Oil Analysis Reports

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by 90028 SGM3

Hi guys - just got my first Blackstone report back from the first oil change of my ownership - 08 E92 with ~17k miles. Any idea why the raised numbers for magnesium & boron? Is this anything to be alarmed about? The Blackstone guys seem to think everything looked good but there's no further info on why those numbers might be raised. I live in LA and use 91 octane gas exclusively. Thanks!

I would say they are just part of the additive pack.

[admranger]

Sorry if this has been covered before, but at what copper and lead levels (over more than one report), should one be concerned and take action on the bearings?

Thanks!

[FRFNUGN]

^ No one seems to have a real good number. If it keeps climbing over 3 reports, they are still wearing, which means they could fail at some point. It's really a comfort/risk thing - if you're uncomfortable with how high it's getting, then proactively change them. I thought I saw a report or two before with lead in the 80s, that would definitely get me to do something about it. If it's only in the 20's (as my last one was) I'd wait it out and see what the next interval looks like. 30-40ppm is probably pushing it if it's over a few intervals.


My latest report below. Lead back to normal thankfully, not sure what to make of the iron - decreased some, but still high. Nickel increased however. Iron level seems to correspond to the switch to 0W-40 (8/30/14 was the first 0W-40, previous two were 10W-60). Maybe I ought to go back to 10W-60, see what happens? I wonder if the initial lead spike was due to the switch to 0W-40 and having a fine layer wear off due to the light weight oil, but not it's settled at a happy clearance with the choice of oil, any thoughts?

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by FRFNUGN

^ No one seems to have a real good number. If it keeps climbing over 3 reports, they are still wearing, which means they could fail at some point. It's really a comfort/risk thing - if you're uncomfortable with how high it's getting, then proactively change them. I thought I saw a report or two before with lead in the 80s, that would definitely get me to do something about it. If it's only in the 20's (as my last one was) I'd wait it out and see what the next interval looks like. 30-40ppm is probably pushing it if it's over a few intervals.


My latest report below. Lead back to normal thankfully, not sure what to make of the iron - decreased some, but still high. Nickel increased however. Iron level seems to correspond to the switch to 0W-40 (8/30/14 was the first 0W-40, previous two were 10W-60). Maybe I ought to go back to 10W-60, see what happens? I wonder if the initial lead spike was due to the switch to 0W-40 and having a fine layer wear off due to the light weight oil, but not it's settled at a happy clearance with the choice of oil, any thoughts?

I think >9k miles on 0w-40 isn't wise, even TWS >9k will show some iron increase.

[admranger]

Thanks for the reply, FRFNUGN. I'll watch the levels. The averages over the past three samples (low mileage) averaged 1 for lead and 11 for copper. Iron was 7. About to do another annual low mileage change next month.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by OneSickM

Your car is a 2011 model (no lead rod bearings) ..so I am not sure what else you can look at here

To be clear 2011 models that were produced through April-May 2010 have the lead bearings.

[OneSickM]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

To be clear 2011 models that were produced through April-May 2010 have the lead bearings.

Do you have sources to support your claim? Because I what I know is come certain 2010 had lead bearings but 2010.5 and newer have aluminum bearings.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by OneSickM

Do you have sources to support your claim? Because I what I know is come certain 2010 had lead bearings but 2010.5 and newer have aluminum bearings.

I have seen 2011s with lead bearings. The full switch came with 2011.5.

2011 (March 2010) - LCI (and ZCP option)
2011.5 (Sept 2010) - standard bluetooth (6FL) and combox
2011.75 (March 2011) - above plus apps (6NR), start/stop

[HaroldC]

Just had my first oil analysis done even though I've had this car since 28k mi. I was definitely happy with the results and will probably stick with TWS for the time being, maybe switch to Mobil1 0w-40 for the winter. I do not DD the car and do not track it, it's mainly just a weekend car.

[Beemdog]

Originally Posted by HaroldC

Just had my first oil analysis done even though I've had this car since 28k mi. I was definitely happy with the results and will probably stick with TWS for the time being, maybe switch to Mobil1 0w-40 for the winter. I do not DD the car and do not track it, it's mainly just a weekend car.

Wow! Nice numbers... especially at a 7500 mile change interval.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Beemdog

Wow! Nice numbers... especially at a 7500 mile change interval.

Yep , that's a dream report !

[FRFNUGN]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

I think >9k miles on 0w-40 isn't wise, even TWS >9k will show some iron increase.

Can I ask why you think it isn't wise? I had TBN done on the previous interval and the comment from Blackstone was "A TBN of 5.3 is showing lots of active additive remaining in the oil." If you're saying in regards to iron levels being high, I'd say that's due to the lighter oil itself (when I switched to 0W-40 it went from ~10ppm to ~25ppm). If I went with a shorter interval, I'd say iron would still be there, but at a lower number, simply because it increases linearly during the oil interval.

I do agree that 0W-40 doesn't seem to be the best in terms of iron wear compared to 10W-60. I may end up going back to 10W-60 at some point this summer and running that through the winter again to see if the values go back to what they were before the 0W-40 switch.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by FRFNUGN

Can I ask why you think it isn't wise? I had TBN done on the previous interval and the comment from Blackstone was "A TBN of 5.3 is showing lots of active additive remaining in the oil." If you're saying in regards to iron levels being high, I'd say that's due to the lighter oil itself (when I switched to 0W-40 it went from ~10ppm to ~25ppm). If I went with a shorter interval, I'd say iron would still be there, but at a lower number, simply because it increases linearly during the oil interval.

I do agree that 0W-40 doesn't seem to be the best in terms of iron wear compared to 10W-60. I may end up going back to 10W-60 at some point this summer and running that through the winter again to see if the values go back to what they were before the 0W-40 switch.

Even the TWS at higher intervals seems to "thin out" and the iron climbs, so with 0w-40 already a thinner oil, extending the interval seems like a step in the wrong direction with respect to engine wear.

[FRFNUGN]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Even the TWS at higher intervals seems to "thin out" and the iron climbs, so with 0w-40 already a thinner oil, extending the interval seems like a step in the wrong direction with respect to engine wear.

I'll agree with that. My thought was to run the 0W-40 in the winter since it's routinely below 0°F after sitting in the work lot all day, but had continued to run it year-round due to the low cost and somewhat decent results posted by others. I'm beginning to think that 10W-60 year-round isn't such a terrible idea, even in the frigid cold.

[Prince_of_Persia]

My first report attached. It seems like everything is fine. 73,000 KM on my engine.

[IIAp3x]

[IMG][/IMG]

Just switched to Liqui Moly during this last oil change and will have a report on it next time...

[BzsBimmer]

From my last oil change. Not sure of the water but the gas due to burble tune me thinks

[AlteredBe4st]

And my report card.

[Nice Rumble]

Just had my first oil analysis done on a 2009 Coupe with 18,000 miles after sitting in winter storage for 5 months. Bought it used last summer from a private sale. It has had 2 previous owners so the results were what I wanted to see.

[aussiem3]

This is my latest oil report around 51k km mark. Topped it up once with a litre of LM 10w-60. I have since changed to M1 0w-40 and it will be interesting see the wear level of the deposits in the oil. I think this engine has done extremely well for the age and mileage. What I need to fear now is what will M1 do to this engine . Fingers crossed.

[WhatsADSM]

My first

[Z K]

Got my 2nd oil analysis with 0w40. This time running 4600 miles and 1 track day in colder 60 degree fall weather.

My first analysis was with 0w40 mixed with 2 quarts of Redline 10w60... ran 1 track day on that with 100+ degree summer weather.

So far looks good! Lead #s are falling... not that it was originally high anyway.

Next analysis will be a mix of Mobil 1 0w40 with Castrol TWS.