With a salute to shortyb's thread - http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1128148#Post1128148 - here's what it looks like under the valve cover of my 1999 323i with 92,554 miles. It's been on BMW 5W-30 with OEM filters it's entire life and has been getting it's oil changed based on what the OLM dictated.
That has given it the following OCI's:
1/8/1999 - drove it off the lot w/ 7 miles on the odometer
1/12/2000 - Oil change - 16,363 miles and 369 days
4/12/2001 - Oil change - 14,241 miles and 456 days
8/28/2002 - Oil change - 15,366 miles and 503 days
3/29/2004 - Oil change - 14,101 miles and 579 days
10/20/2005 - Oil change - 14,248 miles and 570 days
11/26/2007 - Oil change - 13,941 miles and 767 days
I pulled the valve cover to assess the need for running an Auto-RX cycle and fully expected to find things a bit gunked up. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean things are. There's a little but of staining on the vanos housing and some minor sludge on the cover nooks and crannies, but the running gear was pristine.
BTW - UOA on the oil currently in the engine is here - http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1194277#Post1194277
That has given it the following OCI's:
1/8/1999 - drove it off the lot w/ 7 miles on the odometer
1/12/2000 - Oil change - 16,363 miles and 369 days
4/12/2001 - Oil change - 14,241 miles and 456 days
8/28/2002 - Oil change - 15,366 miles and 503 days
3/29/2004 - Oil change - 14,101 miles and 579 days
10/20/2005 - Oil change - 14,248 miles and 570 days
11/26/2007 - Oil change - 13,941 miles and 767 days
I pulled the valve cover to assess the need for running an Auto-RX cycle and fully expected to find things a bit gunked up. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean things are. There's a little but of staining on the vanos housing and some minor sludge on the cover nooks and crannies, but the running gear was pristine.
BTW - UOA on the oil currently in the engine is here - http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1194277#Post1194277
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