Tainted Oil

I have a 2007 X3 with 85k miles. I purchased a 5 quart jug of Mobil1 0-40 from a large retailer for an oil change. I already had a couple of singles so I poured one of those and used the empty quart bottle for a funnel for the 5 qt. Upon pouring the 5 qt, I lifted the jug to see if any oil remained and got sick to my stomach. About an ounce of dirty oil settled in the bottom of the jug along with considerable trash ranging from specks up to about a couple quarter inch flakes. Even after talking to the retailer I have no idea of what else could have been in there.

I'll know to take extra precautions in the future, including purchasing from an auto parts store and cracking the seal and looking inside before leaving, but what is done is done. The X3 sits having not been cranked or this trash oil drained yet. I filed a claim with the retailer and no word yet. I'm not going to speculate online about how this trash ended up on the shelf in a squeaky clean container just yet but I will post when I know more.

Any insight on the the following or additional advice for repair?

• Should I drain the oil and have it tested before I do anything else?
• Dealer says 11 hours to remove the pan so I'm not sure if I want to remove the oil pan or if I should attempt it depending on what else needs to be removed. Is it possible to use a scope or something to see into the oil pan from the plug opening?
• Would something that could just fit through the opening of my quart jug funnel go straight to the pan or do I need to remove the valve cover and look for large objects?
• Assuming I can reasonably assure myself there is no large trash, would a couple of short changes with Mobil 1 be sufficient or should I use some other oil or cleaner to fill and drain without cranking the vehicle? If I do one fill and drain first should I go ahead and fill it to the cap to make sure no grime, etc. is stuck on the topside?
• Am I overreacting by thinking that I need to remove the pan and valve cover to see what is in there? What if there was a plug washer, bolt, or rock in the jug?

Thanks

WOW! I have never checked the oil jug before, but now I'm freaked out!

If it were me, I'd pour a bottle of Gunk Motor Flush in, and drain the oil and maybe drain it again at half my normal interval.

The inner seal on the 5qt. jug seemed well attached?

The retailer should be able to check their records to see if there was a recent return of some 0W40 - can't think why anyone would pull something like that.

I would just let it all drain out, leaving it overnight, and refill with known good oil.

Depending on what came out I might decide to take off the valve cover and have a look around - opportunity for a pre-emptive gasket renewal.

I wouldn't use any solvent flush product as you never are able to get all of it out.

With the retailer notified, I wouldn't be too concerned about the chance of any engine damage showing up.

Maybe one of those big white funnels with a strainer built in for Father's day?

I've had great luck with gunk motor flush, but to each his own.


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my question is...where did you find a 5qt jug of 0-40!

Grabby, thanks for not jumping on me first post. I expected the first 10 replies to rip me. Can't say I don't deserve it.

Supercourse: The inner seal was completely non existent. I thought about that but figured they had changed to just using the outer seal seal. A friend that uses the large jugs thinks his last few changes didn't come with an inner seal either. I'll be curious to see what the next purchase has. Retailer said they don't sell much 0w-40 in this store. I kinda got the impression that they didn't have a record of a return. I'm hopeful for the sake of my engine that someone who is meticulously clean with their oil changes brought the bottle back in for recycling and the jug was so clean that a worker mistakenly put it back on the shelf. I'm concerned about the retailer's interest in making it right. One good thing for me is that I called in the problem less than 2 hours after I made the purchase and the retailer verified that the batch number matched the other jugs on their shelf so it wasn't me that picked up an old jug from my garage.

Fivepointnine, I don't have it with me at the moment but I did keep it. I think it is the 5.1 quart jug that you can see on Amazon. It came from Walmart.

dang...my Walmart does not sell it by the jug, only individual quarts.

Originally Posted by X3MK

I have a 2007 X3 with 85k miles. I purchased a 5 quart jug of Mobil1 0-40 from a large retailer for an oil change. I already had a couple of singles so I poured one of those and used the empty quart bottle for a funnel for the 5 qt. Upon pouring the 5 qt, I lifted the jug to see if any oil remained and got sick to my stomach. About an ounce of dirty oil settled in the bottom of the jug along with considerable trash ranging from specks up to about a couple quarter inch flakes. Even after talking to the retailer I have no idea of what else could have been in there.

I'll know to take extra precautions in the future, including purchasing from an auto parts store and cracking the seal and looking inside before leaving, but what is done is done. The X3 sits having not been cranked or this trash oil drained yet. I filed a claim with the retailer and no word yet. I'm not going to speculate online about how this trash ended up on the shelf in a squeaky clean container just yet but I will post when I know more.

Any insight on the the following or additional advice for repair?

• Should I drain the oil and have it tested before I do anything else?
• Dealer says 11 hours to remove the pan so I'm not sure if I want to remove the oil pan or if I should attempt it depending on what else needs to be removed. Is it possible to use a scope or something to see into the oil pan from the plug opening?
• Would something that could just fit through the opening of my quart jug funnel go straight to the pan or do I need to remove the valve cover and look for large objects?
• Assuming I can reasonably assure myself there is no large trash, would a couple of short changes with Mobil 1 be sufficient or should I use some other oil or cleaner to fill and drain without cranking the vehicle? If I do one fill and drain first should I go ahead and fill it to the cap to make sure no grime, etc. is stuck on the topside?
• Am I overreacting by thinking that I need to remove the pan and valve cover to see what is in there? What if there was a plug washer, bolt, or rock in the jug?

Thanks

Me personally would just drain whats in the pan and refill with new stuff.. Then if you're really paranoid, repeat after a day's worth of driving.