Rovers run extremely rich. You will see a lot of fuel dilution. I would not reccomend extended drains on this engine. 3-5K Max.
2007 Range Rover oil change observations
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Doesn't this Rover still use a BMW V-8? I am surprised that it does not specify synthetic oil in a 5W40 weight. I am further surprised that anyone would put such an odd mixture of oil in a brand-new BMW engine. I agree that the odd substance that drained out is very worrisome. I would have taken it to the dealer and demanded an explanation.
I was at Autozone looking for a good oil without the new SM rating to use in my OPE, since the SM rating means that certain antiwear additives have been reduced or eliminated for protection of the catalytic converters on autos. What I found was Castrol Syntec 5W40 oil with a rating of SL and SJ, and stating that it was specially formulated for Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, and was "approved" for Porsche. This, or a like-rated oil, is what I would use in my BMW, if a search of the owner's manual indicated it was OK.
I was at Autozone looking for a good oil without the new SM rating to use in my OPE, since the SM rating means that certain antiwear additives have been reduced or eliminated for protection of the catalytic converters on autos. What I found was Castrol Syntec 5W40 oil with a rating of SL and SJ, and stating that it was specially formulated for Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, and was "approved" for Porsche. This, or a like-rated oil, is what I would use in my BMW, if a search of the owner's manual indicated it was OK.
The engine is a 1950's Buick Design that has been modded over the years it is not a BMW Engine. They have used the same block and punhed it out from 3.9 to 4.0 to now 4.6L
You and I are both wrong. They now use Jaguar V-8s, a 4.4 naturally aspirated version, and a 4.2 liter supercharged version. I would certainly be using the best synthetic I could find in those engines.
That may be true in the Sport. But my Disco has the Buick. Haven't really kept up with the newer model changes. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing with the Jag V-8 though. If they are anything like my mom's XJ was.
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I did just that last year....dropped $70k on a BMW truck and left the factory oil in for 7.5k and hence the observation that changing it out at 500 miles (1.5 fuel fill-ups?) is a complete waste of time. Nothing hostile, just my observation.
5k miles would have been completely fine too...especially in Euro. engines with high capacity, cleaner combustion, better quality engines, better filters, and A3 oil requirements.
Now, the real questions we should be asking are: Did the witches brewof oil used meet Rover's specs? Do the 4 different brands used together have any mixing/addative clashing issues now or down the road? Does Rover spec. A3 5-30's or any A1 or dino (non-ACEA rated) 5-30?
Again -- did you cut open your oil filter? did get a UOA? then how do you know it was fine? your opinions are based on conjecture & the direction of an OEM looking to save money on its free oil service, nothing more. go look around for BMW factory fill horror stories -- there are several on this very board.
And from what I've seen on the 3 series, BMW does not specify 7.5k for its factory fill -- they go by the oil life computer, which in the cases I've seen will not indicate a change until well past 15k miles, by which time the filter is completely clogged and in bypass, and wear is off the chart - all at the direction of BMW and their "free oil service". are you saying your truck is different from other BMWs? and just "happens" to be the same 7.5k that LR specifies?
and you are still avoiding the observed watery liquid -- according to you he should've just left that in?? real smart.
and the "witches" brew, as you call it, far exceeds LR's spec of dino 5W30. heck, they specifically recommend "Castrol 5W30" - no mention of synthetic, but even Syntec 5W30 is not A3 rated -- again maybe you missed this in the same post where I described the "witches brew". good grief.
and all modern oils are designed to be compatible. "additive clash" as you call it is a myth you read somewhere online that has no basis in fact with modern oils.
oh, and BTW, I'm not sure where you're from but calling someone a "waste of brain cells" is, in fact, hostile. and now I'll be a bit hostile -- get a clue, and support your opinions with fact/data or keep them to yourself.
Boy, you sure are hostile and bossy today. You know, he did not call SOMEONE a "waste of brain cells". He called changing out 8.5 quarts of what should have been perfectly good oil in only 500 miles a "waste of brain cells", and I totally agree with him. I mean, how could anyone have expected to have that much of a foreign substance in a new vehicle's crankcase?
I am over 70 years old , and I have bought a lot of new cars in my time. I have never bought into the ritual of changing oil in the first few hundred miles of a car's life. I have never had an engine wear out or show any problem as a result of following the usual manufacturer's recommendation to do the first oil change at the first recommend change interval.
excuse me mr. nick, but I was not the one who started the hostilities, and the "waste of brain cells" comment was way out of line and not appropriate for this forum, especially since the foreign substance had already been discussed. perhaps you should mind your own business, instead of sticking your nose where is doesn't belong.
oh, and for those whose either can't or don't have the patience to read -- the choice was dump the factory fill at 500 miles, or 5,000 miles. and I don't know too many people who think running factory fill to 5k miles is a good thing (in this case, I think it would've been disastrous). so this whole "500 miles is a waste of brain cells" comment was totally inappropriate given the situation and the context of the decision. but some people have to chime in with their smart arse comments, and I am not the type to take it.
Correct. The horror stories are at 15k OCI's. This is my third BMW with 500k miles in total and I'm aware of the oil problems as I had them myself with one vehicle. So, it gets changed at half the receommended interval. A far cry from 500 miles...mileage I did in the first 2 weeks of ownership.
The oil filter is an open design. No need to cut it. It didn't show anything unusual ie. no metal particles or left over assembly after 7500 miles.
Otherwise, I was simply trying to say that changing your oil (new or otherwise) after 500 measily miles is a waste of 8.5L/qts. of oil. Sure I can't explain the wateriness...something new we've heard here with respect to factory oils. I don't know why it would appear this way and any problems as a result would surely be covered under warranty.
Secondly, they don't have Syntec in Europe. And there are different types of 5-30 (eg. A1 vs. A3). Which is the correct spec.?
With respect to mixing...although oils may be listed as compatible, it usually refers to topping off. Mixing oil from the start only results in an inconclusive type and viscosity of oil. Can you do a UOA on this mix and derive anything from it not knowing the final product or viscosity? In other words, I don't believe in playing 'chemist' in an $80k vehicle.
And if you missed lines in my last post too, I was NOT being hostile at all, nor saying you were wasting brain cells per se....I just hate seeing potentially good oil going to waste (as an BITOG addict).
But thanx for the post, it was informative as far as your findings with a new RR...and it's first OCI. Lef's just leave it at that.
The oil filter is an open design. No need to cut it. It didn't show anything unusual ie. no metal particles or left over assembly after 7500 miles.
Otherwise, I was simply trying to say that changing your oil (new or otherwise) after 500 measily miles is a waste of 8.5L/qts. of oil. Sure I can't explain the wateriness...something new we've heard here with respect to factory oils. I don't know why it would appear this way and any problems as a result would surely be covered under warranty.
Secondly, they don't have Syntec in Europe. And there are different types of 5-30 (eg. A1 vs. A3). Which is the correct spec.?
With respect to mixing...although oils may be listed as compatible, it usually refers to topping off. Mixing oil from the start only results in an inconclusive type and viscosity of oil. Can you do a UOA on this mix and derive anything from it not knowing the final product or viscosity? In other words, I don't believe in playing 'chemist' in an $80k vehicle.
And if you missed lines in my last post too, I was NOT being hostile at all, nor saying you were wasting brain cells per se....I just hate seeing potentially good oil going to waste (as an BITOG addict).
But thanx for the post, it was informative as far as your findings with a new RR...and it's first OCI. Lef's just leave it at that.
Why didn't the engine hydrolock? Also, would moisture really accumulate that much. Geezz, from the way you described it, sounds like alot of water.
Maybe someone poured a cup of water down the fill tube as a bad joke?
Maybe someone poured a cup of water down the fill tube as a bad joke?
the spec is 5W30 SM/GF-4. I did not see an A spec listed, but if there was one it couldn't be A3 b/c they recommend Castrol, and to my knowledge castrol doesn't even make a 5W30 SM/GF-4/A3 oil, in the US or elsewhere. Out of curiosity I called the local LR dealer, and they use Mobil 1 5W30 for this engine (which is only A1) and conventional oil for the 4.4.
in any case, 75% of the oil added was indeed A3, and the rest was A5. so if anything the mix is overkill for this application, especially compared to what was in there originally, and the dealer bulk swill.
You can derive plenty -- coolant leak, injector problem, air filter problem, elevated wear, etc. you don't need to know anything about the oil to see these effects. and the viscosity of the oil is relatively meaningless in a UOA, so long as it's not drastically different than starting visc, and I could easily calculate that from the batch of 30wt oils I mixed together.
and again with the 500 mile slam. I don't understand why it's so hard to grasp the concept of dumping factory fill before a long 4k+ mile road trip. if we hadn't done it, the water (or whatever it was) may well have killed the motor out in the middle of nowhere Utah. and yet I'm the one "wasting brain cells" and precious oil by being prudent? whatever. I suppose you'd consider me a BITOG hero if I had convinced him to leave it in, and he got stranded in the middle of his trip?
despite what you now claim, your "brain cells" comment has no place on this forum. it was gratuitious in every way, shape, and form, and served no purpose whatsoever other than to condescend/insult - in short, it was hostile.
I am sick of people hiding behind their keybords and hurling insults at others. we are not a bunch of juvenile kids arguing over riced out sentras. be and adult, and keep things civil. and if you mistakenly say something out of line, it wouldn't hurt to appologize for it instead of trying to excuse your way out of it.
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Relax - the big concern here isn't the non-OEM filter ...not the mixing/matching oil selection ..nor the 500 miles short change out.
It's why was that water in the bottom of the sump?? That should be the big topic here.
I'm surprised that it managed to stay intact in that little still well that you describe there. I had serious coolant leakage into the crankcase and the only time you saw it was in the stagnant drain oil when you poured it into the bulk waste oil burner tank. That is, in normal running ...it didn't pool.
It's why was that water in the bottom of the sump?? That should be the big topic here.
I'm surprised that it managed to stay intact in that little still well that you describe there. I had serious coolant leakage into the crankcase and the only time you saw it was in the stagnant drain oil when you poured it into the bulk waste oil burner tank. That is, in normal running ...it didn't pool.
Had the same experience with my 2004 GTO.....and learned later many GTO owners had the same experience. I changed the factory fill at around 500 miles and the first "squirt" was muddy water then it turned to oil. I freaked.....thought I had a cracked block or head gasket.....called the dealer....he said they had the same experience....moisture from sitting on the docks for weeks in Australia and then of course the boat ride....to Alaska...then the train to the distributions points.....end result is lot of moisture in the engine....Bottom line is I had no issue with the original LS1 after that. So I'll pass this experience along for what it is worth.
I suppose in your mind this was not a hostile, mean, bossy reply to me. Do I have to check with you from now on to see where my nose belongs before I am allowed to post on this forum?
it was a response in kind, and an appropriate one. you are 70 years old and should know how to act by now, but I will remind you if I must.
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Why didn't the engine hydrolock? Also, would moisture really accumulate that much. Geezz, from the way you described it, sounds like alot of water.
Maybe someone poured a cup of water down the fill tube as a bad joke?
If I can stick my nose in (bwahahaha) I think hydrolock is when water gets in the combustion chambers, not the crankcase.
I wonder if the moisture would have burned off if the oil had been left in for more than 500 miles?
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