Oil Analysis concerns 95 525i

[Russell]

Ran a Blackstone Lab oil analysis on my last two 1995 BMW 525i oil changes.
Both oil changes with Mobil 1 0W-40 Synthetic oil.
Miles on car: 104,228, 108,206
Miles on this oil: 3,635, 3,978
No make up oil added either oil change.

I am very concerned over the metals, especially iron and lead. Perhaps I should quit using Mobil 1 0w40 and use a heavier oil. I now use 5w40 Mobil 1 Truck and Suv. the 5w40 is considered an excellent oil

Any thoughts?

Change one change two
3,635 miles, 3,978 miles
TBN =6.3 TBN =5.0
Aluminum 3 3
Chromium 1 1
Iron 9 23
Copper 3 5
Lead 23 40
Tin 0 2
Molybdenum 58 68
Nickel 0 0
Manganese 0 0
Silver 0 0
Titanium 0 0
Potassium 0 0
Boron 127 149
Silicon 2 3
Sodium 4 4
Calcium 2663 2587
Magnesium 12 16
Phosphorus 622 799
Zinc 670 900
Barium 0 0

Viscosity 69.5 66.5
Flash point 355 365
Fuel 1.0% 0.5%
Antifreeze 0 0
Water 0 0
Insolubles 0.3 . 4

[632 Regal]

they could have been washed off from the oil from where it was hidden in sludge deposits and got released into the samples? How long have you been using M1?

[Russell]

Possible that there is still sludge and other crap still coming out. I understand that Mobil 1 is a slow sludge cleaner, yet does very little for varnish. the lead and iron actualy went up this oil change. Thanks for the good question.


they could have been washed off from the oil from where it was hidden in sludge deposits and got released into the samples? How long have you been using M1?

[632 Regal]

i dont really see the M1 being the cause because it lubricates and doesnt break down like dino. i would still have to chalk it up to residual buildup washing out. Ryan is pretty versed in this stuff and will eat it up if he sees this post.

the clensing is coming from nooks and crannies, piston ring lands, internals of the lifters, oil galleys and surfaces of eveything else.

[Russell]

1. That the Mobil 1 is still pulling sludge from the engine as you suggest.
2. Mobil 1 0w40 should never be used in older BMW engines.
3. There is a fuel dilution problem that needs to be addressed. Seems odd as I get what seems to be excellent gas mileage. I average 22-24 on mixed driving. and 27-29 at interstate speeds.


i dont really see the M1 being the cause because it lubricates and doesnt break down like dino. i would still have to chalk it up to residual buildup washing out. Ryan is pretty versed in this stuff and will eat it up if he sees this post.

the clensing is coming from nooks and crannies, piston ring lands, internals of the lifters, oil galleys and surfaces of eveything else.

[Interceptor]

1. That the Mobil 1 is still pulling sludge from the engine as you suggest.
2. Mobil 1 0w40 should never be used in older BMW engines.
3. There is a fuel dilution problem that needs to be addressed. Seems odd as I get what seems to be excellent gas mileage. I average 22-24 on mixed driving. and 27-29 at interstate speeds.
I have an M50 engine with around 150k miles and I use Mobil1 0W-40. It does consume a bit more oil than normal, but according to my mechanic that's nothing that can't be fixed with switching to Mobil1 5W-40. He says no harm can be done to high mileage engines when using fully synthetic oil except the higher oil consumption. Less viscous 5W-40 should address that problem, too, yet remain viscous enough not to harm the engine on cold starts and to prevent valve rattle.

[Russell]

Mark D would the EAT chip make my engine run rich and affect fuel dilution and affect lead levels? My mileage did not not really change when I satrted using your chip. Just looking for causes and to see if I even have a concern.

BTW, you have not updated the chip for my 95 525i or have you? I know that you occasionally go to a new generation chip after feedback from users.



Ran a Blackstone Lab oil analysis on my last two 1995 BMW 525i oil changes.
Both oil changes with Mobil 1 0W-40 Synthetic oil.
Miles on car: 104,228, 108,206
Miles on this oil: 3,635, 3,978
No make up oil added either oil change.

I am very concerned over the metals, especially iron and lead. Perhaps I should quit using Mobil 1 0w40 and use a heavier oil. I now use 5w40 Mobil 1 Truck and Suv. the 5w40 is considered an excellent oil

Any thoughts?

Change one change two
3,635 miles, 3,978 miles
TBN =6.3 TBN =5.0
Aluminum 3 3
Chromium 1 1
Iron 9 23
Copper 3 5
Lead 23 40
Tin 0 2
Molybdenum 58 68
Nickel 0 0
Manganese 0 0
Silver 0 0
Titanium 0 0
Potassium 0 0
Boron 127 149
Silicon 2 3
Sodium 4 4
Calcium 2663 2587
Magnesium 12 16
Phosphorus 622 799
Zinc 670 900
Barium 0 0

Viscosity 69.5 66.5
Flash point 355 365
Fuel 1.0% 0.5%
Antifreeze 0 0
Water 0 0
Insolubles 0.3 . 4

[ryan roopnarine]

i take it you've posted this analysis over in the "other" place......

that being said, you seem to keep very small oil change intervals for synthetic oil. i'd say (if i had the same problems as you), that if you were interested in cleaning as much crud out, that you should go to delo from 3k intervals, and not bother with synthetic or the analyses for right now. are your spark plug boots ok? i left my spark plugs in for 40k, and my car developed a very lumpy idle. changing two out with the spares i keep in the trunk toolbox fixed it. the two i removed looked nothing near worn compared to american cars. when was the last time you had an inspection II? even if you use an indy, i'd still go over the thing with a can of carb cleaner and a screwdriver on the hose clamps and eliminate any possible vacuum leaks. check all of your coils and fi's with an ohm meter and see if anything pecuilar shows. im on a delo diet until i can change my valve cover and do a saturn piston soak, im trying to get things as clean as i can, and im not comfortable using a quart of diesel oil marked "engine flush" from autozone. one or two oil changes with the delo should do the "business" on any crap in your engine, and 15w40 might reduce the wear until its gone.

[ryan roopnarine]

wow, i just read your analysis (all of it). can you think of anything at all that you did differently between the two oil changes?

[Bill R.]

According to that test... 457f is the spec listed for 0w40 mobil one.
And Blackstones own test site lists the probable cause for a lowering of the
flash point as contamination, typically fuel. You can have injectors leaking down when sitting still and not notice much of a difference in fuel consumption since the quantity won't be large but if it leaks into the cylinder through a open valve when the engines off it will seep past the rings as it sits and collect in the crankcase diluting the oil. The pcv system will help to pull some of it back out but a lot of it will stay in the crankcase if your getting enough leakage. Fuel injector cleaners will also cause this dilution and looking back at your own posts you have been using fuel power in every tank.. when did you start using this and does it coincide with the change in numbers? Over the last 6 months you have repeatedly posted regarding fuel dilution also, as if this has been a nagging problem for some time.
Also is it not possible to get an inaccurate test result from blackstone? It happens in the medical test industry all the time, why would the oil test industry be any different... I wouldn't get too terribly worried if I were you. Have any of you sent the same oil samples to 2 different test labs to see how consistent the results are from lab to lab...
I have never had an oil test done on any of my own cars and i've never killed the bearings on any of my own street cars since i was about 20
(before the age of 20 I have screwed up a few but it wasn't the oils fault)
So i'm not really qualified to have an opinion on oil testing.
Personally I'm going to stick with the 0w40 mobil one in my m30 and in the m52 also..













Ran a Blackstone Lab oil analysis on my last two 1995 BMW 525i oil changes.
Both oil changes with Mobil 1 0W-40 Synthetic oil.
Miles on car: 104,228, 108,206
Miles on this oil: 3,635, 3,978
No make up oil added either oil change.

I am very concerned over the metals, especially iron and lead. Perhaps I should quit using Mobil 1 0w40 and use a heavier oil. I now use 5w40 Mobil 1 Truck and Suv. the 5w40 is considered an excellent oil

Any thoughts?

Change one change two
3,635 miles, 3,978 miles
TBN =6.3 TBN =5.0
Aluminum 3 3
Chromium 1 1
Iron 9 23
Copper 3 5
Lead 23 40
Tin 0 2
Molybdenum 58 68
Nickel 0 0
Manganese 0 0
Silver 0 0
Titanium 0 0
Potassium 0 0
Boron 127 149
Silicon 2 3
Sodium 4 4
Calcium 2663 2587
Magnesium 12 16
Phosphorus 622 799
Zinc 670 900
Barium 0 0

Viscosity 69.5 66.5
Flash point 355 365
Fuel 1.0% 0.5%
Antifreeze 0 0
Water 0 0
Insolubles 0.3 . 4

[Russell]

I use F60, a fuel additve. It is not supposed to affect used oil Analysis. However, it is supposed to clean and keep clean the fuel sysem on a gradual basis.

Secondly, this was January to April weather, typically the coldest time of the year.


wow, i just read your analysis (all of it). can you think of anything at all that you did differently between the two oil changes?

[Russell]

Bill, Thank you,

The use of fuel power was for the duration of the second oil change. I started using it at the recommendation of Terry Dyson, an oil analysis expert. He feels it helped with the improvement in fuel dilution this time.

He also believes I may have a leaky injector or coil problem. Guess I need to get my coils and injectors checked. The car, as far as I know has the original injectors, coils and coil to plug connectors.

BTW, the car is just now due for plugs with about 30,000 on them.

Nope I have not sent oil to different labs for testing. I may do so next time on my Mobil 1 5w40 truck and suv oil. I also may never test oil again. Too much information!!! Again, thanks for your response.

I sure love this car. E34s are great cars.


According to that test... 457f is the spec listed for 0w40 mobil one.
And Blackstones own test site lists the probable cause for a lowering of the
flash point as contamination, typically fuel. You can have injectors leaking down when sitting still and not notice much of a difference in fuel consumption since the quantity won't be large but if it leaks into the cylinder through a open valve when the engines off it will seep past the rings as it sits and collect in the crankcase diluting the oil. The pcv system will help to pull some of it back out but a lot of it will stay in the crankcase if your getting enough leakage. Fuel injector cleaners will also cause this dilution and looking back at your own posts you have been using fuel power in every tank.. when did you start using this and does it coincide with the change in numbers? Over the last 6 months you have repeatedly posted regarding fuel dilution also, as if this has been a nagging problem for some time.
Also is it not possible to get an inaccurate test result from blackstone? It happens in the medical test industry all the time, why would the oil test industry be any different... I wouldn't get too terribly worried if I were you. Have any of you sent the same oil samples to 2 different test labs to see how consistent the results are from lab to lab...
I have never had an oil test done on any of my own cars and i've never killed the bearings on any of my own street cars since i was about 20
(before the age of 20 I have screwed up a few but it wasn't the oils fault)
So i'm not really qualified to have an opinion on oil testing.
Personally I'm going to stick with the 0w40 mobil one in my m30 and in the m52 also..

[Bill R.]

it was one of the coils it seems far more likely to affect your gas mileage.
At the mileage thats on your car i really can't see the point in oil analysis anyway... and since you change it so frequently i'd just continue doing what your doing .. you could always do a injector leakage test if your really concerned about it...





Bill, Thank you,

The use of fuel power was for the duration of the second oil change. I started using it at the recommendation of Terry Dyson, an oil analysis expert. He feels it helped with the improvement in fuel dilution this time.

He also believes I may have a leaky injector or coil problem. Guess I need to get my coils and injectors checked. The car, as far as I know has the original injectors, coils and coil to plug connectors.

BTW, the car is just now due for plugs with about 30,000 on them.

Nope I have not sent oil to different labs for testing. I may do so next time on my Mobil 1 5w40 truck and suv oil. I also may never test oil again. Too much information!!! Again, thanks for your response.

I sure love this car. E34s are great cars.