2008 BMW 135i OEM BMW 5w30 5,466 miles.

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Here is the Blackstone oil analysis from my most recent oil change. Not good results which is disappointing. I did not do an analysis at my last change (~12k) and wish I had.

The car is a 2008 BMW 135i. I use the OEM BMW 5w30 oil.

Any thoughts?

blackstone17.jpg
 
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How do you drive this car? Hard, with redline a habit? Or sedately? If the latter, I would be a bit cioncerned as you approach 20,000 miles.
 
No reason to worry. At this mileage your engine is probably still breaking in. Keep an eye on it with continued oil analysis if you're really worried.
 
I drive normally. I do not redline the car and only occasionally 'get on it'

I have should have been more clear in my initial post, there was 5466 miles on the oil tested, 17,589 total on the car.
 
Seems like a bunch of metal... Whats the OCI that BMW recommends? 15k on that oil with all that metal floating around in there?
 
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Keep an eye on it, might want to try a different oil, but the problem is there are not really any cheaper oils you can use to flush the engine. What kind of warranty do you have? I noticed it says it is an '08 on the report, did you get it at an auction or just not put many miles on it?
 
Originally Posted By: chubbs1
Keep an eye on it, might want to try a different oil, but the problem is there are not really any cheaper oils you can use to flush the engine. What kind of warranty do you have? I noticed it says it is an '08 on the report, did you get it at an auction or just not put many miles on it?


I bought it new. I split the time in the car between a motorcycle and a 2001 Z3 Coupe that is a summer car.
 
Originally Posted By: Boomer
How do you drive this car? Hard, with redline a habit? Or sedately? If the latter, I would be a bit cioncerned as you approach 20,000 miles.


How much does that matter? I ask because I've seen tracked cars with good UOA's, almost as if it doesn't matter.
My Saturn sees countless instances above 5k in a day, and a few times is at the rev limiter (every day) Engine seems to run fine, so I always assumed my oil was fine to run the standard duration too.
 
Hi.

I am not convinced that 40000 miles is when metals will start to settle down a bit. You are risking it if you wait that long. A bigger problem may manifest itself in the future. This oil analysis is telling you something.

Your driving habits are pretty normal in my opinion. You are using the OEM oil. A BMW is supposedly called the ultimate driving machine, so I'm pretty sure sporty driving is part of the equation too. I would take it to a reputable dealer in your area, or a mechanic you trust, and get it examined. If you're under warranty, which it looks like you are, milk the dealer to get the answer. You paid a lot of money for it, I would hate to see it break if the problem could possibly be fixed early (as in immediately).

The question you are presented with is: why are other cars, that produce similar power, operate under similar driving habits, similar environmental conditions, use similar oil, change it at similar intervals, etc. are getting better oil analysis results? It's simple common sense.

I would not wait until later to "see if the metals will settle down." What if they don't? Then you the consumer, lose a car you love. BMW just keeps on churning out the same product.

Take it to the dealer under warranty. Get it checked out. Whatever. Bring this oil analysis. Service records. Those are your weapons. Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: dtt004
Hi.

I am not convinced that 40000 miles is when metals will start to settle down a bit. You are risking it if you wait that long. A bigger problem may manifest itself in the future. This oil analysis is telling you something.

Your driving habits are pretty normal in my opinion. You are using the OEM oil. A BMW is supposedly called the ultimate driving machine, so I'm pretty sure sporty driving is part of the equation too. I would take it to a reputable dealer in your area, or a mechanic you trust, and get it examined. If you're under warranty, which it looks like you are, milk the dealer to get the answer. You paid a lot of money for it, I would hate to see it break if the problem could possibly be fixed early (as in immediately).

The question you are presented with is: why are other cars, that produce similar power, operate under similar driving habits, similar environmental conditions, use similar oil, change it at similar intervals, etc. are getting better oil analysis results? It's simple common sense.

I would not wait until later to "see if the metals will settle down." What if they don't? Then you the consumer, lose a car you love. BMW just keeps on churning out the same product.

Take it to the dealer under warranty. Get it checked out. Whatever. Bring this oil analysis. Service records. Those are your weapons. Good luck.



My big concern with the results of this analysis are based on the S54 engine that BMW had big issues with rod bearing failures.

The BMW oil service interval is 15,000 miles (Here is BMW 330i that the owner changed his oil for the first time at the BMW interval (17,000).

I am not sure if the dealer will do anything if the car is not having any problems.
 
I'd agree, but I'd probably use a Terry dyson analysis first to have some real comparitive basis on it...

And I'd also print and show in an excel plot every single uoa you can find online. Id normalize to ppm/1000mi likely.

If you were showing high dilution I'd not be as concerned... But I can't see an immediate basis.

What fuel do you generally use, and do you use any fuel additives?
 
Originally Posted By: Potsie
My big concern with the results of this analysis are based on the S54 engine that BMW had big issues with rod bearing failures.

I wouldn't worry, for four reasons:

1. The method that Blackstone uses to generate the wear numbers pretty much guarantees that the numbers are meaningless unless you have a long trend on the same oil.

2. Even with a trend, there is still a significant chance the oil analysis either won't catch a failure or make you think something is failing when it's not.

3. The S54 rod bearing issue was largely if not entirely the result of a manufacturing defect.

4. Your N54 is a completely different engine: newer, different metallurgy, significantly different design, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I'd agree, but I'd probably use a Terry dyson analysis first to have some real comparitive basis on it...

Agreed.
 
I think you will see things start to look better soon.

You change the filter too right?

For a very advanced engine like that one, I think you could still be in some break in period, especially towards the beginning of that last run.
 
Originally Posted By: Ayrton
I think you will see things start to look better soon.

You change the filter too right?

For a very advanced engine like that one, I think you could still be in some break in period, especially towards the beginning of that last run.




Yes, I change the filter. I will do another Blackstone analysis at my next change in addition to a Dyson analysis.
 
Guys, Terry Dyson told us years ago that the only oils that cut it in these DI turbo engines are ester-based oils. The PAO-based are not making the grade, especially at long intervals. And this is exactly what we are seeing in the over 100 UOAs we have for the DI turbo Audi 2.0 FSI engine.
Originally Posted By: Terry
reb03, the M1 0w40 should not be run longer than 1000 miles to be safe.. Audi and BMW know they are having problems but are marketing tied to certain LARGE oil company that sponsors BITOG thus they cannot speak out about it.

TD
Originally Posted By: Terry
reb03, I have customers running BMW5w30, M1 0w40 all with the same effect, the wear control is good if we change the oil at 1000 mile intervals but the deposit formation from REAL volatility issues are slowly damaging the engines. I just worked a 07 335 Biturbo yesterday USING ASTM lab tests on the used oil and M1 0w40 went from VOA flash of 430+F to 280 F in 1150 miles, oil sheared to 12.1 cSt and fuel was at 1.99% by IR. Amsoil has not been tested in this engine yet. Because Amsoil is a traditional based PAO I predict similar results to the M1 0w40 which is still one of few M1 products that can perform reasonably well.

Terry

Also, how can this still be break in wear at this late mileage (the very high Mn may indicate high fuel dilution). ? We have cars that show less wear at much fewer miles:

z4bmwoil6-10.jpg

On other forums (not as much on BITOG because poeple are actually taking the time to educate themselves) guys keep saying, "just trust the manufacturer if they say you can run 10k it's fine?". These folks need to look at the data and listen to Dyson who nailed the problem years ago.

Also, other users are coming to the same conclusions on their own:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280168

Bottom line is that fuel dilution and the punishment these DI turbo engines are beating up the regular PAOs very quickly. If this were my car I would run the best ester-based oil I could find at a 5k interval and extend if the UOA supported it. Partially reacted fuel continues to degrade these oils over time. So running oils that are shown in both UOAs and expert advice not to deal well with fuel dilution for long intervals is not smart IMO.
 
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