I am not expecting an answer, it is an open ended question to which I would like to see ideas. I had hoped to circumnavigate the usual crucifixion of sub-par maintenance by stating it a philosophical topic.
But we can not always get that. Sorry for being such a wimp
MN, you suppied us with only two facts:
What other type of response might you expect from us?
The question is theoretical, so will be my answer.
Yes, using a blend can cause failure of the lubrication of the valvetrain, and subsequent camshaft failure, if the engine resuires synthetic oil. Uncle Turbo and Bladecutter provided excellent explanations as to why.
Others here are simply trying to help, but, as you stated, hellp was not requested, only the philosophical “is this possible”. The answer is “yes”.
Thank you. That is the satisfaction I desired.
I agreed that other here did try to help, and I am thankful. It seemed to me an unlikely situation, but now I am the wiser.
I think if you ad a cup of transmission oil then I think the engine should get going again.
Any time a story gets posted second and third hand, it’s usually so twisted that the TRUTH and the FACTS are just distant memories…
Manufacturers and mechanics have been blaming engine failures on “using the wrong motor oil” since 1900…But usually the failure was caused by poor design, defective parts, normal wear or owner abuse…
Nope the oil quality had nothing to do with the issue. This engine has one cam shaft and the mechanic likely had a child support payment due. Oil is oil if you have enough of either type the engine will run and not break stuff due to oil problems. The rest of these posts are postulates on things you did not ask.http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2149205.page#
Wrong oil was never reliably mentioned. The mechanic stated that wrong oil COULD do the problem. And that is clearly bs, not a fact.
Wrong this is nonsense. EU and US use the same oil standard, it is printed in the owners manual. It is all made in the same plant more or less.
Same,
Sorry your answer does not pass the engineering smell test. 10w is 10w either syn or not. The engineering tests that make it 10w are not lies depending on the day of the week. A blend even at the edge of credulity would not create an oil that was not 10w or whatever. This is not engineering but MYTH.
Incorrect, there are more characteristics than the grade. 10W, for example, is a measure of its viscosity, and does not describe how it can handle difficult lubrication situations, nor how long it will maintain that capability. For example, BMW has much more stringent oil specifications for its ‘M’ engines, sythetic is required.
Please read Mercedes, Volkswagen and other European manuals for oil requirements, Note the specs, and compare with what is on the average oil can from a no-name supermarket oil.
Mobil 1 is a good synthetic, but the stuff sold in most US locations does not meet VW requirements, for instance. Mobil makes two synthetics for that reason, but THEY ALL COME OUT OF THE SAME FACTORY! Making a high quality oil is a matter of selecting the best base stock and adding the needed additives to meet the manufacturer’s specs.
For heavy duty diesels and gas powered engines, each manufacturer, such as Mack, Cummins, Caterpiller, have their own spec for oil. Shell sells a number of engine oils in North America. They specify whether these oils meet the US (API), ILSAC GF-3 (Euro), ILSAC GFF-4 (Euro), or JASO T903 (Japanese) specifications. Their best oils met all these, but the no-name brands on the Walmart shelf will likely NOT, and only meet the US standard barely.
Any oil company distribution depot will gladly give you a copy of their lubricants and application booklet. It makes for very interesting reading.
In the future will likely see a convergence of lubricant specs.
Years ago, oil was oil, so to speak, and you could put whatever you wanted in a European car.
Mini (not just some mechanic) specifies that only 100% synthetic oils should be used. That is a fact:
http://www.miniusa.com/faq.jsp?category=10#/contactFaq/faq/maintenance-m
Another fact - your posts are taking on a very ‘trollish’ character - is that on purpose?
How do you figure? What is the reasoning behind that statement?
Oil is oil if you have enough of either type the engine will run and not break stuff due to oil problems.
That is patently false. euryale1, if you really believe that, I encourage you get buy the most expensive turbocharged car you can afford and use non-synthetic oil in the engine. Only after conducting such an experiment will you be qualified to dispense such bad advice.
Pure B.S He drove it 90,000miles before it failed.The owners manual should specify the correct grade and type of oil.
There is no enhanced performance specification for “synthetic” motor oil, it has only to pass the same specifications as any other motor oil. Therefore the dealer mechanic is ignorant in his claim that “a” synthetic motor oil would have prevented this failure.
Boy I misread this originally.
There are “enhanced” specifications for synthetic oils. Not all of them, but all synthetic oils are not created equal even in the same grade (5w-30vs 5w-30).
You need to find out the ACEA requirements (or BMW LL, etc.) The oil required probably spec’s a HTHS of >3.5. Many do not.
The Euro’s have a superior system of classifying oil. It looks like alphanumeric - bit soup, but makes it far easier to choose the right oil.
Yes, 10W synthetic oil and 10W non-synthetic oil are both 10W oils, but that isn’t the end of the story. Oil viscosity is just one of many standards related to oil.
Synthetic 10W oil stands up to heat stress better than non-synthetic 10W oil, which is why synthetic oil is required in turbocharged engines, and why it is usually a waste of money in most liquid cooled naturally aspirated engines.
If this was a myth, it wouldn’t be written into the owner’s manuals and repair manuals of these turbo charged cars by the engineers who design them.
If you can back something up in writing, and prove the engineers who designed the engine set the standard, it is not a myth.
I’m always amazed at the advice given to car owners by a “mechanic” What are the mechanics’ qualifications? A 50/50 blend of oil? What owners manual has this advice?
Any one can buy a tool box and consider themselves a mechanic.
Please get the information right if you need help on this forum. Mini doesn’t make a six cylinder motor, nor does it have six camshafts.
I doubt the vehicle had the oil changed or checked on a regular basis. This caused the motor failure.
Euryale, I’ll be the first to admit that the subject of dino vs. blend vs. synthetic oils has been and continues to be an area of debate and discussion. But I go by the American Petroleum Institute data, “Bob’s the Oil Guy” who I find credible from a technical perspective, and carbibles.com, which is actually a collection of input from its visitors and technical references (it isn’t a formal research or technical agency). I’m the first to question seemingly magic formulas, but I’m convinced from everything I’ve read and seen that synthetic oils truely do stand up to shear forces and temperature stresses better than dinos.
Having said that, I also believe that synthetic is used by many in applications where it’s not required with the belief that it’ll make their engines last longer and I’ve not seen any evidence whatsoever of this. IMHO using synthetic in engines that do not subject the oil to extremes is a waste of money, and if it’s used to extend the time between oil changes it can actually be counterproductive.
Bottom line IMHO: if the owner’s manual suggests synthetic, it shoudl be used. If not, dino will be all the engine needs. Blends are a way to appease those who would like synthetic but don’t need it and cannot afford it. Synthetic helps the working class man who believes the synthetic sales pitch feel like he’s doing averything he can to protect his engine at a price he can afford.
Remember, even myth can be founded in some truth. Unicorns came from Norwhales and sea monsters came from giant squid.