some of us follow the book.
some of us change the oil evry 3000 miles
some of us change the oil every 5000 miles (cause you always know every time the speedo ends in a multiple of 5000 it's time to change the oil )
soooooooooo if you are going to change your oil evey 3000 why use synthetic?
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IBA #50026
There is no good reason unless you get stuck in traffic. Then the higher sheer strength of the synthetic base might just protect your engine better.. and the higher ash temperature (where the oil turns to carbon) might also help protect it.
Other than that - waste of $$. I'd just use synthetic on the day I expect to be stuck in traffic.. (and I change at the recommended 6,000 mile interval.)
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
This is a question that I have struggled with myself and kind of came to the same conclusions as Don. I change my oil and filter in the bike every 3,000 miles because it is hot here in South Florida and I worry about oxidation and break down of the oil. Stop and go traffic in hot weather can be brutal on the oil especially in an air cooled engine. In my car, which is also a BMW, however, I use BMW synthetic and follow the normal change regime. The car is monitored by the on board computer and oil changes are indicated at about 15,000 mile intervals, or once per year whichever occurs first. I have never had a problem so I think either approach is OK.
We humans THINK it's hot in places like South Florida because 1) our bodies are designed to work at an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees F, and 2) we rely on evaporation for much of our cooling. When the air temperature is greater than our body temperature, the only way we can cool ourselves is by evaporation, and that's less effective when the relative humidity is high. So when it's hot and humid, we suffer.
Automotive engines aren't subject to these limitations. For an air/oil cooled engine putting out a given amount of power, a higher ambient air temperature just results in a linearly higher oil temperature. This does reduce the oil's life, but it doesn't have nearly the same effect that we perceive from a similar temperature change. For example, for humans, a change from 70 degrees F ambient to 100 degrees F represents a change from (for many of us) perfect comfort to extreme discomfort. That same change might move an engine's oil temperature from 200 to 230 degrees, which is far less significant.
It would be interesting to know the calibration of our bikes' oil temperature gauges, so we could look at oils' temperature/lifetime curves and make some meaningful decisions. Until then, there's always oil analysis.
It's also worth noting that BMW did not see a need to equip our bikes with cooling fans. Since this could have been done at a very modest cost, it suggests to me that they were not overly concerned about excessive oil temperatures.
NeilS wrote:
It's also worth noting that BMW did not see a need to equip our bikes with cooling fans. Since this could have been done at a very modest cost, it suggests to me that they were not overly concerned about excessive oil temperatures.
Having gotten stuck in rush-hour traffic in 60-degree weather in the rain ... the engine can and will overheat if it doesn't get sufficient airflow over the oil cooler. In that situation - stop-and-go, mostly stop - I had to shut the bike down and wait a bit for it to cool off. A fan for the oil cooler would have been welcome.
But then, that's only happened once so far. *knock on chrome*
Good roads,
- Lewellen
Ask not why we should do a thing; rather, ask why we should not.
This isn't Beemer specific but it is Dino vs Synthetic specific - so bear with me.
In 1999 I bought a new Honda Valkyrie, at 50 MPH the transmission had a whine so loud it sounded like an emergency vehicle coming up behind you. Quiet at 45 and 55 but at 50 it screamed, it was a design thing and they all did it. I broke it in on Dino oil and switched to Synthetic at 2,000, the whine went away. Many others found that switching to synthetic cured ( or greatly reduced) the transmission noise problem. Point is that synthetic must be lubricating something better than the dino oil did. I use synthetic in all my bikes, it's really not that more expensive. BTW: I still have the Valk, it's a keeper. Big,heavy and powerful, a great bike to roll on highway miles or to go play with the Harley guys.
Harry Costello -- Jersey Shore
2007 R1200R
1974 + 75 CB125S
1971 R75
2020 Guzzi V85TT
BMWMOA 57358
The monument marks the location where Captain Emilio Carranza,''The Lone Eagle of Mexico'' or ''Mexico's Lindbergh,'' died trying to fly from New York to Mexico City in 1928. It's on a rather remote road in South/Central NJ. The retired (old) guys will appreciate this: coming up on ten years of retirement I was running out of things to do (really - how many bird houses can you make and give to family members) so my kids gave me a book called Weird New Jersey ( to stop the bird houses) which contains page after page of weird/strange place in my home state. In addition to the Carranza monument I searched out where Elsie the Cow (Borden Dairy Products) is buried, also the monument on the location where Martians landed (Grovers Mill) in Orson Welles broadcast of 'War of the Worlds' in 1938. You get the idea, most are within 100 miles of my house and make a good days ride. I think they are putting out books for other States, something for us old guys to do.
You young guys keep working, it's good for the character.
I'm off to ride in the MotoGiro USA - three days on a 125cc riding over muddy roads, should be fun.
Harry Costello -- Jersey Shore
2007 R1200R
1974 + 75 CB125S
1971 R75
2020 Guzzi V85TT
BMWMOA 57358
I started using synths in '88, and have never looked back. On my turbo cars I used Amsoil's synth and the same on my bikes (their specific bike synth!) including the R1200R once I reached 6000mi. From 6K to 12K miles the bike only used 1/4c of oil to top off. I ride consistently above 80mph if the traffic is such I can do that and fairly sport-aggressive otherwise. If BMW sells synthetic, there must be a reason. Good synth oil is cheap insurance, engines are much cleaner with no buildup, and you don't need to do the ridiculous 3K-mile changes. They also start easier on cold days. Dino breaks down rather quickly with use. I've use synths in everything from lawn tractor, to 4-S marine engines, trucks, etc. Just my 2¢ from 20 years of personal experience and reading tech mags.
[/quote]I'm off to ride in the MotoGiro USA - three days on a 125cc riding over muddy roads, should be fun.[/quote]
Now THAT sounds like a lot more fun than this 'character-building' work that I have to do. Wrong side of the country and I don't have a vintage dirt bike but if, if, if, I'd be there!
)
(and I change at the recommended 6,000 mile interval.)
