Another Oil Sludge

[bmwrp8]

I was in the shop having my fuel floater fixed when i saw them working on the engine of an 2000 e39 523i with only 97,000kms. and said they changed the oil with mobil1 synthetic every 10,000kms.(6,000miles) I took some pix (sorry camera phone) here they are.

[bmwrp8]

here's the cylinder head

[Tiger]

That really doesn't look like synthetic oil... I had a Mercedes with only dino oil and looks alot cleaner than that... I changed at every 5000 miles.

[repenttokyo]

do you believe the owner?

[Morgenster]

Odd to see the timing chain clean as a whistle. something clogged?

[bmwrp8]

do you believe the owner?
i talked to the shop owner and said they used mobil1 synthetic on that...

[bmwrp8]

That really doesn't look like synthetic oil... I had a Mercedes with only dino oil and looks alot cleaner than that... I changed at every 5000 miles.

it is...said the shop owner that is.

[bmwrp8]

Odd to see the timing chain clean as a whistle. something clogged?

everything there is clogged with oil sludge

[MBXB]

It's the stop n go traffic in Manila

[ILoveMPower]

IMO this is what happens when you run the car for 5 mins max, turn it off, only to go in the store and let the oil get cold and do it again on the way home

[Tiger]

Wierd... Winifred or BillR would know better on this matter... I am sure they have taken many engine apart to know the difference between Synthetic and dino run engines,

[winfred]

that's kinda sludge is more like 10-15k on every dino oil change, 6k on dino wouldn't sludge up that bad that fast let alone synthetic

[bmwrp8]

It's the stop n go traffic in Manila
yup stop and go traffic, veerrryyy hot sticky polluted weather

[sneekens]

looks like the owner used additives(?) i saw a 2000 model e230 all clogged up with sludge because the owner was a fan of oil additives... they had to dismantle everything.. and the inside was similar of that (e39 523).

[Morgenster]

everything there is clogged with oil sludge

What I meant was: why is the timing chain clean? Looks like the oil delivery or recovery was blocked in the cam-galleys.

[winfred]

the chain is moving too fast for **** to stick usually


What I meant was: why is the timing chain clean? Looks like the oil delivery or recovery was blocked in the cam-galleys.

[632 Regal]

you can see there is a moisture problem going on as well.

[bsell]

the chain is moving too fast for **** to stick usually

I've seen engines with that tell-tale dirty brown mess stuck to the non-friction portions of timing chains. It kinda resembles the glaze you put on ceramics, after the glaze has been fired. Of course the rest of the engine looks like total hell, but the chain doesn't look as clean as the one in the pictures above.

This thread has me wondering if I made the right choice, putting Mobil 1 0W-40 in the 2.5L. I guess I shouldn't worry as BMW recommends this weight and brand. I drive 9-10 miles one way to work with 3/4 of that on the autobahn (80-130KPH). I seriously doubt my oil is getting up to temperature on a daily or even weekly basis...:( I guess that means its time for a 'road-trip'.

Brian

[Morgenster]

What did the sump look like? I'd expect there to be sludge there too if it was due to skipped oil changes.

[bsell]

What did the sump look like? I'd expect there to be sludge there too if it was due to skipped oil changes.

Yes, I really wonder what is going on if only the head is gunked up.

On an earlier thread, there was a shot of an oil pan that looked like somebody packed it with pudding and ran a straight edge across the top, it was so full. There were nice indentations in the 'pudding' where the crank caps and oil pick up were, but otherwise it was solid pudding.

Brian

[bmwrp8]

Yes, I really wonder what is going on if only the head is gunked up.

On an earlier thread, there was a shot of an oil pan that looked like somebody packed it with pudding and ran a straight edge across the top, it was so full. There were nice indentations in the 'pudding' where the crank caps and oil pick up were, but otherwise it was solid pudding.

Brian
ryt now im really confused, my mechanic told me not to go synthetic coz this will happen to me :( i just bought a castrol 10w-60. I don't know if i'd put it or just sell it

[bmwrp8]

you can see there is a moisture problem going on as well.

moisture problem? what causes that?

[632 Regal]

condensation from short trips, bad pcv valve, coolant leak etc...
moisture problem? what causes that?

[530iBall]

I've seen engines with that tell-tale dirty brown mess stuck to the non-friction portions of timing chains. It kinda resembles the glaze you put on ceramics, after the glaze has been fired. Of course the rest of the engine looks like total hell, but the chain doesn't look as clean as the one in the pictures above.

This thread has me wondering if I made the right choice, putting Mobil 1 0W-40 in the 2.5L. I guess I shouldn't worry as BMW recommends this weight and brand. I drive 9-10 miles one way to work with 3/4 of that on the autobahn (80-130KPH). I seriously doubt my oil is getting up to temperature on a daily or even weekly basis...:( I guess that means its time for a 'road-trip'.

Brian
I do my maintenance yearly (yes, even oil) and I've been using Mobil 1 OW-40 for the last 3 years. Last year, when I replaced my valve cover gaskets I got to see inside. Everything was pristine. Cam lobes gleaming - spic and span. I put 10K miles / year in all kinds of traffic. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[bsell]

I do my maintenance yearly (yes, even oil) and I've been using Mobil 1 OW-40 for the last 3 years. Last year, when I replaced my valve cover gaskets I got to see inside. Everything was pristine. Cam lobes gleaming - spic and span. I put 10K miles / year in all kinds of traffic. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

I appreciate that. Your kind of servicing and results makes one wonder what the 'pudding engine' folks are doing...

Brian

[winfred]

heres one of my favorites
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge3.jpg
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge4.jpg
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge5.jpg
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge6.jpg

[winfred]

yummy
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge2.jpg

[bmwrp8]

yummy
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge2.jpg

HOLY S*%&! now i want some jellow!

[bsell]

HOLY S*%&! now i want some jellow!

It does look like the coffee jelly they sell in Japan!

Winfred,

What's up with the Cafe au Lait in the oil pan? Was there a head gasket issue or what?

Please tell me the coffee jelly engine had oil pressure when you pulled the pan! Then I will truly be blown away!

Brian

[winfred]

no op, and no engine problem other then the fact that the oil was never ****ing changed, once i mucked out the pan and oil pump it ran fine, the dark color pictures are the real color, the light color **** is just the flash and camera not agreeing

[Chris'91'525i]

yummy
http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/sludge2.jpg


Mmmmm, sprinkles !!!!!

[winfred]

garnish with a pinch of oil dry and BAM :D


Mmmmm, sprinkles !!!!!

[bmwrp8]

went back to the shop and talked to the shop owner. He told me that they've never encountered sludge bulidup on a bmw with mineral oil but in synthetic they encountered sooo many.. and benzes too... i really wanted to go synthetic but they told me no...i bought castrl 10w60 synthetic and told that just use my old one which is castrol magnatec mineral 10w-40. is this true? there is sooo many oil theory's that im soo confused already:(

[Ferret]

went back to the shop and talked to the shop owner. He told me that they've never encountered sludge bulidup on a bmw with mineral oil but in synthetic they encountered sooo many.. and benzes too... i really wanted to go synthetic but they told me no...i bought castrl 10w60 synthetic and told that just use my old one which is castrol magnatec mineral 10w-40. is this true? there is sooo many oil theory's that im soo confused already:(

Urgh, my old M50 525i looked like the above crap when I first got it... it had spent the first 10 years of its life as a dealer demo car then later a service loan car. Engine was covered in ****, it was just nasty. We threw a couple of cans of thinners (proper engine cleaner ****) and I'm sure we were getting crap like that jello out of the drain plug in nasty congealed lumps :/

EDIT: btw I saw an oil report last year with a real world scrape test done in it, and this ranged from some really cheap, **** oil to mobil 1 and castrol expensive stuff. Guess what came bottom of the pile?

Yeah, it's the mobil 1.

They were actually finding a cheapo brand like 'royal purple' or some such **** was coming out at the top of the pile!

[bmwrp8]

hmmm... honestly i don't like mobil1 here... but in the shop where i always have my car fixed uses mineral oils from total

[BigKriss]

wow, is this report located online. I find it hard to believe.


Urgh, my old M50 525i looked like the above crap when I first got it... it had spent the first 10 years of its life as a dealer demo car then later a service loan car. Engine was covered in ****, it was just nasty. We threw a couple of cans of thinners (proper engine cleaner ****) and I'm sure we were getting crap like that jello out of the drain plug in nasty congealed lumps :/

EDIT: btw I saw an oil report last year with a real world scrape test done in it, and this ranged from some really cheap, **** oil to mobil 1 and castrol expensive stuff. Guess what came bottom of the pile?

Yeah, it's the mobil 1.

They were actually finding a cheapo brand like 'royal purple' or some such **** was coming out at the top of the pile!

[Ferret]

wow, is this report located online. I find it hard to believe.

I'll see if I've still got the PDF on my home pc later when I get home from work - need to find somewhere to host it though if I can find it.

The results were quite disturbing tbh!

[BigKriss]

thanks


I'll see if I've still got the PDF on my home pc later when I get home from work - need to find somewhere to host it though if I can find it.

The results were quite disturbing tbh!

[winfred]

royal purple good, may not be a name overseas but it's da **** over here



They were actually finding a cheapo brand like 'royal purple' or some such **** was coming out at the top of the pile!

[ryan roopnarine]

"royal purple" in the states does not offer any conventional oil products (save 2 cycle, if they offer it). so, if it were a test of synthetic oils, it wouldn't be that hard to believe that mobil 1 could come out on the bottom.

ps...just checked. their 2 cycle oil is a full synthetic as well.

[Ferret]

wow, is this report located online. I find it hard to believe.

Have been through my machine and cant find the damn report, I've been passed a link to a similar one though:
Scuse the host (http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf)

[BigKriss]

Thanks, it was an Australian test also.


Have been through my machine and cant find the damn report, I've been passed a link to a similar one though:
Scuse the host (http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf)

[rob101]

Have been through my machine and cant find the damn report, I've been passed a link to a similar one though:
Scuse the host (http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf)
I think this may have been the one you were thinking of:
http://www.performanceoilnews.com/oils_against_oils.shtml