M1 0w40, 13,011 miles, 2010 BMW 328i

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Patman

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Here are the latest results from my wife’s 2010 BMW 328i, analysis done by Wearcheck Canada:


13,011 miles on oil
Aug 21, 2015 to June 22, 2016 (11 months)
78,876 miles on engine
Mobil 1 0w40
Mann oil filter
7 quart oil capacity
1 quart of top up oil


Iron 31
Lead 0.5
Aluminum 14
Copper 10
Chromium 0.6
Nickel 0.3
Titanium 0
Tin 1.1
Silver 0

Vanadium 0
Manganese 5.1
Beryllium 0
Cadmium 0
Antimony 1.4
Lithium 0

Silicon 7.3
Potassium 3.7
Sodium 5
Sulfur 1954

Moly 79
Boron 86
Barium 0.1
Calcium 3042
Magnesium 437

Phosphorus 869
Zinc 1030
ZDDP 21.4

Oxidation 216%
Nitration 114%
Sulfation 124%

Soot 0
Glycol 0
Water 0
Fuel 0


Viscosity at 100c 16.1
 
Viscosity is at the top range of Xw-40, close to 50, so it was probably a good idea to get this oil out at this point as it is starting to thicken up, even with 1qt of fresh oil in there.

Curious what the TBN and TAN were...
 
Do you always do 10K mile intervals?

Is the previous oil same mobil 0w40?

How much high speed driving/longer trips/ distance is your total percent driving?
 
Last edited:
Is 0w40 considered a long drain oil? I got the impression that while it provides great protection its not really meant for over maybe 7,000 miles? (depending on application I guess).
 
This oil was ran too long. Oxidation is off the charts. Also, aluminum is high. The pistons and cylinders aren't happy.
 
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Is 0w40 considered a long drain oil? I got the impression that while it provides great protection its not really meant for over maybe 7,000 miles? (depending on application I guess).


It is a long drain oil, and it carries various LL euro mfg cerifications to prove it.

Preety beefy add pack / high TBN.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanm8
This oil was ran too long. Oxidation is off the charts. Also, aluminum is high. The pistons and cylinders aren't happy.


Aluminum is not bad at all, basically 1ppm per 1000 miles, which is totally acceptable IMO.

Oxidation numbers are not as high as you think, Wearcheck just explained to me that the PAO in synthetics will show higher oxidation numbers on their reports.

I don't believe this oil was run too long at all, and will continue to do 1 year intervals with full confidence.
 
Originally Posted By: JXW


How much high speed driving/longer trips/ distance is your total percent driving?


My wife doesn't drive at high speeds at all, and even I don't push this car that hard when I drive it. We do occasionally take this car on longer highway trips, but most of the driving she does is just 5-10 miles at a time, the school she teaches at is only about 5 miles away.
 
Originally Posted By: zeng
Wear rates looks good.
Oil is appreciably oxidised ?


That's the PAO, as per the response from Wearcheck in the other thread.
 
This oil starts at 13.5 cSt, shears down, and then thickened all the way up to 16.1. That is caused by oxidation. I've seen many UOA's on this oil (heck, one of my BMW's is running it right now) and never has it been anywhere close to 16.1.

Also, aluminum wear does not scale with miles like iron does. There are many UOA's for the N52 and most show less than 5ppm aluminum.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanm8
This oil starts at 13.5 cSt, shears down, and then thickened all the way up to 16.1. That is caused by oxidation. I've seen many UOA's on this oil (heck, one of my BMW's is running it right now) and never has it been anywhere close to 16.1....


And that's the older version of M1 0w-40 from earlier in 2015. It can easily shear down to 11.2-11.8 in only 500-1500 miles. The FS version on the street this year starts off around 12.4-13.2 cSt. brand new. So I agree this oil is well past its useful life. The last UOA on M1 0W-40 shows a visc of 17.7. That's up there unless this is a special European Super mix of M1.

What's puzzling is that the Magnesium number (437 ppm) is similar what you'd find in the M1 20 and 30 grade oils. There's not supposed to be any appreciable Mg in 0W-40. Last UOA is was over 700 ppm so it's coming down. Maybe leftover from a previous Castrol oil change? The older versions of Castrol 5w-30 were over 1400 ppm Mg. M1 5w-30 starts out in the 700's. Not aware of such a hefty level of Mg other than from a motor oil additive.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanm8
This oil starts at 13.5 cSt, shears down, and then thickened all the way up to 16.1. That is caused by oxidation. I've seen many UOA's on this oil (heck, one of my BMW's is running it right now) and never has it been anywhere close to 16.1.

Also, aluminum wear does not scale with miles like iron does. There are many UOA's for the N52 and most show less than 5ppm aluminum.


We'd know for sure with a TBN. Also fuel is bigger contributor to viscosity loss than mechanical shear. I had the SM version go down to 11.24cSt, but I had 5% fuel (in my M5).

This is definitely a very long OCI, and you are right, the oxidation is REALLY high (perhaps even factoring in PAO content). The increase in viscosity, significantly, is also concerning, as that points a finger at true oxidation, as you've noted.

If he had more of this sample, I would suggest sending it to Toromont for a 2nd opinion analysis, as TBN/TAN they do for free and it would give us more information (that's why I use them).
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX


What's puzzling is that the Magnesium number (437 ppm) is similar what you'd find in the M1 20 and 30 grade oils. There's not supposed to be any appreciable Mg in 0W-40. Last UOA is was over 700 ppm so it's coming down. Maybe leftover from a previous Castrol oil change? The older versions of Castrol 5w-30 were over 1400 ppm Mg. M1 5w-30 starts out in the 700's. Not aware of such a hefty level of Mg other than from a motor oil additive.


Last M1 0w-40 I did in my bimmer (SM version) had 24ppm Magnesium, so you are right, this IS strange (I had used the BMW 5w-30 one or two OCI's prior).
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Viscosity is at the top range of Xw-40, close to 50, so it was probably a good idea to get this oil out at this point as it is starting to thicken up, even with 1qt of fresh oil in there.

Curious what the TBN and TAN were...





That is so funny, the comment you made last year on his uoa was practically identical.
 
Originally Posted By: 60ampfuse
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Viscosity is at the top range of Xw-40, close to 50, so it was probably a good idea to get this oil out at this point as it is starting to thicken up, even with 1qt of fresh oil in there.

Curious what the TBN and TAN were...





That is so funny, the comment you made last year on his uoa was practically identical.

LOL. Yeah. I just realized that.
smile.gif


Sorry for being repetitive.
 
Originally Posted By: ryanm8


Also, aluminum wear does not scale with miles like iron does. There are many UOA's for the N52 and most show less than 5ppm aluminum.


Disagree. Wear byproducts always scale with miles. Aluminum and iron are wear byproducts.

Given the oddball magnesium level AND viscosity, I'd be wondering if maybe a top-off was done with a non-M1 0w40 oil along the way somewhere- maybe a 15w50 or Xw60 even?
 
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