[Lochstar8]

Hello this is a post I was hoping to never make. I own a 2007 323i n52b25 with 337,446 km.

This is not the first oil change were I’ve noticed this material in the oil filter but it’s the worst one yet for amount of material.

The last 20 oil changes have all been done around 4000km apart and I would say this material only began to show up 8-10 or so changes ago. Or at least that’s when I noticed it.

I will say I did use a liqui moly engine flush like 6 oil changes ago. Which I found to have basically no effect.

It’s non ferris and brakes up pretty easy if you take some of it on you finger and wipe it on a blue shop towel it kind of just turns to dust or smaller parts. It breaks apart easily.

It to my eye doesn’t appear to be metal it’s at least not shiny anyway.

I also checked the Vanos filters after this oil change and they were spotless maybe 2 specs of material on them and I really had to look to find that. otherwise they were completely clean.

The car runs flawlessly, starts great, runs great has good power, it doesn’t even have the Notorious N52 lifter tick the engine is completely silent. Like runs flawlessly.

It burns roughly a liter of oil every 4000 ish km’s which is when I do oil changes anyway. Which imo for a N52B25 that seams quite good to me. Car is mostly spiritedly highway driven.

I’m not sure what it could be. But it’s obviously not super critical yet. If it was metal you would think you’d see wear on the cam visible through the oil fill cap but it look exactly like it has for the past 5 years. (I check that came lobe frequently for some reason)

Not sure if anyone has experienced this before or could advise me on what’s going on but I though I would at least make a post showing it.

Some of the material to me almost seams like flakes of synthetic oil staining/light varnish that’s broken up not sure.

[lookalikehuuh]

Is the feel of the material hard like plastic or softer like maybe some sludge that has broken away from a larger piece of sludge?

[EwenMac]

If plastic could be bits of timing chain guides, maybe pull the rocker cover and see if there is anything obvious

[Hakentt]

that is protective coating chipping away from magnesium block, all N52 have that issue, that is why N52 is junk

[Runnin'Rich]

I have this too it’s grey flake that’s kind of like a clay texture when I wipe it with my finger. I’ve done multiple Blackstone labs oil analysis with no concerning results.

I’m using Mobil 1 0W40 charging every 10,000km with no drop in oil level between changes (no burning)

It definitely could be some kind of coating like Hakentt suggested.

How clean is the inside of your engine when you look down the oil cap? Mine has the brown varnish from previous owner following the oil change intervals from the on board computer.

I have another n52 car that has no varnishing that I use the same mobil1 oil in. It’s due its first oil change in my ownership. I’ll report back if it also has the grey flakes.

Blackstone labs can analyse an oil filter element but it’s expensive I think.

[Lochstar8]

Originally Posted by lookalikehuuh

Is the feel of the material hard like plastic or softer like maybe some sludge that has broken away from a larger piece of sludge?

It’s almost like a solidified clay it definitely could be old plastic pieces but it’s quite strange. Some of it could be little flakes of old oil varnish coming off but the motor has zero sludge it’s very clean inside other than the oil staining. Now that’s not to say there weren’t any larger deposits at one point in its life but ive had the oil pan and valve cover off previously and everything was heavily stained but was all quite clean. I do certainly do oil changes more frequently now than the previous owner so maybe it is some of that stuff coming up not sure.

[Lochstar8]

Originally Posted by EwenMac

If plastic could be bits of timing chain guides, maybe pull the rocker cover and see if there is anything obvious

Yeah I did have that concern of it being timing chain guides but I haven’t heard any real slop from it albeit it’s probably not progressed enough to cause Audible changes. The material is grey though which is a bit strange if the guides are a brown ish colour and black. But who knows maybe that black has turned grey over the years.

[Lochstar8]

Originally Posted by Runnin'Rich

I have this too it’s grey flake that’s kind of like a clay texture when I wipe it with my finger. I’ve done multiple Blackstone labs oil analysis with no concerning results.

I’m using Mobil 1 0W40 charging every 10,000km with no drop in oil level between changes (no burning)

It definitely could be some kind of coating like Hakentt suggested.

How clean is the inside of your engine when you look down the oil cap? Mine has the brown varnish from previous owner following the oil change intervals from the on board computer.

I have another n52 car that has no varnishing that I use the same mobil1 oil in. It’s due its first oil change in my ownership. I’ll report back if it also has the grey flakes.

Blackstone labs can analyse an oil filter element but it’s expensive I think.

Good to know I’m not the only one.

The coating is certainly a possibility I have seen those posts and it does kinda seam similar but all those have a much higher volume of that coating in the filter than what’s seen here but maybe I’m on the early stages.

The engine is really quite clean with some synthetic oil staining some of it kinda thicker in areas where I’d describe it as a varnish but that varnish is really only visible on the valvetronic springs visible from the oil cap. Everything else is very clean. I probably post a picture down the oil cap. the previous owner (my father) similar to your situation did oil changes when the computer told him. And I got the car at 287,xxx km and ever since then I’ve done oil changes from every 7k to now 4k. And I run Castrol euro car 5w-40 in the summer and 0w-40 in the winter as it gets to -40C° here. The car has alway had castrol oil its whole life.

I’d love to hear what you find on your other car.

[lookalikehuuh]

Originally Posted by Hakentt

that is protective coating chipping away from magnesium block, all N52 have that issue, that is why N52 is junk

Don't want to insult you... but... are you an idiot?

The N52 is a rock solid engine, in fact many consider it to be the best BMW engine ever made. We have tons of them on this forum with 200K+ miles and some with 400K+ miles.

I could be blind or losing my mind, but I have been rolling around this forums for years and I don't recall anyone reporting that their magnesium blocks were flaking apart. I personally own a 250K mile N52 myself and I inspect my oil filter every oil change and I have never seen flakes like OP has on his.

[Lochstar8]

Originally Posted by lookalikehuuh

I personally own a 250K mile N52 myself and I inspect my oil filter every oil change and I have never seen flakes like OP has on his.

I have a feeling me and Runnin'Rich are having the same problem where oil change intervals were much longer before we got the cars and its the varnish flakeing off. Which does not exactly explain why its grey. But it could be a contributor. I cant spell to save my life sorry.

[Runnin'Rich]

My car with the grey deposits is on 280kkm

[Lochstar8]

Originally Posted by Runnin'Rich

My car with the grey deposits is on 280kkm

Yeah so even pretty similar mileage, interesting.

[NZE90]

Originally Posted by Hakentt

that is protective coating chipping away from magnesium block, all N52 have that issue, that is why N52 is junk

Nice try with the rage bait. If you've nothing to add other than trying to insult people then naff off.

[Lochstar8]

Kind of a terrible picture may take another one but it’ll give you an idea nonetheless. If the picture will load for some reason bimmer post is being weird.

[lookalikehuuh]

That's just old oil varnish, probably from somewhat extended oil change intervals. Nothing to worry about, just ensure you are changing your oil on time moving forward with good quality oils.

[Hakentt]

Originally Posted by lookalikehuuh

Don't want to insult you... but... are you an idiot?

The N52 is a rock solid engine, in fact many consider it to be the best BMW engine ever made. We have tons of them on this forum with 200K+ miles and some with 400K+ miles.

I could be blind or losing my mind, but I have been rolling around this forums for years and I don't recall anyone reporting that their magnesium blocks were flaking apart. I personally own a 250K mile N52 myself and I inspect my oil filter every oil change and I have never seen flakes like OP has on his.

You know nothing about N52, I correctly answered the original poster's questions, you have never built N52 engine, all you do is pay someone to do it, why even post here when you know nothing about N52? what did you do here other than ask me that question. that is why I will ask you the same, are you an idiot?

[Hakentt]

Originally Posted by NZE90

Nice try with the rage bait. If you've nothing to add other than trying to insult people then naff off.

What did you add to this post other than insult me?

[Runnin'Rich]

I’ll change my oil in the next couple of days and send in some pics.

Hackett has high jacked a couple of threads this week, let’s ignore all further posts and keep on track.

[lookalikehuuh]

Originally Posted by Hakentt

You know nothing about N52, I correctly answered the original poster's questions, you have never built N52 engine, all you do is pay someone to do it, why even post here when you know nothing about N52? what did you do here other than ask me that question. that is why I will ask you the same, are you an idiot?

LMAO!!! I paid someone once to do work on my car, and they fucked it up, it was the wheel bearing job at a local BMW indy. Outside of that instance, nobody has ever touched my cars other than me.

I am literally the definition of an advanced DIYer, to the point where I have professionally charged people to work on their vehicles. In fact my buddy and I used to run a BMW modification shop that specialized on the E60 platform for a few years until some family issues on his end necessitated we close the business due to him having to move to bay area. I literally have an entire drawer in a 72" wide tool chest that is full of torque wrenches alone.... so yeah, I have no need to pay anyone to work on my cars.

If this N52 failures with the magnesium is such a problem, then why have the tens thousands of E90 post members that have been deep inside the engines never reported anything like what you are describing? We literally see just about every possible failure these engines have seen, yet not a single mention of the failure you describe.

[Hakentt]

Originally Posted by lookalikehuuh

If this N52 failures with the magnesium is such a problem, then why have the tens thousands of E90 post members that have been deep inside the engines never reported anything like what you are describing? We literally see just about every possible failure these engines have seen, yet not a single mention of the failure you describe.

Where did I mention that flaking is a failure? You are literally making stuff up. I owned you in this thread and I have proven you have no knowledge on N52 engine. Flaking starts later in engines life, like 15 years later then it progresses with age, most if is captured by the filter. BMW knew this will be the issue for magnesium block that is why they installed two filter capsules for vanos oil delivery plus they designed two vanos solenoids with fine mesh screens.
Older BMW engines like M50 and M62 have magnesium valve covers and some of them flake so bad from the inside and outside that they require replacement. This means it will flake off to the point where the block is not good anymore. Aluminum and Iron do not flake off with time, this is why I said N52 is junk, it is something that can't be machined and rebuilt, it is a one use thing.
Then explain to me why marketplace is full of 2006-2011 BMWs with N52 powered engines going for $1000 now, all mostly do to not running bad N52 engines.

[lookalikehuuh]

Originally Posted by Hakentt

Where did I mention that flaking is a failure? You are literally making stuff up. I owned you in this thread and I have proven you have no knowledge on N52 engine. Flaking starts later in engines life, like 15 years later then it progresses with age, most if is captured by the filter. BMW knew this will be the issue for magnesium block that is why they installed two filter capsules for vanos oil delivery plus they designed two vanos solenoids with fine mesh screens.
Older BMW engines like M50 and M62 have magnesium valve covers and some of them flake so bad from the inside and outside that they require replacement. This means it will flake off to the point where the block is not good anymore. Aluminum and Iron do not flake off with time, this is why I said N52 is junk, it is something that can't be machined and rebuilt, it is a one use thing.
Then explain to me why marketplace is full of 2006-2011 BMWs with N52 powered engines going for $1000 now, all mostly do to not running bad N52 engines.

You literally said that flaking magnesium makes the N52 junk. Here's the interesting part, N54 and N55 engines, which have no magnesium in the blocks still utilize the same dual filter capsules fo the VANOS systems how do you explain that? Are iron blocks just junk too?

How do you explain that in the S54 BMW also includes filters for the VANOS system? Is that all aluminum engine also having magnesium failures?

How do you explain the N52s with 400Kmiles+ if they are junk?

Also keep in mind that cars with N54 and N55 engines are actually cheaper than cars with N52 engines in the used market, its not because the engines are junk, it's because the vast majority of people don't maintain their cars, don't have the ability to fix it themselves and don't understand the more complex nature of the electronic systems in these cars. This holds true for the vast majority of german cars, with a few exceptions. Audi's are a dime a dozen for cheap everywhere, all generations of BMW (including ones without any magnesium parts whatsoever). Mercedes with everything from an inline 4 to a V12...

Your logic... well has no logic behind it.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Hakentt

You know nothing about N52, I correctly answered the original poster's questions, you have never built N52 engine, all you do is pay someone to do it, why even post here when you know nothing about N52? what did you do here other than ask me that question. that is why I will ask you the same, are you an idiot?

I know the N52, 36 years and 550,000 miles of experience. I had one for 19 years and 426,800 miles. Lifetime OCI was 12,150 miles. Nine oil change intervals went over 17,000 miles. Pulled the VANOS drain-back valves at 300,000 and the filter sections were wistle clean. Never had any magnesium flaking. I have a second N52 now at 17 years old and 123,000 miles. No flaking.

Never heard of N52 mag blocks flaking. What chemical reaction is occurring within the block that causes the flaking? The N52 do get a salt corrosion covering on the exterior of the block.