or fail an MOT through high HCs.
StuckAgainSteve
Well-Known Member
Castrol oil is a con, all their oil is semi-synth - they got the rules changed as to what they can call fully-synth coz they're rich! Castrol oil is no better than any other average semi-synth. Marketing above contents! Perfectly good stuff if you can buy it cheap on offer - other than that, don't bother.
JohnnyCrash
New Member
Tuskenraider
New Member
You are talking about the old Magnatec. All current Castrol synthetics are exactly that
Although technically no synthetic is a true synthetic unless its Ester based as all the others start live as a hydrocracked mineral oil. They are however so far away from being an actual mineral or semi synth they can be classed as being totally synthetic.
Haven't heard that one, but know they did have lots of problems with some sort of liner coating that broke up stuffing the engine in the 90s. You can't set an honing machine too deep, but you can have the wrong stones in it. Don't know where you got that one from.
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