Oil Analysis Reports

Thanks for the info

Post Rod Bearing Change

Denny347 wrote

Now this was the only analysis I had done since buying it. 6k miles later I had the RB replaced. The analysis was only good at settling my mind that I didn't just buy a catastrophic failure waiting to happen. Thankfully the RB were not terrible.

Denny347 How was that shop to use for work? I am in Indianapolis as well but used to service my 911 at Pete's

Rino924 wrote

Denny347 How was that shop to use for work? I am in Indianapolis as well but used to service my 911 at Pete's

They are 100% BMW fanatics and M Fanatics more specifically. I do not think there is not a shop in Indiana that has done more RB replacements than them. I typically do my own work on my cars but anything beyond my modest skillset I have them do. They treat my car as if it was theirs.

Good to know.
(I sold mine)

Here's a 1 year run after BE install. Lead dropped to zero on the last two samples after the swap. It wasn't good on any of my reports from early 2014 up to the change
I went back to TWS at the time of the RB swap and hence the increase in titanium and molybdenum.

kyrix1st wrote

I would change RBs. $2K now vs $10K later.

3200 where I live...

TX wrote

Here's a 1 year run after BE install. Lead dropped to zero on the last two samples after the swap. It wasn't good on any of my reports from early 2014 up to the change
I went back to TWS at the time of the RB swap and hence the increase in titanium and molybdenum.

TWS additive metals numbers look very similar to what I've been seeing in my UOAs with the new version of BMW 10W-60 (last 2 rows in the attached pic). Boron numbers are slightly different so could still be a slightly different formulation but interesting nonetheless.

is millers the go to oil analysis in the UK or is another preferred?

I used The Oil Lab, but I think they all work to certain BS standards anyway? (err, BS from British Standards, not Bull Shit! lol).

Denny347 wrote

They are 100% BMW fanatics and M Fanatics more specifically. I do not think there is not a shop in Indiana that has done more RB replacements than them. I typically do my own work on my cars but anything beyond my modest skillset I have them do. They treat my car as if it was theirs.

Good to know, same here on doing most of the work myself. Good to know that is an option for some future work tho.

Maybe I'll see your car at a C&C sometime this year Denny347

All, what do you think about my oil analysis? Have you seen lead levels this high? I believe the oil change was after 8,000 miles; so not sure if that's part of the high reading or not.

I have not ran leaded fuel or octane boost.

It's and '08 car that just turned 50k miles.

If you've not had the rod bearings done, do them pronto! In fact I would go as far to say, to be on the safe side stop driving it now.

I say this in respect to having looked at many oil reports combined with rod bearing photos, see the thread linked in my sig.

I’ll assume you have been doing your own oil changes and you know the change intervals have been maintained. If you know of no other reason for that lead in the sample, I would strongly suggest you change those rod bearings. I’ve seen spikes in reports on my own car that lined up with the condition of the bearings when they were removed. I’m not trying to scare you, as we have no idea what’s going on inside that engine, but that lead had to come from somewhere.

Agree with Assimilator1 and TX.

On this engine, oil analysis has produced quite a few false negatives (low lead levels with worn bearings), but it doesn't seem to produce a lot of false positives (elevated lead with healthy bearings). So, if you see lead, you can be pretty sure it's bearing time.

Oil did good from very limited amount of information (you don't have TBN and TAN). But, I highly doubt your rod bearings are doing good.

edycol wrote

Oil did good from very limited amount of information (you don't have TBN and TAN). But, I highly doubt your rod bearings are doing good.

Why don't I have TBN or TAN?

I just can't see why my bearings would need replaced at only 50k miles. I just bought the car last June with 45k miles. I figured I didn't have to rush to get the bearings changed out.

I wasn't planning to start considering bearings until at least 60k miles or after 3 years. This is frustrating.

Sorry, just ranting.

bhowelett wrote

edycol wrote

Oil did good from very limited amount of information (you don't have TBN and TAN). But, I highly doubt your rod bearings are doing good.

Why don't I have TBN or TAN?

I just can't see why my bearings would need replaced at only 50k miles. I just bought the car last June with 45k miles. I figured I didn't have to rush to get the bearings changed out.

I wasn't planning to start considering bearings until at least 60k miles or after 3 years. This is frustrating.

Sorry, just ranting.

55,000 miles,
excellent oil reports,
shitty bearings,
I sleep better now.

bhowelett wrote

edycol wrote

Oil did good from very limited amount of information (you don't have TBN and TAN). But, I highly doubt your rod bearings are doing good.

Why don't I have TBN or TAN?

I just can't see why my bearings would need replaced at only 50k miles. I just bought the car last June with 45k miles. I figured I didn't have to rush to get the bearings changed out.

I wasn't planning to start considering bearings until at least 60k miles or after 3 years. This is frustrating.

Sorry, just ranting.

You don't have TBN and TAN bcs. you didn't order it.
TBN and TAN are key to oil report and Blackstone charges additional $10 for each.
At 50k? Yeah, you are there. I would just do it. Don't chance this. Not worth it.

bhowelett wrote

Why don't I have TBN or TAN?

I just can't see why my bearings would need replaced at only 50k miles. I just bought the car last June with 45k miles. I figured I didn't have to rush to get the bearings changed out.

I wasn't planning to start considering bearings until at least 60k miles or after 3 years. This is frustrating.

Sorry, just ranting.

60k is an often banded figure for when to change the bearings, it's just a guess really, so is often wrong. It might be realistic for the tin/alu bearings, but often isn't for the original OEM lead/copper bearings.
It's possible, but we don't know for sure, that most of the damage occurs early in the life of the engines, hence low mileage OEM lead/copper bearings also typically look in a poor state.

I wouldn't delay if I were you, to get an idea of how expensive it would get if a bearing spun, look up the price of a 2nd hand engine (usually the 'cheapest' way to repair it!). Spun bearing nearly always = knackered crank = engine out and full strip down.

Assimilator1 wrote

I wouldn't delay if I were you

I appreciate the feedback. I should have parked the car; but couldn't help myself but to drive it. . . hard.

Now, I may not have to worry about getting my rod bearings replaced now:

Oh shit! Sorry to hear that , I take it you're ok?

Unless the body has got twisted (e.g it doesn't look like you rolled it?), I doubt it's a write off.