Has anyone got any experience with Amalie XLO Ultimate (SAE 5W-40) full synthetic in their AJ 26 or AJ 27? I've had a couple of credible recommendations but I thought I check with the Forum before I made a change. If anyone has any other suggestions regarding full or partial synthetic vs regular grades I'd be interested to hear those too. Thanks in advance.

 

Oh boy, another what oil is best religious war. 😀 Opinions are like… well you know the rest.

I use full synthetic in all my vehicles, usually Liqui Moly. Change it at 5000 mile intervals regardless what the user manual says or the amount of time between changes.

 

Old Matelots.

How are ting over in San Antone?

I'm like Charlie, I change my Oil at least every 5,000 Miles with 5/40 Moble 1..................

Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch

 

regardless of the oil, changing it often especially under severe use circumstances is better than depending upon some particular product. If some great advancement in oil came about, across the board usage characteristics would change. Synthetic was a small leap, but it did lead to some excessive drain intervals which, just ask any newer classics BWM owners about the sludge issues, oftentimes defeated the benefits.

 

Many thanks for the responses folks. I know oil preference is a topic that's been beaten to death but, as this is my first experience with a new(ish) VVT - blower engine, I just wanted to get a feel for what others were doing. Jiffy lube or the local Toyota dealership is fine for the truck and our everyday rides, and all my previous project toys were ancient flat tappet motors so any cheap, straight 30 weight, with an occasional can of ZDDP additive was just fine.... I just felt the XKR might appreciate a little more care in the lube department.

 

Thanks for the info Billy, all good in here the Alamo City but I'm struggling to find a good indie shop for those jobs that need special tools or capabilities beyond my pay grade. Have you got any recommendations in the Houston Metro area....my M-i-L lives in Pasadena and my son lives in Dickinson, so I'm over your way quite often.

 

Synthetic oils work by not carrying dirt with them in the engine like regular oil does. This keeps the engine oil cleaner and thus extends oil life. If you're still changing your oil at five thousand miles synthetic oil is a waste of money. Synthetic oils work well in a systematic effort to send your crankcase oil for lab analysis to tell you when to change the oil. If you can extend your oil changes by 3 times then synthetic oil would make sense but that is the only way.

 

BMW’s 15k interval never caused sludge, it was cut back because of fuel dilution issues with some of their DI engines. they still do 15k+ servicing overseas.

on a weak multiport engine like the aj27, you can do 15k on an mb 229.5/ll01/a40 oil with no issues at all

 

that's interesting. Perhaps this is achieved with European highway cars. I know for a fact that in the American market under our urban prevailing conditions this was a disaster for BMW engines. Even with Eurospec synthetic oils used, i have scooped out the sludge with my finger and seen the clogged oil return ports.

 

Excuse me! I believe I will continue my Oil changing cycles as I have over the last 20 years....I really don't care what BMW says or does or anyone else for that matter!
What I do works for me and that's what counts!

Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch

 

^^^^ +1

my preferred synthetic oil, in the XKR its Mobil 1 0w-40. That oil, and my preferred oil change regimen have resulted in no oil related failures and zero measurable wear in every vehicle I’ve owned in the last 30+ years.

When I sold my last Shelby ‘66 GT350 it had over 250,000 miles on it, over 95,000 (hard) miles under my ownership and with using Mobil 1 products.

if there’s a better oil out there, what good can it do for me ?

How do you get better than zero wear ?



Z

 

With all due respect, this is absurdly simplistic explanation of the benefits of synthetic oil. Increased oil change intervals is only the tip of the Iceberg when it comes to detailing the benefits of synthetic oil and other synthetic lubricants. A primary benefit of quality synthetics, the substantial reduction in engine wear, has been thoroughly documented. And surely doesn’t need to be debated as infinitum.

However, I do concur with getting an oil analysis by Blackstone every so often. As it is a useful informational tool that can tell as much about the engine’s condition as it does about the oil and its additive package’s longevity.


Z

 

Let me explain why synthetic oil is not what people think. Synthetic oils are nothing but normal oil but full synthetic is when the tails of the oil molecules are cut to the same length but not as long as natural oil. It is these tails that collect the dirt molecules in the oil and the longer the tail the more dirt they can carry. Thus the need for oil filters but this also cuts the time the oil can be used due to dirt contamination. Semi synthetic is still the same oil but the tails are screened for length not cut, so all molecules that fit are used. As the shorter molecule oils cannot carry as much dirt it is necessary to sample and test to know when to change oil. Generally, if you can extend your oil life is it still necessary to change your filter at normal intervals and test for contaminants. It is questionable if there is any savings in synthetic oils and certainly engine damage if oil tests are not done regularly.
Generally the only time synthetic oil makes sense is on big trucks and large earth moving equipment whose engines use 44 to 60 quarts of oil. I hope this makes sense to you.

 

Agree Zray. If using synthetic oil reduces wear, it makes sense to start when the engine is new or low mileage. However does changing to synthetic on say, a 20 year old engine w/ 75k miles, really have enough benefit to justify the higher price?

 

Yes.

Just my opinion based on my purely anecdotal observations on my own vehicles, none of which were purchased new.

The first Blackstone Lab analysis I has done on my ‘02 XKR immediately after purchase showed a small amount of iron. According to Blackstone this was indication of some “normal” wear for an engine of 116,000 miles.

I soon thereafter changed oil to Mobil 1 0w-40 ( a viscosity recommended by the XK’s owners manual for my climate) and subsequent Blackstone Lab reports were 100% free of any such wear indicators. Which they state for an engine of current mileage (now 168,000 miles ! ) as being “excellent “ in the wear department.

without getting into the usual debates of synthetic vs dino oil, I’ll just point out that it’s been proven many times that a quality synthetic will yield a dramatic reduction in friction. Less friction = less wear.

By the way, I have an Autool X60 meter / display installed. Sourced from Amazon. Primarily to monitor oil and coolant temperatures. The oil temp is consistently 196 to 225 F depending on ambient air temp and engine load. Always about 15-20 degrees F above the coolant temperature. (Edit corrected typo)

(I’m guessing) Air flow across the radiator must be optimized for speeds of 80 mph +. Anything below 75-80 mph and the coolant temp creeps up a few degrees. Go 80 to 120 mph, and the coolant temp goes back down slightly.

Although the car is more than willing, I’m not comfortable at speeds over 120 mph as my reflexes are not as good at 70 years old as they were 20+ years ago.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it .



Z

 

All useful info. Sounds like it makes sense to convert from dino. Thanks for mentioning the Autool X60. I watched the demo on line. Just ordered. It will be great to have real time data (especially temperature). The stock temperature "gauge" (idiot light) is useless. Once mid range, would it even move if the engine had overheated and was a smoldering mass of iron? Noticed Autool has an overspeed alert. Will it wake me up when I've fallen asleep going 100 (or whatever speed I've set)? Looking forward to driving a fully sorted out (and perhaps improved) Jag at speed.

 

to further what Zray discusses Mobil provides the base stocks for many of the boutique synthetic oil manufacturers. I trained as a chemist. The reason for the connection between sludge formation and wear is that any sludge holds contaminant particles in place. This is why it is necessary to replace any oil once its detergent properties are exhausted. Particles in suspension that do not cook to a surface are captured by the filter and/or settle to the bottom of the sump. This is why the dipstick can have clean oil on it, but what comes out of the pan is black. Additionally and related to this is that synthetic oils do not oxidize or cook that quickly. Scorched oil is a carbon particle and can hold other contaminants which makes an abrasive amalgam.

 

I have an 06 str. I use mobil 5w40 full synthetic. Love it. No indication of any abnormal usage. I live where it is 65 degrees or more 9 months out of the year and no less than 30 for 3 months. In my owners manual it says this is ok. I drive 6000 to 7000 miles a year at most and do a complete oil and filter change once a year in april. I bought the car in april 2017 so that is when all my scheduled maintenence started. I will do a blackstone lab test next april. I see more manufacturers are offering the euro spec weight so more competion is lowering the price. Bottom line is i do not change oil enough to try different brands

 

I have bought several cars that had sludged up engines; some barely ran, some had a rod knock, one had a spun main bearing. I have no idea what oil or anything they had; the one thing in common is not changing the oil often enough. Extended change intervals work to a point; but I have never seen a half decent oil not make it 3-5k miles; and ive seen sludge on some Toyotas and VWs with 7-10k mile changes observed. I run 3-5k mile changes which is usually 1 time a year per vehicle, maybe 2 times if it had some more use.

I have ran Mobil 1, Castol Magnetec, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum and Valvoline Full synthetics in my 2 XKRs and former XJR; and NAPA Gold filters. No problems; mostly the determinant of which I use is...what has a sale or rebate at the time. All have no consumption issues, and when I've had valve covers off, things look just beautiful in terms of sludge and wear.

 

Well said