BMW M3 high nickel?

[Samsonite79]

Hi, I wanted to get some input on my used oil report, bought a 2003 M3 three weeks ago with 110k miles, thought I change the oil and have it analysis. I know the copper is high and might need to have the rod bearings replaced but do I need to be concerned about the higher than normal nickle metal in the oil, where else could nickle be coming from except cylinder wall wear? I want to be proactive and repair anything it needs to prevent catastrophic failure. I eventually want to do HPDE with the M3.

Thank you, Sam

Code:


ALUMINUM 5

CHROMIUM 0

IRON 9

COPPER 24

LEAD 2

TIN 0

MOLYBDENUM 165

NICKEL 7

SILVER 1

TITANIUM 0

POTASSIUM 34

BORON 29

SILICON 4

SODIUM 5

CALCIUM 2651

MAGNESIUM 155

PHOSPHORUS 832

ZINC 994

BARIUM 0

cSt Vis @ 100°C 87.5

SUS Vis @ 210°F 17.38

Flashpoint °F 350

Fuel % 0.8

Antifreeze % 0

Insolubles % 0

TBN 0.1

TAN

ISO Code

 

[Trav]

I am no expert but to me it doesn't look terrible for an oil that is totally finished with a TBN 0.spit.
4 PPM nickel isn't much and your right its probably from the cylinder walls but its normal to have some wear even on nikasil blocks and 4ppm is minimal.

The copper is probably from a cooler as lead readings are low at 2ppm, either there is no lead anymore and the crank is through the lead and down to the copper (doubtful) or it isn't from bearing wear.

I would do a couple of shorter oil changes and don't bother with a UOA for a while.
With the oil being that depleted there may be some deposits and those deposits are probably holding some wear metals that will be released into the new oil as the new oil cleans some of the deposits up.
It wouldn't surprise me a bit if you did a UOA on the next OC and it had some high values.

 

[m6pwr]

The e92 m3's have alusil cylinder bores (aluminum impregnated with silicon crystals). I wouldn't worry too much about the nickel either unless it increases in subsequent reports. Overall I think Trav is right. May not be a bad report for an engine run to an extended drain.

Just as a matter of curiosity, what lab did the report? Is the fuel dilution 8% or 8 tenths of one percent? May want to verify with the lab. Even though the engine is port injected, I think high fuel dilution may be par for the M3. Flashpoint is down although 350 is probably normal for these engines run to a long drain interval. I think the service fill (Castrol TWS 10w60) starts out at about 440.

 

[Samsonite79]

Thank you both trav and m6pwr, that puts my mind at ease, I used blackstone labs for the anaylsis, and i drained the oil on stone cold engine, hopefully it's just from cold starts and running rich too many times because the t-stat was stuck open.

-Samson

 

[Quattro Pete]

TBN of 0.1? Is this a mistake? How long was the oil in service? What oil was it?

 

[vinu_neuro]

Originally Posted By: m6pwr
The e92 m3's have alusil cylinder bores (aluminum impregnated with silicon crystals). I wouldn't worry too much about the nickel either unless it increases in subsequent reports. Overall I think Trav is right. May not be a bad report for an engine run to an extended drain.

Just as a matter of curiosity, what lab did the report? Is the fuel dilution 8% or 8 tenths of one percent? May want to verify with the lab. Even though the engine is port injected, I think high fuel dilution may be par for the M3. Flashpoint is down although 350 is probably normal for these engines run to a long drain interval. I think the service fill (Castrol TWS 10w60) starts out at about 440.


That would be 80% if you didn't read it as 8%.

It'd be nice to have some background information.

 

[jrustles]

4ppm of both Si & Ni? At least OP can be reassured that the nikasil layer still exists

(but may suggest that it is indeed steadily degrading)

 

[Samsonite79]

Oh geez your right its mistake I guess copy and paste screw that up. It is blank on my report. I dont think I paid for that option. Thanks for catching that.

I don't think I have a background on this 2003 m3, other than it started its life out in Arizona, amd moved to California, I dont know anything else about the car. Sorry...

 

[Quattro Pete]

No service history, huh?

That's kind of a risky purchase of an M3 then. Hope the price was at least attractive.

So what oil did you put in there now?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: jrustles
4ppm of both Si & Ni? At least OP can be reassured that the nikasil layer still exists

(but may suggest that it is indeed steadily degrading)


It has alumasil bores, not nikasil bores.

 

[Samsonite79]

yea, at least the body is clean and frame is straight. I'm planning to rebuild the M3 into a nice weekend street/track car, I was hoping to get a general health of this engine and build accordingly. I'm hoping the nickel is just accumulation of cylinder wall wear from over extended oil usage but, I'm just not sure. I'm thinking I should tear the rod bearings out and change it anyways as preventive maintenance. Maybe time will tell me if changing the rod bearings are really necessary. So, I put genuine BMW Castrol TWS 10W60 and BMW oil filter, this time, next oil change at 5,000-10,000 miles I'll get another lab test.

 

[Trav]

Yes 03 would be alusil. When did they stop nikasil for the US market?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Trav
When did they stop nikasil for the US market?

1996?

AFAIK, the M3 never had a nikasil engine.

 

[901Memphis]

Looks like the previous owner didn't want to put any money into it before selling it and probably ran the oil way too long.

 

[Samsonite79]

Do you think BMW was using niksil/nickel in the VANOS hubs (known issue where the exhaust hub tabs break off? maybe that's the source? or is this mineral specific in the engine design world?.

I highly doubt the previous owner gave this car any love, I think the BMW was owned by a female with blonde hair and small dog with stubby hairs.... I found evidence of that while cleaning the interior...

 

[vinu_neuro]

Your nicklel and copper levels are elevated. Here are the potential sources for both according to Polaris.

Copper: Main / Rod Bearings (also look for lead), Brass / Bronze Bushings (also look for Tin and / or Zinc), Oil Cooler Core Tubing

Nickel: Alloy in Valves, Crankshaft, Camshaft, Contaminant in Marine Bunker Fuels

It's hard to say, but I don't think the two are related considering lead and iron are ok. Copper might just be from the cooler. Maybe the nickel is from the valves, but it seems unlikely.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Trav
When did they stop nikasil for the US market?

1996?

AFAIK, the M3 never had a nikasil engine.


They were still using Nikasil in the M52 in 2001 and even later (going by VIN) on some Euro Models. I don't remember what the Engine was for the Euro market in the M3 IIRC it was the M52 and the US got the S52.
I don't see many BMW M cars in this area of the US, its mostly older 3 series or X models.

I remember back in the mid 80's when BMW were producing Euro engines with non hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel but with hardened for the USA on the same production line.
How much sense did that make?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I don't remember what the Engine was for the Euro market in the M3 IIRC it was the M52 and the US got the S52.

I don't think M52 was used in a Euro M3 either.

This FAQ gives more detail on which models were affected:
http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=373

 

[OVERKILL]

The use of the term "elevated" is relative. Elevated compared to what? Given the TBN, it would be wonderful to know how long this oil was in service. If it was like 15,000 miles, I don't think the numbers being cited as "elevated" are at all.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I think he said the TBN number was a typo.