2018 BMW X1 s28i, 22k, 5.4k OCI BMW TPT 0W20 LL14FE

Joined
Jan 9, 2020
Messages
85
Location
Southern California USA
UOA on my wife's car. Car was in warranty and got the run of the mill 0w20 from BMW every 6-7k miles, here's the UOA from the last of the free maintenance oil changes and I have since put in 5w30 BMW TPT LL01. Doesn't seem to be wearing as well as my cars that I have dumped LL01 in; double the universal averages, but my wife does frequent short trips in moderate climate (Southern California) that are sub 2 miles one way. We do occasionally do some road trips and weekend trips to take our child out. I'd say 50% short trips, 50% long trips in terms of mileage, but the daily short tripping is what made me pull the oil at 5k miles. Flashpoint still pretty high for a car that frequently doesn't get to operating temp often, overall TPT always seems to have decent results but this iron is the highest I've seen on any of my UOA. We shall see how 5w30 BMW TPT LL01 does on the next one in terms of wear. I don't think I've ever seen more than 10ppm on any of my UOA before at all, up to 5k mile drains. Blackstone says the double average of iron inside the oil is likely due to my short tripping and frequent idling with baby sleeping in car, haha.

MI/HR on Oil5400UNIVERSAL AVERAGES
MI/HR on Unit22000UNIT / LOCATION AVERAGES
Sample Date3/17/2021
Make Up Oil Added0 qts
ALUMINUM554
CHROMIUM110
IRON262613
COPPER223
LEAD000
TIN000
MOLYBDENUM8181124
NICKEL000
MANGANESE112
SILVER000
TITANIUM001
POTASSIUM003
BORON3838101
SILICON668
SODIUM444
CALCIUM173917392056
MAGNESIUM393996
PHOSPHORUS599599684
ZINC685685779
BARIUM000
Values Should Be*

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F52.946-57
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C8.156.0-9.7
Flashpoint in °F430>385
Fuel %TD]

[TD]TD]

[TD]
Antifreeze %0.00.0
Water %0.00.0
Insolubles %0.2TD]

[TD]
TBN1.9>1.0
 
Thanks for posting, will be interesting to see if adding some viscosity makes a difference here. The low saps doesn't look to like your use pattern. And I don't blame you one bit for jumping up, a 20 grade in a German car still just seems wrong to me.
 
Thanks for posting, will be interesting to see if adding some viscosity makes a difference here. The low saps doesn't look to like your use pattern. And I don't blame you one bit for jumping up, a 20 grade in a German car still just seems wrong to me.
I was never a fan of using LL14FE oils on BMWs that can use LL01, but with my wife's driving pattern, frequent short tripping, I thought the 0w20 would do decent. Anyway the X1 out of the free maintenance period so since it is my choice and I do my own oil changes, it will be LL-01 oils only moving forth, especially seeing how TBN got depleted in 5k miles / 6 months. Car is still in warranty so LL-01 is nice.

I currently have a large stockpile of LL01 approved oils I need to use up...
2016 Year Castrol 0w30 LL01
2018 year Castrol 0w40 LL01
2019 Year Ravenol 0w40 SSL LL01 (lost LL01 in mid 2020)
2021 Motul 5w40 Xcess Gen 2 LL01
And BMW TPT 5w30 LL01

So far, 0w40 Castrol has produced great results on my NA V8, DI-turbo 6, Flat 4 turbo, and wouldn't be surprised if it did well in this car too. I know many aren't fans of running Full SAP oils on these new turbos with direct injections, but we shall see how cleanliness/buildup goes over the long run. I will try 5w30 TPT for 5k miles, then try Castrol 0w30/0w40 once it's out of warranty after and get UOA to post / share.
 
I have a suspicion that maybe the oil wasn't changed by the dealer on the last free oil change. To me that oil sample could very well be 12,000 miles , 1.5 year interval. Looking at all my previous UOA on other DI-turbo BMWs I have never seen TBN that low in 5k miles. We shall see on subsequent oil changes. If TBN maintains well on the next one and iron drops significantly then my assumption may be true. Guess I won't truly ever know because I won't be returning to 0w20 TPT.
 
I have a suspicion that maybe the oil wasn't changed by the dealer on the last free oil change. To me that oil sample could very well be 12,000 miles , 1.5 year interval. Looking at all my previous UOA on other DI-turbo BMWs I have never seen TBN that low in 5k miles. We shall see on subsequent oil changes. If TBN maintains well on the next one and iron drops significantly then my assumption may be true. Guess I won't truly ever know because I won't be returning to 0w20 TPT.

That makes sense, and would explain the very low TBN as well as the fe. Flash point is still really good for trashed oil though.
 
Back
Top