Blackstone Calls it a "Break in Oil" for BMW 335D

[62Lincoln]

I would really appreciate hearing from the regulars regarding this quote from a Blackstone report:

Quote:
This is the most interesting sample we've seen all day. This is the first BMW 335d engine that we've seen, so we had to create a new average file for it. The factory oil is so unusual that we had the lab set up the sample and run it twice. This appears to be some sort of special break-in oil that BMW is using. It has a lot less zinc in it than usual. The viscosity is fine for 5W/30, and the metals, which are from break-in of new parts, will all come down over the next 2-3 oil changes. The TBN read 2.8, still good. No contaminants found. Interesting!


Is this related to the oil being a diesel-specific oil, or something else? The person who posted this report did not give his specific mileage, only that he had the oil changed early (at 2-3,000 miles perhaps).

 

[JHZR2]

can you make that image a bit larger?

 

[JimPghPA]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
can you make that image a bit larger?


+1 When I tried to zoom in on it, it came out all blury.

 

[62Lincoln]

Sorry guys, here's my second attempt. By the way, his mileage was 5470, so I did notice that!

 

[BobFout]

Fuchs has some low ZDDP oils....

 

[d00df00d]

This may not be unusual for LL-04 oils.

 

[saaber1]

Wow, very interesting. If anyone knows, can you tell use more about the emissions system of the 335D?

62lincoln, you stated that he changed the oil at 2-3k miles, but the report says 5470 miles. Do you think it is 5470 miles and the original poster of the UOA was just off on his guestimate? just trying to clarify that this is in fact the factory fill.

Thanks for posting this.

 

[m37charlie]

The 335d/X5 35d has EGR, DPF, and SCR/urea.

Charlie

 

[Chris142]

Wheres the beef?

 

[62Lincoln]

Originally Posted By: saaber1


62lincoln, you stated that he changed the oil at 2-3k miles, but the report says 5470 miles. Do you think it is 5470 miles and the original poster of the UOA was just off on his guestimate? just trying to clarify that this is in fact the factory fill.



I was incorrect in the first post, his mileage was 5470, and this is definitely the factory oil. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[62Lincoln]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
This may not be unusual for LL-04 oils.


You're getting to the heart of the matter. If this is simply an LL-04 oil, then it certainly isn't a "special break in oil", and there wouldn't be any reason to forego an early oil change at 1500-2000 miles.

OTOH, wouldn't Blackstone be familiar with those oils? That's why their comments stood out to me, they seemed to be really surprised, and unfamiliar with this oil's specs.

 

[m37charlie]

I posted a UOA on the dealer supplied LL04 oil: Castrol OE Professional 5W30:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1876571#Post1876571
I made an error in the original post, what was listed as K = 910 was actually Zn = 910.

Charlie

 

[62Lincoln]

Any more thoughts from the community on this oil? Is it really a break in oil (hard to believe)?

 

[JAG]

Blackstone has made some big errors in the past so without a re-test or a similar result from someone else's factory fill, it's not possible to be sure of the result.

If it really did have Zn and P like this UOA showed, this would be a very unusual result for modern factory fills. It is possible though. The M engines have break in oil but that is mentioned in the owner's manuals and it gets changed early in the engine's life.

 

[opposite_locker]

Not sure about the 335d, but I know that MB used a Xw30 "break-in" oil (229.11 spec or something similar, IIRC) as factory fill in our '09 GL320 Bluetec. So it seems entirely plausible that BMW would do the same.

 

[opposite_locker]

Correction...GL came with 225.1x low SAPS break-in oil from the factory

http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolistenmain.php?entercustomer=true&language_id=1

 

[62Lincoln]

Originally Posted By: JAG

If it really did have Zn and P like this UOA showed, this would be a very unusual result for modern factory fills. It is possible though. The M engines have break in oil but that is mentioned in the owner's manuals and it gets changed early in the engine's life.


Assuming the test results are accurate, what would be the underlying reason for this oil chemistry? What would BMW be looking to do with this oil?

The factory recommendation is for the first oil change to occur at 15,000 miles (or whenever the computer tells the driver to get it changed). I had planned to change the factory fill at 1500-2000 miles until I read this report. Now I'm waffling, although it just doesn't seem logical that a "break in oil" would be expected to last 15,000 miles.

 

[JAG]

Originally Posted By: 62Lincoln
Originally Posted By: JAG

If it really did have Zn and P like this UOA showed, this would be a very unusual result for modern factory fills. It is possible though. The M engines have break in oil but that is mentioned in the owner's manuals and it gets changed early in the engine's life.


Assuming the test results are accurate, what would be the underlying reason for this oil chemistry? What would BMW be looking to do with this oil?

The factory recommendation is for the first oil change to occur at 15,000 miles (or whenever the computer tells the driver to get it changed). I had planned to change the factory fill at 1500-2000 miles until I read this report. Now I'm waffling, although it just doesn't seem logical that a "break in oil" would be expected to last 15,000 miles.

Maybe to have less sulfated ash than the minimum required for the BMW LL-04 spec., but I doubt that's a likely reason.

Could be the oil supplier is going for the "green award" by nearly eliminating ZDDP and using a lower concentration of some other non-metallic phosphorous-based anti-wear additive. As Bob said above, Fuchs has a no or very low ZDDP motor oil or at least did a few years ago.

Diesel engines are generally tougher than gasoline engines so I wonder if they are purposely trying to get it to wear-in faster with a special (break-in) oil.

 

[Brons2]

There's a UOA in the gasser section with a similar chemistry, V6 Camry with Fuchs GT-1 0w20.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1904024#Post1904024

All chemistry comments aside, I'd say the BMW factory oil did a pretty good job. It could have been run farther, maybe to 7500 or so. Which would be a good interval for going between the dealer supplied changes at 15,000.