Oil Analysis Reports

[ncviz]

Originally Posted by Leonardo629

how do you do 30 track days from May to July?

Additive pack is also abnormally high for TWS.

May last year

[Shredicus]

Originally Posted by Leonardo629

how do you do 30 track days from May to July?

Additive pack is also abnormally high for TWS.

Yes I am also wondering what's up with the add pack here too. Almost 5k ppm calcium and 2k zinc

[Wilsel]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Looking great at 77k miles! Definitely a relief to see the good words and numbers from the guys at Blackstone, especially with some of the threads you see here on M3post. I hope that, in the end, it's proven to be an assembly error (or some other variable) that ends up in failure in a very small percentage of our cars.

Always have used 10w60, and I drive it hard, high in the rev range, every chance I get. Daily driver, half highway, half city streets, a handful of track days over the past 3 years (I bought it in June 2012), and plenty of flogging on rural backroads. Plan to keep winding it out for many years to come!

Glad to see she's doing well at 77K.
E92M3 from Oppo!

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by Wilsel

Glad to see she's doing well at 77K.
E92M3 from Oppo!

Ha - good seeing you over here!

Yes, very nice to see good numbers come back. Won't be concerning myself with rod bearings for quite some time.

[M3an V8]

Here's my Blackstone report, oil intervals at 5k, using Liquimoly 10w60. I just sent a mid-interval sample to be tested, I guess all is well. Stupid bearing wear is making me paranoid.

[marksae]

Originally Posted by UNCbigM

More color: When the oil change was done the dealer forgot to fill the sample and called me. I asked if they could get anything at all, even anything out of the filter. The service advisor physically cut open the filter housing and squeezed about 1/2" of oil into the sample container with his hand on the filter element.

Okay, this statement does not make sense. There is no housing on our oil filters to cut open. Our oil filter housing opens by being unscrewed, where you can access and remove the oil filter element.

You have a bad data set. That's the only conclusion you can draw. Your oil collection technique obviously differed from the standard method. So data not really comparable to most of us that collect it the normal way, from the drain plug.

[burtonsbs5114]

Here is mine! Clean bill of health!!

[Landman]

Oil analysis attached. Just bought this car about 3,000 miles ago and had the oil changed. Anyone know if I should be worried about the elevated lead level or the flashpoint? Anyone know what the decreased flashpoint means?

[Shredicus]

Originally Posted by Landman

Oil analysis attached. Just bought this car about 3,000 miles ago and had the oil changed. Anyone know if I should be worried about the elevated lead level or the flashpoint? Anyone know what the decreased flashpoint means?

Flashpoint is probably low because of the fuel dilution.

[4corners]

12500 miles on this 10w-60.

"JOHN: Wear metals are very low and consistent in this sample from your M3 and that's really nice to see. The low wear is especially impressive considering how long you're running the oil. This is more than twice the number of miles that universal averages are based on. Not only is this engine producing low metals overall, but it also produces metals much lower than we see on average from the S65. You can't beat that. No excess fuel or harmful coolant showed up and the viscosity is in the 10W/60 range. Air and oil filtration are excellent. Keep up the good work."

I bought this car from Paul Walker with 54000 miles on it.

I would post the entire report but my PC is not working as well as my S65.

[Rich150001]

Can someone provide feedback on my first BS report? From the other reports I've seen, my lead levels seem high, considering the mileage of the car - 26,800.

Last oil change was 6,500 miles ago.

2008 E92 M3 DCT on Castrol 10W60, but just switched to Mobil 1 0W-40.

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by Rich150001

Can someone provide feedback on my first BS report? From the other reports I've seen, my lead levels seem high, considering the mileage of the car - 26,800.

Last oil change was 6,500 miles ago.

2008 E92 M3 DCT on Castrol 10W60, but just switched to Mobil 1 0W-40.

You have gone to the experts to get your oil analysed, and then you want someone here to give you feedback?

I don't think any decision you make from here on will be based on the feedback you get from the "so called" experts on this forum. Make an informed decision. If you think the 12 ppm of lead is a concern for you, make a decision on your bearings - having it replaced. This is your car - remember.

Good luck

[4corners]

It's about trends in metals as well. You need a few reports to see a trend.

[Doc Oc]

Originally Posted by Rich150001

Can someone provide feedback on my first BS report? From the other reports I've seen, my lead levels seem high, considering the mileage of the car - 26,800.

Last oil change was 6,500 miles ago.

2008 E92 M3 DCT on Castrol 10W60, but just switched to Mobil 1 0W-40.

I am no expert, but I don't see any reason to worry at all. The miles on your car don't necessarily correlate to anything. While the jury is still out on the definitive cause of rb wear on these cars, if it is a clearance issue, the car will be affected from day one most likely. You are not going to lose clearance with miles unless you get some rod stretch which isn't very likely. And if you think about it, your bearings are at their thickest when first installed, so if there is a clearance issue it'll show right away. If it is an oci issue which I've heard a lot of non-forum members discussing, the cars mileage again wouldn't matter. Like the guy above said, get a few samples under your belt before worrying. I'd pull a sample out every 2500 miles and send it in. It is so easy on this car, why not? I just sent a sample in yesterday with 1000 miles on it.

[Rich150001]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

You have gone to the experts to get your oil analysed, and then you want someone here to give you feedback?

I don't think any decision you make from here on will be based on the feedback you get from the "so called" experts on this forum. Make an informed decision. If you think the 12 ppm of lead is a concern for you, make a decision on your bearings - having it replaced. This is your car - remember.

Good luck

Never hurts to get a second opinion from fellow M3 owners, but I see your point. I am not familiar with the reputation and credibility of the expertise with M3s at Blackstone Labs. I do know that some guys with various lead levels have had their bearings go. I also know there are quite a few smart people on this forum who have vested interests in the health of these motors and as a result have been researching the issue extensively.

[Leonardo629]

Rich,

Looks like TWS is protecting fine when it's all warmed up, but you have cold start wear issue. Thick oil like 10W60 and soft lead based bearings are not the best combination.

You'll definitely see less lead now that you switched to 0W40, which is half as thick as 10W60 when you start the motor.

[Brian_Fantana]

Posted this a while back but created my own thread forgetting to post it here. Last time I posted it people just said my lead levels were concerning but that's kinda where it died. I have gone the way of Mobil 1 0w-40 this time around in hopes that I bring those levels down.

Also the copper, is that just in the oil? I know once your bearings are toast they have a copper appearance right? So your copper levels would be super high if bearing was compromised on its way to failing? I'm still within the unit averages and hope that means I'm ok for now.

I think though in the past I was running super rich due to my O2 sensors and spark plugs being compromised. Since I replaced them my car feels completely different in its throttle response and get up to temp much faster. Would running rich cause bearing wear to increase or decrease? Perhaps one does not correlate with the other.

Any insights would be appreciated.

[Doc Oc]

You might want to delete your personal info. Copper seems fine. Running rich might cause bearing wear if you were running so rich as to cause fuel dilution of the oil, which doesn't appear to be the case according to your report.

[Leonardo629]

yes, your defective O2 sensors caused the car to run rich, so rich that the fuel diluted your oil..shown by the low cst. Is it the sole cause of your high lead count? I can't tell you for sure, but your lead count is high compare to your last run and the universal average.

[admranger]

Just received my oil analysis after the US Post Office sat on it for nearly a month...

Numbers were really good. Sorry about the poor quality scan.

[Doc Oc]

Originally Posted by Leonardo629

yes, your defective O2 sensors caused the car to run rich, so rich that the fuel diluted your oil..shown by the low cst. Is it the sole cause of your high lead count? I can't tell you for sure, but your lead count is high compare to your last run and the universal average.

If he had fuel dilution wouldn't it show higher than .5%? That's what 99% of cars here show.

[squartus]

First report, been running Supercharged with WPC treating bearings and ARP rod bolts for last 16,000 miles. This is from last oil change where I was running castrol edge professional 10w 60, switched to Motul 5w40 so will be curious to see how it does in comparison.
Great oil report though, especially considering my stock bearings were shot to shit at 30k stock engine!