87 BMW 325 eta M20B27 high metals, 1700mi M1 0w40

[rgnar]

Only two days on the track, only 1700 miles. I don't seem to have good luck with M1. Castrol GTX is looking WAY better or are two track days all that hard on the tractor like eta engine?

EQUIP. MAKE/MODEL: BMW 2.7L (M20B27) 6-Cylinder
OIL TYPE & GRADE:Mobil 1 0W/40
OIL USE INTERVAL:1,703 Miles

Black Stone Says:
Even though this oil hasn't seen many miles, the use that it has seen was probably tough on internal parts. Track time probably explains why metals are a bit higher than last time, even after using a much shorter interval. At this point, we're not seeing anything so high that we're worried about a problem. The TBN was very strong at 8.7 - lots of active additive left (probably due to the short interval), but we do suggest changing this oil before metals accumulate and make the oil itself abrasive. The trace of fuel is harmless and the viscosity was fine for a 0W/40.

M1 0W40
MI/HR on Oil 1,703
MI/HR on Unit 144,251
Sample Date 6/28/2015
Make Up Oil 1 qt

ALUMINUM 5
CHROMIUM 1
IRON 16
COPPER 6
LEAD 12
TIN 2
MOLYBDENUM 89
NICKEL 0
MANGANESE 0
SILVER 0
TITANIUM 0
POTASSIUM 4
BORON 144
SILICON 5
SODIUM 18
CALCIUM 2317
MAGNESIUM 408
PHOSPHORUS 856
ZINC 1106
BARIUM 0

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 63.1
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 11.08
Flashpoint in °F 375
Fuel % TR
Antifreeze % 0.0
Water % 0.0
Insolubles % 0.4
TBN 8.7

 

[OVERKILL]

Looks fine? Flashpoint (and viscosity) are down a bit, indicating some fuel in the oil, but otherwise everything looks good.

 

[rgnar]

5K on Castrol when I used to AutoX:
Iron 8 (vs 16)
Lead 7 (vs 12)
Does this really look like "use that it has seen was probably tough on internal parts."?
Blackstone seems to think there is negligible fuel in the oil:
"The trace of fuel is harmless and the viscosity was fine for a 0W/40."
M1 in my Honda 2004 Accord I4 has high wear metals on it too. I'd like to see less wear metals with M1?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Switch back to GTX.

 

[OVERKILL]

This is the problem with UOA's. Those wear metals aren't "high". If you had 200ppm, yes, that would be high. These are within normal levels. You also can't compare wear metals between different oils and determine one is "wearing more" than the other, it doesn't work that way.

Also, regarding the fuel, the flashpoint and viscosity both went down, so regardless of what [censored] is saying, there is fuel ingress there. I was at 11.24cSt with 5% fuel in the oil (different lab), also with M1 0w-40.

 

[rgnar]

Overkill, my nose tells me that fuel is in the oil, and its a real time biochemical sensor with a detection limit of about 1ppm.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Nothing to see here really. Single pass with M1 no less really doesn't tell me much.

M1 cleans really well and adding tracking to the scenario minor fuel dilution seems normal.

IMO of course

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: rgnar
Overkill, my nose tells me that fuel is in the oil, and its a real time biochemical sensor with a detection limit of about 1ppm.


LOL!!! Well if you can smell the fuel, then there ya go

 

[andyd]

There are 2 M20 engines from that era. The 325e had a 2.5L. My 528e came with a 2.7L. Dude You need a head from a 325i. That is the hottest bolt on stuff. The whole deal with these engines is to not break the timing belt. Also,regardez the oil I run. That is what BMW specced for oil. I used to run 10w40 for winter. Now, I just add a pint of MMO..

 

[Bigdaddyeasy]

Try a 20w50 or an HDDO like RT6 or a euro spec 40

 

[901Memphis]

Nothing wrong from my point of view.

 

[rgnar]

Andyd, eta's have the 2.7l, M20B27, the 325i's got the 2.5l engines M20B25.
He has swap is a pain since you can't keep eta pistons.
To do it right costs at least 3-5k, which is not worth it to me.
Although it sounds cool.

 

[KenO]

You can swap the i head on a stock eta bottom end. Done it plenty of times. Compression drops, but the increase in power & revs is well worth it. For most purposes, the increase in displacement overshadows the loss of 1 compression ring using the eta bottom end. The end result is still more power than a stock m20b25. Either way neither is worth it when an M50 sap is SO common, cheap, and easy to d these days.

OP - unless this is a fresh motor, or an engine that had issues - just put a thicker oil in it and drive it. Do your maintenance on a proper schedule and drive the snot out of it - you will NOT break it.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: Bigdaddyeasy
Try a 20w50 or an HDDO like RT6 or a euro spec 40


M1 0w-40 is a euro spec 40....

 

[chrisri]

Other than lead all metals are fine. Lead is a bit higher than I would like to see personally. Oil dropped in viscosity to a 30 grade in only 1.7k for whatever reason. I would look into injectors for possible leaks, and if you are planning to do more tracking, consider some of the heavier KV100 oils of 15 cSt.

 

[Bigdaddyeasy]

Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: Bigdaddyeasy
Try a 20w50 or an HDDO like RT6 or a euro spec 40


M1 0w-40 is a euro spec 40....


Oh,didn't know that. Maybe he should just try the heavier grades then. I think 20w50 is appropriate for track use. Rt6 or red line will handle fuel dilution better though it doesn't appear he was having issues with dilution yet. This is a very short oci though and fuel was present. Had it been ran longer it very well coulda been an issue.

 

[userfriendly]

There are several small steps in viscosity selection between M-1 0W40 and a 20W50.

Even with the same brand, there is a heavier 0W40, at least two 5W40s, 10W40, several 15W40s and a couple of SAE 40s.

 

[Ibrahim]

Nothing alarming here... If you track and change oil often/short intervals go back to GTX/Maxlife 10W40!

 

[userfriendly]

Ibrahim, you know that dog won't hunt with the "BITOG Cold-Flow Fan Boy Club".
Anything thicker than 0W40 M1 is like recommending molasses in January.

 

[Ibrahim]

haha... I'm too sorta in Cold Flow Fan Boy Club too, but this car is for tracking or at least he tracks often, rgnar is obviously not looking for maximum fuel mileage on 87' bmw nor he has to worry about any warranty issues, so yeah 3K-5K miles OCI with MaxLife/GTX 10W40 with few track days... I'm sure sky won't fall or crack open!