BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92)

BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Go Back   M3Post - BMW M3 Forum > E90/E92 M3 Technical Topics > Mechanical Maintenance: Break-in / Oil & Fluids / Servicing
 
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-16-2009, 02:13 AM   #1
808MGuy
Colonel
808MGuy's Avatar
218
Rep
2,339
Posts

Drives: 2009 E90 M3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oahu, Hawaii

iTrader: (3)

Blackstone oil analysis

Looks like I'll be doing oil changes myself in between the dealer services until the results improve.

__________________
2016 Porsche Cayman GTS - Sapphire Blue / Black Full Leather Interior / Carrera S Wheels
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 08:40 AM   #2
ihyln
Banned
United_States
85
Rep
3,384
Posts

Drives: M3post sucks
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: M3post sucks

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
2008 M3  [0.00]
2002 530i  [0.00]
Thanks! I'm planning on changing the oil at 7k as well.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 09:30 AM   #3
JonM
Lieutenant
145
Rep
409
Posts

Drives: E90 M3 Sedan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for posting your results. Mine are below for reference. Your lead numbers would make me nervous too.

It would be nice to get more data from other folks collected. As you mentioned, doing the minimum oil changes is not a good idea at all.

__________________
Jon Maddux
coupenut.blogspot.com
x5nut.blogspot.com
16 X5d | 08 M3 Sedan | 06 M Coupe | 01 M coupe | 99 M coupe
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 11:22 AM   #4
JCtx
Major General
256
Rep
5,012
Posts

Drives: No BMW yet
Join Date: May 2008
Location: El Paso TX

iTrader: (0)

That first lead number looks sky high, especially compared to the 2nd sample.

What moving parts have lead inside our engines? Just the 5 crank bearings? Curious. Thx.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 11:56 AM   #5
sparkyg
Brigadier General
sparkyg's Avatar
Canada
142
Rep
3,522
Posts

Drives: work truck
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Oil Country

iTrader: (5)

Didn't you have a 335 before Jon?
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 01:28 PM   #6
JonM
Lieutenant
145
Rep
409
Posts

Drives: E90 M3 Sedan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

iTrader: (4)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sparkyg View Post
Didn't you have a 335 before Jon?
Not I.
__________________
Jon Maddux
coupenut.blogspot.com
x5nut.blogspot.com
16 X5d | 08 M3 Sedan | 06 M Coupe | 01 M coupe | 99 M coupe
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 02:21 PM   #7
sparkyg
Brigadier General
sparkyg's Avatar
Canada
142
Rep
3,522
Posts

Drives: work truck
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Oil Country

iTrader: (5)

Ok, I just remembered the Blackstone postings before on E90post.

No sweat. Thx.

The analysis is a great idea. The factory change frequency is rubbish to say the least.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 05:33 PM   #8
808MGuy
Colonel
808MGuy's Avatar
218
Rep
2,339
Posts

Drives: 2009 E90 M3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oahu, Hawaii

iTrader: (3)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sparkyg View Post
Ok, I just remembered the Blackstone postings before on E90post.

No sweat. Thx.

The analysis is a great idea. The factory change frequency is rubbish to say the least.
I'm starting to wonder what the oil sensors are looking for when it gives a recommended change interval. Is it testing for some kind of foriegn content or just viscosity?
__________________
2016 Porsche Cayman GTS - Sapphire Blue / Black Full Leather Interior / Carrera S Wheels
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 05:49 PM   #9
JonM
Lieutenant
145
Rep
409
Posts

Drives: E90 M3 Sedan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

iTrader: (4)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 808MGuy View Post
I'm starting to wonder what the oil sensors are looking for when it gives a recommended change interval. Is it testing for some kind of foriegn content or just viscosity?
I don't think it is actively sampling the oil at all to suggest the change interval.

I think the interval it suggests is based on fuel burn. That is the parameter that the pre-E9X cars used. Burn a lot of gas or do a lot of city driving, and you get shorter intervals.

The GM way had something to do with measuring the capacitance of the oil, but I don't think the BMW system works like that.
__________________
Jon Maddux
coupenut.blogspot.com
x5nut.blogspot.com
16 X5d | 08 M3 Sedan | 06 M Coupe | 01 M coupe | 99 M coupe
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 07:49 PM   #10
JCtx
Major General
256
Rep
5,012
Posts

Drives: No BMW yet
Join Date: May 2008
Location: El Paso TX

iTrader: (0)

No current car has any kind of oil 'sensor'; it's just an algorithm; that's why you have to reset them . Each manufacturer uses different criteria: ignition cycles, fuel usage, along with average speed, duration, mileage, etc. But all are just a guesstimation at best.

AFAIK, only some big trucks have oil sensors, but even those can only measure viscosity, not contamination, additives, etc. To me, changing oil every 5 to 7.5K miles on a high-performance engine is cheap insurance. Also worth noting is BMW used to recommend changing oil every 3K miles, but when they started paying for oil changes, that was conveniently raised to 15K miles . Good day.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 08:22 PM   #11
808MGuy
Colonel
808MGuy's Avatar
218
Rep
2,339
Posts

Drives: 2009 E90 M3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oahu, Hawaii

iTrader: (3)

Quote:
Originally Posted by elp_jc View Post
No current car has any kind of oil 'sensor'; it's just an algorithm; that's why you have to reset them . Each manufacturer uses different criteria: ignition cycles, fuel usage, along with average speed, duration, mileage, etc. But all are just a guesstimation at best.

AFAIK, only some big trucks have oil sensors, but even those can only measure viscosity, not contamination, additives, etc. To me, changing oil every 5 to 7.5K miles on a high-performance engine is cheap insurance. Also worth noting is BMW used to recommend changing oil every 3K miles, but when they started paying for oil changes, that was conveniently raised to 15K miles . Good day.
Just from my visual inspection of the oil that came out, I thought the oil was pretty clean. Definitely not black and dirty but the numbers on this report show that maybe a shorter interval is something to look at. I'll just wait and see what happens with the next oil change which will probably be in 5 months or at 15k miles.
__________________
2016 Porsche Cayman GTS - Sapphire Blue / Black Full Leather Interior / Carrera S Wheels
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2009, 08:30 PM   #12
alpineweissM3
I love my beautiful wife!
22
Rep
628
Posts

Drives: e90 ///M
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Pittsburgh

iTrader: (0)

These results are consistent with others I have seen posted here and over on Bimmerfest. If anything, this reinforces the fact that the recommended oil change intervals are too long.
Appreciate 0
      06-17-2009, 04:27 AM   #13
MrHarris
yodog
MrHarris's Avatar
United_States
196
Rep
5,026
Posts

Drives: '86 Corolla
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Diamond Bar, Ca

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
2009 BMW  [10.00]
What are the negative effects of running the car for another 7.5k miles (to the 15k mi mark) with that much iron/lead in it? Would it reduce the life of the engine?
__________________

2009 E92 M3 | Alpine White | Black Extended | Advan RS | Turner Test Pipes | Dinan Axle-Back | OETuning | Eibach Springs | UUC SSK | VRS Front Lip | VRS Type I Diffuser | Matte Black | RPi Scoops | MS Filter | Yokohama AD08 | F1 Pinnacle
Special Thanks: Gintani | OETuning | eAs
Appreciate 0
      06-17-2009, 04:42 PM   #14
AlpWtE92
First Lieutenant
AlpWtE92's Avatar
United_States
22
Rep
319
Posts

Drives: '08 AW E92 M3
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SF / Bay Area

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrHarris View Post
What are the negative effects of running the car for another 7.5k miles (to the 15k mi mark) with that much iron/lead in it? Would it reduce the life of the engine?
I'm wonderin this as well. I went with the recommended interval for my second oil change - after the 1200 mile service, I did not change the oil until the car told me it was due at 15000 miles. Hope the potential long term damage is not too bad. I'm definitely doing an oil change every 7500 miles from now on.
Appreciate 0
      06-19-2009, 05:33 PM   #15
Eliminator
First Lieutenant
Eliminator's Avatar
United_States
33
Rep
311
Posts

Drives: 2008 M3 SSII 6M, '87 911
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Michigan

iTrader: (0)

I paid for my oil change at 7K miles. Contamination in the oil causes extra wear on the cylinder walls so loss of power would be an eventual consequence. I'm not an expert so I can't say by how much or how long it would take for the particulates to wear down the cylinder walls, if ever. I just feel better with clean oil. Cheap insurance is right if you're keeping it for 10 yrs. Low viscosity oil should sneak in to the combustion chamber and cause more oil burn, possibly fouled plugs and loss of power. This is a high compression engine so I don't like the sound of low viscosity oil as it can be pushed up to the chamber. Just change the oil yourself. Not a big deal.
Appreciate 0
      06-19-2009, 07:42 PM   #16
808MGuy
Colonel
808MGuy's Avatar
218
Rep
2,339
Posts

Drives: 2009 E90 M3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oahu, Hawaii

iTrader: (3)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eliminator View Post
I paid for my oil change at 7K miles. Contamination in the oil causes extra wear on the cylinder walls so loss of power would be an eventual consequence. I'm not an expert so I can't say by how much or how long it would take for the particulates to wear down the cylinder walls, if ever. I just feel better with clean oil. Cheap insurance is right if you're keeping it for 10 yrs. Low viscosity oil should sneak in to the combustion chamber and cause more oil burn, possibly fouled plugs and loss of power. This is a high compression engine so I don't like the sound of low viscosity oil as it can be pushed up to the chamber. Just change the oil yourself. Not a big deal.
For the record, my car did not burn any oil since day one. I never had to add oil between services.
__________________
2016 Porsche Cayman GTS - Sapphire Blue / Black Full Leather Interior / Carrera S Wheels
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:44 PM.




m3post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST