To change out filter or not. That's the question.

[Speak2Mountain]

Just bought 2007 IS250 (GDI) from BMW dealership. Reliable car except for history of carbon build up. The dealer put in PP and BMW filter (Mann filter, I'm guessing). The oil is already dirty and it has less than 2K miles on the oil, so the PP is working well.

Now, not planning on changing out oil until 5K, but would a new filter help oil performance until it hits 5K?

Thx for the help,I'm a oil/filter newb but willing read and learn.

 

[HemiHawk]

As long as they actually changed it, I'd let the filter run out to 5k. The oil may appear "dirty" but its just doing its job. Oil in some cars/trucks looks black pretty soon after its changed, maybe around 1k miles. Others it stays fairly goldish for awhile.

 

[CharBaby]

No, I'd let the oil filter do it's job as well.

 

[BigD1]

You mentioned the history of carbon problems. Did engine get a rebuild because of misfire? You can check the Lexus owners website, and the information would be there reported by a Lexus dealer in service history.

 

[Speak2Mountain]

IT had a top clean around 70K by Lexus, no rebuild

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

To me an oil that goes dirty that fast is because dirty oil was still in the engine.

In a case like this I’ve done an engine oil flush by adding 2 cups of kerosene to a hot
idling engine and let idle for 15 minutes, then stop and change oil and filter. (old trucker trick)

Drain and allow oil to drip out for 10 minutes. Shops like to get the oil plug back in
asap to push a car thru the shop. Draining for 10 minutes or more lets 2-3 cups of oil to
fully drain that usually stays in the engine!

If after that, the oil turns dark in 2K then I’d take an oil sample for UOA and see what’s
in there at 5K.

In the cars I’ve tested and used Filtermags later, the dark oil was ferrous wear metals, lead
and aluminum that turned the oil dark! I run full synthetic and a pair of FilterMags and have
visibly clean oil for 6 months or so / 7,000 miles! It’s key to be sure you have clearance all
the way around the filter to mount the FilterMags and not hit the engine block, etc.

When FilterMags reduce ferrous metals, then all the other metals drop too! I wish I thought of it
years ago! I’ve not seem high levels of carbon in the oil, the only way for that to happen is have
massive amounts of piston blow-by which means a piston ring problem.

If you have a spin-on oil filter instead of a filter cartridge, check out PDF with some good Pics:


FILTERMAG vs HOMEBREW
https://app.box.com/s/uxvu8dmscf5wcgftutdm0ejqwgn86tw7

 

[Alex_V]

I'd look for signs of deposits in the engine - if you can see through the fill cap hole, etc. If that looks clean, leave it. If it looks like it's been sludgy, change oil and filter again before long.

My logic is, oil has detergents - once they're depleted you can chamge filters 'til the cows come home and not be doing as much good as with fresh oil. Also, it stands to reason filters will catch smaller particles after running a little while - kind of like a K&N air filter supposedly does better with a little dirt in it to close up the pores. You may remove dirt from the system by removing the dirty filter, but the dirt suspended in the oil will remain and, to some extent, pass through the new filter.

 

[oil_film_movies]

I'm in favor of an engine flush with a pint of kerosene, diesel fuel (in the oil sump, just to be clear), or "Motor Flush" or any other off the shelf product for this like "Gumout Mult-System Tuneup" fluid or "Seafoam". Makes sense since its easy to do, maybe needed, maybe not, who cares? its easy to be sure.
Then change the oil with Mobil 1 High Mileage or any full-synthetic 5w30 high mileage oil (extra seal conditioners) and new oil filter.
You could wait until 5k miles to do this. I would do it now.

 

[BrocLuno]

It's a spin-on right? If so, is there a larger filter that will fit? If so, change to bigger one and top up

 

[andyd]

This is a DI engine. From what I have read, they are harder on oil. The oil gets dirty fast because it has more fuel dilution. I advise oil flushes ,but not in this case

 

[Speak2Mountain]

So Andy you say no right now on the flush or no, never for a flush on DI engine?

 

[blupupher]

I would not flush any engine at any time with anything.

If you are concerned with the dark oil, change the oil and filter again now. It is probably wasting good oil and filter, but will make you feel better. Changing the filter will not do much if anything at all. As said, most filters will start to filter better with age (to a point) as they load with debris. Oil color really does not have anything to do with oil condition within a normal oil change interval.

If it were mine, I probably would change the oil and filter now just because. If that oil looks dark in another 2000 miles, then that just means oil changes color quickly in that engine. I would then just run the recommended factory OCI with a quality oil and filter and not worry about it. Do a UOA if you are really worried about it.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Yep, change that oil and filter now. Use semi-syn and regular filter and change the next one out at 4.5K. Then kick it up to 6K OCI. See how the oil responds. If it stays black at 1K, keep changing it at 3K until it stops going black so quickly.

I always judge my Valvoline oil by staying clean on the dipstick for 2K. If it gets below that, I change more often next time.

 

[jongies3]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud
To me an oil that goes dirty that fast is because dirty oil was still in the engine.

In a case like this I’ve done an engine oil flush by adding 2 cups of kerosene to a hot
idling engine and let idle for 15 minutes, then stop and change oil and filter. (old trucker trick)

Drain and allow oil to drip out for 10 minutes. Shops like to get the oil plug back in
asap to push a car thru the shop. Draining for 10 minutes or more lets 2-3 cups of oil to
fully drain that usually stays in the engine!

If after that, the oil turns dark in 2K then I’d take an oil sample for UOA and see what’s
in there at 5K.

In the cars I’ve tested and used Filtermags later, the dark oil was ferrous wear metals, lead
and aluminum that turned the oil dark! I run full synthetic and a pair of FilterMags and have
visibly clean oil for 6 months or so / 7,000 miles! It’s key to be sure you have clearance all
the way around the filter to mount the FilterMags and not hit the engine block, etc.

When FilterMags reduce ferrous metals, then all the other metals drop too! I wish I thought of it
years ago! I’ve not seem high levels of carbon in the oil, the only way for that to happen is have
massive amounts of piston blow-by which means a piston ring problem.

If you have a spin-on oil filter instead of a filter cartridge, check out PDF with some good Pics:


FILTERMAG vs HOMEBREW
https://app.box.com/s/uxvu8dmscf5wcgftutdm0ejqwgn86tw7


DI engines create more blowby and fuel dilution than port injected engines is why the oil gets dirty fast. Nothing you can do to prevent it. Like how most diesels the oil is pitch black after you start it up after an oil change. Oil color doesn't tell you anything about it's condition or how well it's doing it's job, UOA's do.

OP, Pennzoil Platinum is a great oil, but your oil would look like that with anything. It's just the nature of DI engines and is normal to see them dirty the oil quick.

 

[Speak2Mountain]

Sending in a UOA to Blackstone in about 1 month and will posts results. Should be interesting.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Speak2Mountain
Sending in a UOA to Blackstone in about 1 month and will posts results. Should be interesting.


Interesting in what way? Which parameters of the UOA are you thinking will indicate something?

 

[Speak2Mountain]

BC its my car and anything I find out about is interesting, at least to me.