Slalom4me

Here is a report I received about oil from my car.

Normally, results are mailed, but when indicators
warrant, they will send an email with a .PDF attachment.
Since I was going to participate in an event this
weekend, I'm glad that the email service gives
me time to decide whether to go or not.

The price-per-sample varies on volume but is only
in the mid-$20 USD range for small quantities.
Kits are prepaid and you just send in a sample
when ready.

This oil was drained prior to the recent work to
change my pan and pump. The sample sat on the
bench and I wasn't in a hurry to send it after
I had seen the bearings. GIven the report, I am
glad I went ahead.

I am going to follow up with some questions for
the lab. In the meantime, anyone care to speculate?





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bogus

if it was leaking coolant, why isn't there a report on glycol present?

the sample got contaminated on the bench?

The oil is junk?

MSR

i don't know anything about esso protec, but given the family relationship, it might be similar to mobil. i mention that because the latest mobil formulations (not the M1) have high sodium levels.

also, the iron and lead shows low wear, so i'm not sure there's really anything wrong at all.

on the silicon, is it a factory or rebuilt engine? if it's rebuilt and has bushed rods, it will always throw silicon into the oil from those bushings.

-michael

Slalom4me

I am not sure what the 'GLY' column identifies - perhaps
just gross presence of coolant?

Bench contamination is an unlikely event. The kit contains
a clean bottle and I pulled the sample mid-stream.

The oil quality shouldn't be a problem, Esso (Imperial Oil
- an arm of ExxonMobil) is a premium outfit in these parts.
Given that we ship so much crude elsewhere, I expect that
it is our own base stock that Imperial uses when they bottle
the stuff at their refinery across town.

I have used the same brand of oil consistently throughout the
time I have had the car. Esso renamed Protec as Protec Ultra
in a marketing move toward/back to 'Ultra', a name from the
past. Here are links to product info: Esso Extra & Ultra

The sodium level should have been a comparison against a
fresh sample of the same oil, right? If so, then unless
the refinery's formulation changed then this indicator
would be saying that additional sodium from another source
is present, wouldn't it?

The oil sampled was about 6 mo old with a little, but not
too much mileage accumulated through our unseasonably mild
winter. Some tuning had occured so lubricity may have been
hurt by rich fuel mixtures if this is possible.

The engine is OEM. Only the pan has been off it (twice),
the heads and intake have never been removed. We looked
at a rod and main and did not even bother to plastigage
them or check others because of the apparent good condition
of the bearing and journal surfaces.

I looked at Mobil's site for comparable mineral oils and
the best match I could find is their Mobil Clean Motor Oil.
This is one of a family of Mobil Clean products - I wonder
is that is their umbrella for mineral-based automotive oils
sold in the US market?

.

MSR

not unless you sent them virgin oil and paid for its analysis! if you didn't do that, they're using some kind of average. note the viscosity numbers are even, and there are no metals at all, whereas even new oil will have elements to various degrees.

mobil clean is precisely the oil i meant that has high sodium levels.

you can check the virgin oil analyses at the BITOG site, interesting stuff.

-michael

Slalom4me

I'll have a look at 'Bob Is The Oil Guy', thanks.

I was under the impression that the lab maintains
control samples for comparison. No matter, I don't
have a problem with submitting a sample of new oil
for firsthand analysis.

Do you have any comment about the 'Wear Control Chart'
values?

.

Sidney004

Post it on Bob is the Oil Guy. You will get some insightful commentary. What type of coolant are you using? Normally Antifreeze contains high Potassium levels as well. Did you do any gasket repair that used RTV? Check your air intake path for any leakage. How many miles on the sample, I didn't see that? The Boron is normally an oil additive, they may have changed their formulation to accomodate the new SM standard. My raced 94 LT1 UOA is on BITOG with a horrible result as well.

Slalom4me

Coolant: glycol (Prestone), distilled water, Water Wetter and GM tablets.

Time/Mileage on the sample: < 1,300 mi & 8 mo (est 6 mo earlier)

The pan gasket was sealed with 'The Right Stuff', the dipstick
tube and pump pickup both received a coating of an anaerobic
material - a GM/ACDelco item that I don't know the product
name of. The windage tray bolts were dabbed with Permatex
Blue thread lock.

The intake path is OEM with the exception of a cut lid. The
retaining studs above the rad present a potential leak point.
I will check that the lid is holding the filter well enough
to seal - I still have the original lid and can switch back
for street use.

.

AORoads

Old Today, 11:29 AM #16
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I work for GM, and we haven't use the coolant pellets since 1992. At least at my plant where we build the full size van.

does this have any impact at all re the analysis or the engine? [it's from the "brown goo" thread in Tech]

rocco16

The analysis only detects elements. Glycol is not an element.

Looks like the common denominator is coolant components....

Larry
code5coupe

Sidney004

If the Esso Protec is similar to the new Mobil Clean formulations, the 225 ppm Sodium is normal and not indicative of a coolant leak. The new SM Mobil Clean formulations have Na levels of 200+ PPM. Were the gaskets and sealants applied recently(within 10000 miles?)

nonetooclose

That is exactly correct. Glycol is a long chain hydrocarbon (IE lots of carbon) thus would get lost in an carbon analysis.


The wearmeter seems like a bunch of BS since it is an estimate against a bunch of averages of averages. The only way to get a good estimate is to baseline your oil prior to any wear, and then as you go.

Richard

Slalom4me

Thank you for the insights and I'm sorry not to have followed
up earlier.

LT4CompYell, I have not found anything suggesting that the pellets
skew oil analysis.

rocco16. With the history there is of L98 head gasket failure,
such readings and lab comments would make it easy to conclude
the inevitable has happened.

Sidney004, the Sodium content level in Mobil Clean seems to be
controversial in this thread at Bob Is The Oil Guy. Contradictory
readings are reported and the matter is left unresolved. The
pan gaskets and sealants were changed and the oil added Oct/05
- the sample was taken 8 mo/ <1,300 mi later.
I was going to challange my analysis lab to clear up whether they
baseline from actual samples or use some other method. But
instead, like nonetooclose suggests, I've decided to send in
samples of oil from two new 4L bottles. I'll use the remainder of the
oil at my next oil change and then I'll have before and after results
for comparison.

Another approach I've considered is to switch to an oil known to
have conventional Sodium levels. This would enable me to use
Sodium as an indicator for signs of impending head gasket failure.

The air filter and intake path looked to be normal. Still, I changed
the filter and sealed possible leak points with foam and tape to
see whether this has any effect on Silicon readings in the future.

Ken R.

.

Slalom4me

The following report shows results from the virgin oil test and results
from a sample of used oil. I only dropped the plug long enough to
draw a sample, I did not change the oil.

The used oil has been in service for 200 mi.

I believe the reason that the earlier results are not tabulated together
with these tests is because the first reports are for 'Esso Protec'
and the the second reports are for 'Esso (Protec) Ultra', the top rung
blend in this line.

The high Moly reading is attributable to the grease I used in the gears
of the new oil pump. Interesting that the Silicon is still high after I
changed the air filter and taped the inlet hose joints.

Sodium and Boron? Well, unless someone has more ideas, this means
it is time to change the head gaskets.



For convenience, here are the results I posted higher up






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