Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50, BMW E39 540iA, 22081 km

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Dear All,

Please find below the results of the latest and the previous (Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50, BMW E39 540iA, 17762 km, LM Top Tec 5W-40, BMW E39 540iA, 7200 km) oil analyses for my BMW.

During this oil change interval I again used 100 % E85 fuel with a modified ECU mapping. Except for a slightly higher value of Iron wear, the wear figures are the same as in the previous analyses or changed linearily with the oil usage (e.g. Copper). The only values that are worrying me are the Nitration value and the base number BN as also stated by the engineer performing the analysis. The BN value is considerably lower, although in my opinion still in a range which should not be of any concern?!

For the current oil change interval I am planning not to exceed the 20000 km.

What are your opinions?

Philipp

Code:


REPORT #3:

Subject : Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50, BMW E39 540iA, 22081 km (oil), 99893 km (total)

Machine : M62B44TU (E39 540iA, YoC 2002)

Oil : Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50

Additive : Wynn's Oil Stop Leak (as sealant maintenance)

Additive : Liqui Moly Visco-Stabil (VI improver) (added several times over oil usage, 1 liter in total)

Oil Usage : 6 month

Comments : [of the engineer performing the analyses]

The values of wear increased only slightly. This minimal wear is within normal range.

The nitration value (NOx) is increased. Possible causes: increased blow-by,

mostly caused by poor combustion, insufficient sealing between pistons and

cylinder walls or valve problems. The gasoline quality or a non-optimal

engine configuration may also have an influence.

The base number BN is considerably lower than expected.



REPORT #2:

Subject : Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50, BMW E39 540iA, 17762 km (oil), 77812 km (total)

Machine : M62B44TU (E39 540iA, YoC 2002)

Oil : Mobil 1 Peak Life 5W-50

Additive : Wynn's Oil Stop Leak (as sealant maintenance)

Additive : Liqui Moly Visco-Stabil (VI improver) (added after 12500 km usage)

Oil Usage : 4 month

Comments : [of the engineer performing the analyses]

The values of wear are within normal range.

The base number BN is slightly lower compared to the fresh oil reference.

All other values are within normal or expected range.



REPORT #1:

Subject : LM Top Tec 5W-40, BMW E39 540iA, 7200 km (oil), 60050 km (total)

Machine : M62B44TU (E39 540iA, YoC 2002)

Oil : Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5W-40

Additive : Wynn's Oil Stop Leak (as sealant maintenance)

Oil Usage : 5 month

Comments : [of the engineer performing the analyses]

The values of wear metals have risen only slightly.

This low wear is within the normal range.

The values of additives differ from the values of the fresh oil reference in our database.

The fuel content is negligible and is below the detection limit.



REPORT #3 #2 #1

CURRENT PREVIOUS PREVIOUS



WEAR

Iron Fe mg/kg 27 17 15

Chromium Cr mg/kg 0 0 1

Tin Sn mg/kg 0 0 2

Aluminium Al mg/kg 6 3 3

Nickel Ni mg/kg 0 0 0

Copper Cu mg/kg 16 13 6

Lead Pb mg/kg 4 3 3

Manganese Mn mg/kg 1 - 1

PQ-Index - OK 26 OK



CONTAMINATION

Silicon Si mg/kg 10 10 15

Potassium K mg/kg 3 2 1

Sodium Na mg/kg 6 7 0

Silver Ag mg/kg 1 - -

Water % < 0.10 < 0.10 < 0.10

IR-Glykol - negative negative negative

Fuel % < 0.30 < 0.30 < 0.30



OIL CONDITION

Viscosity @ 40°C mm²/s 111.26 110.95 80.50

Viscosity @ 100°C mm²/s 17.12 16.90 13.43

Viscosity Index - 169 166 170

Oxidation A/cm 9 11 18

Nitration A/cm 16 9 8

Sulfation A/cm 6 5 9

Dispersing Power % 95 97 92



ADDITIVES

Calzium Ca mg/kg 2475 2703 2179

Magnesium Mg mg/kg 134 94 249

Boron B mg/kg 16 34 32

Zinc Zn mg/kg 938 1072 1009

Phosphorus P mg/kg 666 821 826

Barium Ba mg/kg 0 0 0

Molybdenum Mo mg/kg 60 61 2

Sulfur S mg/kg 2179 2482 3420



ADDITIONAL TESTS

BN mgKOH/g 6.50 8.00 7.27
 
I don't see much to complain about here. You have over 22,000 km on the oil (almost 14,000 miles) and the base number is still over 6. If that lab's "BN" is the same as what we known in the US as the "TBN", or Total Base Number, then I'd say that the oil is holding up very well. Nitration increased over the other reports, but you also ran the oil longer, so the nitration rate seems to be somewhat consistent. I'd be pretty happy with this report, and with the trending you've developed over the past three reports.

You may consider an oil change interval of 20,000 km.
 
I hate to be a nay sayer but the Copper is trending upwards. The Iron level is no big deal as it tracks the OCI, BUT the Cu figure is interesting as it tends to be either from oil cooler chemistry or turbo bearings in general terms. It probably should not be above 5ppm.
Using Wynns stop leak is worth avoiding unless you have a real big leaks problem and it can confuse the UOA results. It would be interesting to know if you have oil leaks or if it is just burning oil. If it's the former I would switch to a major brand HM rather than use stop leak AND check the Mobil UK or Germany oil finder to see if moving up to a 5/50 was OK.
 
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@Hokiefyd: The base number BN is indeed equal to the Total Base Number ...

@skyship: The engine does not burn any oil nor has it any leaks, i.e. the oil level is constant over the complete oil change interval. I am using the Wynn's Oil Stop Leak as a sealant maintainance, i.e. trying to keep the VANOS seals elastic ...
 
Originally Posted By: Pinky
@Hokiefyd: The base number BN is indeed equal to the Total Base Number ...

@skyship: The engine does not burn any oil nor has it any leaks, i.e. the oil level is constant over the complete oil change interval. I am using the Wynn's Oil Stop Leak as a sealant maintainance, i.e. trying to keep the VANOS seals elastic ...


I think that's a bad idea because it can swell the oil seals which then suffer increased wear with their associated shaft, so if you don't have an oil leak and are not burning oil a stop leak will do nothing more than interfere with the function of the oils base stock and add pack. Mobil make good oil and it won't cause a problem with modern oil seals, unless BMW had a design fault issue with the Vanos seals. If they did have a problem then BMW would have recommended an additive, which as they are German would probably not be anything from Wynns.
Not too sure about the exact oil, as the Mobil oil finder is a fairly good one:
MOBIL OIL FINDER
 
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In fact the VANOS seals are a known problem at BMW's (E38/E39) TU engines, see e.g. http://www.beisansystems.com/ which offer new (better) VANOS seals as a replacement in case the VANOS unit starts to have problems either by some rattling noise or by loss of power in the lower rev range. Basically, I used Wynn's with my previous BMW as well, which also had a TU engine, and it helped the VANOS to retain its good condition ...
 
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