'02 BMW 530i, Castrol Edge 0W-40, 3,850 miles

[Quattro Pete]

Time in service: 13 months (April 2018 - May 2019)

Driving conditions: lots of short tripping.

Oil filter: Mann (OEM)
Air filter: Mann (OEM)

Make-up oil:
- 0.5 qt Castrol Edge 0W-40
- 0.5 qt Castrol Edge HM 10W-40
- 0.5 qt Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W-40

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Nice ride!

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Wear Metals suck. If it was a different oil go back to the oil in history 1.

 

[OVERKILL]

EP H2O and IR Fuel both are significantly higher than no previous runs.

 

[addyguy]

Wear metals have jumped up a lot, especially lead and aluminum. Lots of short trips in cold weather I would say is to blame.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
EP H2O and IR Fuel both are significantly higher than no previous runs.

I sent some clarification questions to Wearcheck on this. For one, I don't understand the difference between IR Fuel and IR (Gasoline).

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by addyguy
Wear metals have jumped up a lot, especially lead and aluminum. Lots of short trips in cold weather I would say is to blame.

Yes, that's part of it. Here are the culprits, IMO:
1. The car is no longer garaged, so cold starts during winter are much colder than what they used to be. Plus, the amount of short tripping (6 miles) has gone up.

2. I was experiencing rough idle (as if some cylinders were not firing) on cold startup plus some heavy smoke out of tailpipe on occasions. The shop couldn't replicate the smoke, but stated that my CCV may have been plugged up. CCV on this engine is a weak spot, so I told them to go ahead and replace it.

3. I ran a bottle of Berryman Chemtool through the tank just before taking this sample. From my experience, often times running such fuel system cleaner will manifest itself as increased wear metals on a UOA.

The main reason for doing this UOA was to test for coolant presence as I was not sure if I had a potential head gasket issue on my hands.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
EP H2O and IR Fuel both are significantly higher than no previous runs.

I sent some clarification questions to Wearcheck on this. For one, I don't understand the difference between IR Fuel and IR (Gasoline).

Here is my exchange with them:

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
1. What is IR (EP H2O)? It seems to be significantly higher in this sample compared to my older samples. What's the reason for it?

2. What is Infra-red Fuel? It does not look like it was tested in older samples. Why is it so high? How does it differ from IR (Gasoline)?


Originally Posted by WearCheck
You are looking at unconverted raw data* that has no significance. Those things are not on the report for that reason and are not used in our analysis. FTIR ‘measures' those parameters but we do not calibrate for them. It just get loaded into the lab system on the data transfer.

Difference between current and histories is that we replaced the FTIR those earlier readings were taken on. Different program, and the methods have evolved.


*he is referring to the data in the second image I included in my OP.

 

[Quattro Pete]

BTW, one thing that I found a little surprising was viscosity at 100C, despite adding 1.5 quarts of make-up oil. I know Edge 0W-40 is on the lower end of 40-grade to begin with, but still. My guess is the oil took a serious beating, and fuel dilution and moisture condensation did it in during winter, even if it all burned off by the time Spring came and I pulled this sample.

 

[addyguy]

Most Euro 40-weight oils are about 12.8-13.2 cst; so this oil hasn't actually sheared much, especially considering winter short trips.

The B-12 in the gas during winter, again with short trips, explains the lead.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by addyguy
Most Euro 40-weight oils are about 12.8-13.2 cst; so this oil hasn't actually sheared much, especially considering winter short trips.

FYI, the other two samples (History1, History2) were on a Euro 40-grade oil as well (PU 5W-40), and subject to fair amount of short tripping also, yet viscosity stayed higher. But yeah, this winter the car was subject to even harsher conditions, having to sit outside.

 

[addyguy]

Car starts in the 'colder' outside, it runs richer for longer warming up. Plus, this winter in the northwest was much colder and snowier than normal, so cold, low-speed driving was a bigger part of the picture.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Yes, that's part of it. Here are the culprits, IMO:
1. The car is no longer garaged, so cold starts during winter are much colder than what they used to be. Plus, the amount of short tripping (6 miles) has gone up.

2. I was experiencing rough idle (as if some cylinders were not firing) on cold startup plus some heavy smoke out of tailpipe on occasions. The shop couldn't replicate the smoke, but stated that my CCV may have been plugged up. CCV on this engine is a weak spot, so I told them to go ahead and replace it.

3. I ran a bottle of Berryman Chemtool through the tank just before taking this sample. From my experience, often times running such fuel system cleaner will manifest itself as increased wear metals on a UOA.

The main reason for doing this UOA was to test for coolant presence as I was not sure if I had a potential head gasket issue on my hands.

I believe you have a very good handle on the culprits over this OCI.

 

[Bjornviken]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Wear Metals suck. If it was a different oil go back to the oil in history 1.


+1

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Bjornviken
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Wear Metals suck. If it was a different oil go back to the oil in history 1.


+1

It's not the oil. I already explained it up above.