2001 BMW R1100RL Oil change

[mattmiller]

I am about to do my first major tune-up on my bike at 24,000 miles. Will full synthetic oil help my engine last longer than using mineral based oil. I am going to buy the kit from Beemer Bone Yard and they offer Full Synthetic, Synthetic blend and mineral based oil. thanks for your help.

 

[PGlaves]

I am about to do my first major tune-up on my bike at 24,000 miles. Will full synthetic oil help my engine last longer than using mineral based oil. I am going to buy the kit from Beemer Bone Yard and they offer Full Synthetic, Synthetic blend and mineral based oil. thanks for your help.

Maybe

 

[BC1100S]

Maybe

Best answer I've ever seen.

 

[kioolt]

I use synthetic 90% of the time in my 04RT. I change it at the recommended interval of 6k miles. What I have found is that when using synthetic oil that the oil usage between oil changes in practically nill as compared to using dino oil. My bike now has 162k miles on it and it used less then a half quart in the last 6k miles.

 

[DaveDep]

Geezz, I can't argue with 162k! Surely doing something right there. But an experienced BMW specialist said that oil heads tend to generate oil leaks with synthetics and strongly recommended dino oil so that's what I am using.

 

[rxcrider]

I have gone back and forth on my R1100RS - What I've found is that particularly in hot weather, the standard oil (Castrol V-Twin 20W-50) seem to get darker and be consumed quicker than synthetic (Mobil 1 15W-50 or V-Twin 20W-50). in air cooled outdoor power equipment, I've seen regular oil cook and cake up around hot spots like in the rocker box near the exhaust port where sythetic stayed clean. I don't have enough experience with our engines to say if that is possibly a concern. I have had no more (or less) oil leaks with the synthetic in my bike. (seeping head gasket, front cover and oil pressure switch).

The final drive on my bike seeped a bit at the pinion seal with Mobil-1 and has pretty much stopped by switching to Castrol hypoyC / 80W-90 Limited Slip with guard dog molly. (I doubt that the molly had anything to do with it, but my gearbox and final drive seem happy with it.)