2000 miles of SeaFoam in the Crankcase Filter Pic

[antonmnster]

This is the first time I've really looked closely at one my used filters so I'm not sure how much of this is above normal, but I'm surprised at just how much grit and nastiness was in the pleats.

Car is a 2002 BMW 325Ci with 140,000 miles. Oil is BMW 5-30. OCI was 3300 miles this time with 2/3 of a can of SeaFoam for about 2000 miles. This is my 3rd OC on this car; I've had it about one year.

Looks like PO didn't change the oil as much as I would have.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/baLnsiRU7M6GuYm1pUOWQg?feat=directlink

That grit on my hand is from inside the filter.

UOA sample will be in the mail tomorrow!

 

[JAG]

Cool. I'm glad it cleaned some. Any change in appearance inside the oil fill hole? Thanks for the pics.

 

[antonmnster]

I changed the VCG gasket right when I put the SeaFoam in. So this would be the "start" pic":

And here's my winter ride

 

[Audi Junkie]

I would solvent flush a used car, and BMWs are notoriously under-serviced. However, I wouldn't use Seafoam, rather a mild petroleum based solvent like kerosene or diesel.

Maybe that would be the way to go next time around. I'd also keep the flush session down to 10-20 miles at the end of the interval. Stock-up on filters.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster


And here's my winter ride

That's one of the coolest winter rides around. The only thing that would be better is if someone would buy me some Mattracks for my truck.

 

[antonmnster]

It's great until something breaks... and something always does! Seems to average about $8000/year for various repairs.

 

[matt922]

That is the purpose of an oil filter, of course you are going to find junk in it.

 

[antonmnster]

Well, duh.

I've opened up a lot of oil filters, but I've never seen grit and particles anything like this. Even 500-hour diesel filters just had sludge that resembled mud; nothing that felt like sand.

The pleats have also been pushed around, suggesting quite the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the media.

My lifters also don't tick at startup since the OC.

This filter was designed for 5 times more service life than what it experienced. What all this seems to suggest is that SeaFoam is quite the solvent, and I'm surprised - almost alarmed - at its efficacy.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: antonmnster
Well, duh.

I've opened up a lot of oil filters, but I've never seen grit and particles anything like this. Even 500-hour diesel filters just had sludge that resembled mud; nothing that felt like sand.

The pleats have also been pushed around, suggesting quite the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the media.

My lifters also don't tick at startup since the OC.

This filter was designed for 5 times more service life than what it experienced. What all this seems to suggest is that SeaFoam is quite the solvent, and I'm surprised - almost alarmed - at its efficacy.



You don't need to be alarmed. What happened is you had a dirty engine and you ran the Seafoam too long. For sludge removal/flush or freeing of sticking parts like lifters and rings you run it approx 50-100 miles before you do the OC. Not 2000 miles. You repeat as required until problem solved( generally 2-3 times in total ).

While you "can" run Seafoam an entire OC( many guys do )it isn't a good idea to do so that 1st time for sure. If it is really bad in there it can overload the filter. You got a glimpse of what can happen.