Used the wrong oil for oil change

[OneOfTheseDays]

So I'm supposed to be using Castrol 5W-30 High performance Synthetic oil for my BMW 325i, but I used the non-synthetic stuff instead. I haven't actually driven the car since the oil change. Are there going to be any negative side effects from draining all the oil out and putting in the synthetic stuff? Thanks.

 

[NokiaDude]

Shouldn't be a problem. As long as you used the same weight you're fine. I don't trust conventional enough to use past 3000k miles.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: NokiaDude
Shouldn't be a problem. As long as you used the same weight you're fine. I don't trust conventional enough to use past 3000k miles.

I wouldn't trust any oil to work past 3 million miles, really.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NokiaDude
Shouldn't be a problem. As long as you used the same weight you're fine. I don't trust conventional enough to use past 3000k miles.

I wouldn't trust any oil to work past 3 million miles, really.

:laugh:

 

[Aimster]

Do NOT drive your car.

Flush it. Leave it dripping the entire night.

Change it with the right oil. You drive it and I expect to see numerous threads on here about future car problems.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Do NOT drive your car.

Flush it. Leave it dripping the entire night.

Change it with the right oil. You drive it and I expect to see numerous threads on here about future car problems.

my sarcasm meter is smoking more than a 1980's VW Rabbit diesel.

 

[woodie1]

I'd drive it for 3K or so and then change the oil using the Castrol 5W-30 High performance Synthetic oil this time. Reset the onboard computer and don't worry about it.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Do NOT drive your car.

Flush it. Leave it dripping the entire night.

Change it with the right oil. You drive it and I expect to see numerous threads on here about future car problems.

LOL, nice.

I agree with woodie.

 

[Zenmervolt]

You'll be fine with the regular oil. Just do as woodie said. They only specify synthetic to allow for a longer change interval.

ZV

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: woodie1
I'd drive it for 3K or so and then change the oil using the Castrol 5W-30 High performance Synthetic oil this time. Reset the onboard computer and don't worry about it.

:thumbsup:

 

[Thump553]

I thought the conventional wisdom was that once you put synthetic in an engine you must always stick with synthetic from then on out. Is that an old wives tale or is it correct?

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I thought the conventional wisdom was that once you put synthetic in an engine you must always stick with synthetic from then on out. Is that an old wives tale or is it correct?

Fully interchangeable.

http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/whattoknow.asp

Myth #4

You can't switch from synthetic oil to conventional oil or vice versa.
You need to start with a synthetic blend for a few oil changes before moving to full synthetic oil.
Once you start using synthetic motor oil you cannot go back to conventional oil.
Synthetic and conventional engine oils can't be mixed, or else they react and cause engine problems.

Fact
As long as the synthetic motor oil product and conventional motor oil product meet the viscosity and performance requirements outlined in the vehicle?s owner?s manual, you may interchange them with each other.

 

[T2urtle]

i switch them all the time. It really depends on what i have at the house at the time and whats on sale. I buy all types of oil. Both the camries run 10w-30 dino oil for the most part and my maxima runs 5w-30/10w-30 syn. But i often do switch them around. I keep the camry at 10w-30 dino mainly because there is a slow leak at the rear main seal that i dont want to fix and 10w-30 dino oil should make it leak less then a thinner 5w-30 oil. And if you guys are thinking the leak happened cause of switching oil your wrong, oil leak was there since the first oil change i got the car.

 

[Budmantom]

I change my oil every 7k miles and I use Mobil 1 synthetic.



My sister went 60k miles before her 1st oil change....

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I thought the conventional wisdom was that once you put synthetic in an engine you must always stick with synthetic from then on out. Is that an old wives tale or is it correct?

I believe that arose due to detergent and non-detergent oils... switching from a non-detergent oil to a detergent oil in an engine that has a lot of miles on it theoretically has "gunk" built up in spots where there could potentially be leaks, and the detergent oil cleans that up and leaks form. I'm sure ZV or somebody will be along shortly to inform me if I'm wrong

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Thump553
I thought the conventional wisdom was that once you put synthetic in an engine you must always stick with synthetic from then on out. Is that an old wives tale or is it correct?

I believe that arose due to detergent and non-detergent oils... switching from a non-detergent oil to a detergent oil in an engine that has a lot of miles on it theoretically has "gunk" built up in spots where there could potentially be leaks, and the detergent oil cleans that up and leaks form. I'm sure ZV or somebody will be along shortly to inform me if I'm wrong

Well, aside from the fact that nobody should have been running a non-detergent oil since several decades ago, I'd say you're right on.

The myth persists from the very, very early days of synthetics when the compositions were not yet fully tested. The original formulation of Mobil 1 in 1974 tended to cause problems with seals in some engines while modern Mobil 1 doesn't (and hasn't since the late 1970's) and may or may not have had compatibility issues with regular oils (I can't find anything authoritative), but at least since the early 1980s, the tales have been false.

ZV

 

[SketchMaster]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I change my oil every 7k miles and I use Mobil 1 synthetic.



My sister went 60k miles before her 1st oil change....

I don't think you would call that an oil change but more of an oil fill.

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: SketchMaster

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I change my oil every 7k miles and I use Mobil 1 synthetic.



My sister went 60k miles before her 1st oil change....

I don't think you would call that an oil change but more of an oil fill.

Huh?

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: SketchMaster

Originally posted by: Budmantom
I change my oil every 7k miles and I use Mobil 1 synthetic.



My sister went 60k miles before her 1st oil change....

I don't think you would call that an oil change but more of an oil fill.

Huh?

I imagine he's thinking there wasn't much oil left after 60k miles