Oil Analysis Reports

First report on my JB '11 M3 DCT. I wonder where this stupid copper is coming from..

Nothing interesting to report which is exactly what I was hoping for. No lead or copper.

should i be worried?

Jerezblack.m3 wrote

should i be worried?

What year is your car?

InnerBlueSkies wrote

What year is your car?

2008

Jerezblack.m3 wrote

2008

I'd follow their guidance and have another sample tested. I'd be concerned if the levels did not come down.

Jerezblack.m3 wrote

should i be worried?

If original bearings, and you haven't used any race leaded fuel, yes I would be.
If you click on the link in my sig you can see how other peoples reports were before they changed bearings etc.

If you have an opportunity to change the bearings, I would.

If you will have difficulty with time / resources, test it in 2K to see if you have higher levels.

I'd be a bit concerned. time to monitor close or go preventative

Yeah time for RB's.

Jerezblack.m3 wrote

should i be worried?

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

Here's the two oil reports I had done prior to my rod bearing upgrade.
To me, they look pretty good for lead and copper.




And here's the pictures of my rod bearings.











Seems like the lead and copper levels should have been higher?
All I can guess is that the wear happened sometime prior to the two reports and then slowed.
Most people that have seen my bearings, are of the opinion that they were close to failing.
I think if I had chosen to put all my eggs in the oil report basket, I likely would have regretted that choice.

Dang
That doesn't build faith in those oil reports, that's for sure.

330indy wrote

Dang
That doesn't build faith in those oil reports, that's for sure.

Based on the circumstances of my own situation, using an oil analysis as a way to predict rod bearing health seems like it would have to be done in a very narrow set of circumstances?
The only way that I can envision it ever being useful for that purpose, is that the oil reports would need to be started at the beginning of life, and then done at every oil change.
I only have 220 miles on my new BE Bearings rod bearings, so it seems like I'll have an opportunity to start fresh, if I choose to do so.
But, since this first oil sample would have assembly lube and anti-seize in it, I would need to know if the assembly lube or anti-seize contained any copper or lead, and if so, how much?
If I wait for the second oil change, then I'm not really starting from square one, and then I'm back to guessing if the rod journals clearanced themselves in the first few hundred miles?
It just wasn't a very complicated procedure to get the oil pan off, so I will likely invade the crankcase again when the car reaches 130,000mi (another 65,000mi), even if every oil analysis were to show low levels of lead and copper.

Chris, where did you have your RBs done? Someplace local? (I'm in Carmichael). What did they charge?

bikenerd wrote

Chris, where did you have your RBs done? Someplace local? (I'm in Carmichael). What did they charge?

He did them himself (I believe).

bikenerd wrote

Chris, where did you have your RBs done? Someplace local? (I'm in Carmichael). What did they charge?

I did them myself.
But only because SYT_Shadow took the time to create a supremely comprehensive DIY.
It has a Step-By-Step with a tool list and great pictures.
He also attached a video to the thread that really compliments the step-by-step.
Shout out to SAMM3Y for loaning me his engine brace.
I read the DIY and the notes by Theodore at least 3 times and watched the video twice.
My background is pretty mechanical though, so after studying the "homework assignments", I was able to get a solid feel for whether or not I would be comfortable doing it myself.
The bonus was a definite feeling of accomplishment when I pushed the start button and everything worked.
But, if I hadn't been able to get myself comfortable with the idea of a rod bearing DIY, I would have taken it to Performance Motor Werks in Rocklin.
They were recommended to me by Salerno Motorsports (Ferrari shop in Sacramento) when I needed to clone a DME.

You could also ask the Salerno guys if they do E9x rod bearings.

Davisca455 wrote

Based on the circumstances of my own situation, using an oil analysis as a way to predict rod bearing health seems like it would have be done in a very narrow set of circumstances?
The only way that I can envision it ever being useful for that purpose, is that the oil reports would need to be started at the beginning of life, and then done at every oil change.

Correct. And even then it's sketchy because we don't know whether or how any rod bearings other than 088/089 will show wear on oil analysis.

Davisca455 wrote

I only have 220 miles on my new BE Bearings rod bearings, so it seems like I'll have an opportunity to start fresh, if I choose to do so.
But, since this first oil sample would have assembly lube and anti-seize in it, I would need to know if the assembly lube or anti-seize contained any copper or lead, and if so, how much?
If I wait for the second oil change, then I'm not really starting from square one, and then I'm back to guessing if the rod journals clearanced themselves in the first few hundred miles?

Change the oil sometime between now and 500 miles to get most of the assembly lube and anti-seize out. Start sampling at the next change after that. That'll start you as close to square one as you need to be. There is basically no chance you'll lose any useful info by starting a few hundred miles after the RB job. A real baseline takes several reports over many thousands of miles to establish -- a long time in oil analysis terms, but very little time for any decent (and properly installed) rod bearings.

Davisca455 wrote

It just wasn't a very complicated procedure to get the oil pan off, so I will likely invade the crankcase again when the car reaches 130,000mi (another 65,000mi), even if every oil analysis were to show low levels of lead and copper.

Probably the best policy in any case.

330indy wrote

That doesn't build faith in those oil reports, that's for sure.

Nope.

kyrix1st wrote

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

THIS is the most concise question needed.

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.

Davisca455 wrote

Here's the two oil reports I had done prior to my rod bearing upgrade.
To me, they look pretty good for lead and copper.




And here's the pictures of my rod bearings.











Seems like the lead and copper levels should have been higher?
All I can guess is that the wear happened sometime prior to the two reports and then slowed.
Most people that have seen my bearings, are of the opinion that they were close to failing.
I think if I had chosen to put all my eggs in the oil report basket, I likely would have regretted that choice.

How many miles after the report did you have you bearings changed? And how many miles in total had your engine done then?
And yep, OA doesn't always flag bearing problems!

Assimilator1 wrote

Davisca455 wrote

Here's the two oil reports I had done prior to my rod bearing upgrade.
To me, they look pretty good for lead and copper.




And here's the pictures of my rod bearings.











Seems like the lead and copper levels should have been higher?
All I can guess is that the wear happened sometime prior to the two reports and then slowed.
Most people that have seen my bearings, are of the opinion that they were close to failing.
I think if I had chosen to put all my eggs in the oil report basket, I likely would have regretted that choice.

How many miles after the report did you have you bearings changed? And how many miles in total had your engine done then?
And yep, OA doesn't always flag bearing problems!

The last report was done at 63,943 miles.
I changed my bearings at 65,253.
So, I put 1310 miles on the car, between the last oil change/report, and the bearing upgrade.

The car now has 65,463 total miles.
So, 210 miles on the new bearings.