03 Montana M1 5w30 39,000km - 24,200 miles!!

[olympic]

2003 POntiac Montana 3.4L V6
Mobil 1 SS 5w30
Amsoil dual remote filters: BE90 an SDF-15
99% hiway driving
KM on oil 39,000 or 24,200 miles
Time on oil: 4 months
Make up oil: 1L

Tin 1 0
Lead 2 10
Copper 14 20
Aluminum 0 3
Silicon 12 14
Iron 21 35
Chromium 0.7 1
Silver 0 0
Zinc 1050 950
Magnesium 84 90
Nickel 0 0.9
Barium 0 0
Sodium 9 13
Calcium 2000+ 2000+
Vanadium 0 0
Phosphorus 886 910
Molybdenum 82 101
Boron 73 101
Manganese 159 231

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Viscosity @ 100ºC 11.55 13.54
Water 0 0
Solids Glycol No No
Fuel Dilution No No

OTHER PROPERTIES
Base No. 9.70 9.10
Oxidation 11.52 19.14
Nitro Compounds 0.00 1.33
Organic Nitrates 15.62 29.43

This is my longest OCI to date and I'm pretty happy with it. The only number that jumps out at me is the disproportionate rise in lead.

The TS foam air filter seems to be doing well along with the oil filters.

I didin't change the SDF-15 for the entire interval and the effects on it can be seen here
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=001966 From now on I'll be changing it at 20,000km as recomended by Amsoil. Also, I believe the BE90 was plugged because it was cold when I removed it. But it must have happened recently since insoluables are still very low.

The van is currently running Esso XD3 0w30 and I'm hoping to achieve the same interval with it.

 

[buster]

I'd be real happy with those results. 24,000 miles and the oil is barely a 40wt. Wear metals are great too.

 

[Al]

What is the first column?? Also its almost a given that this thing will have the dreaded intake manifold leak before 60K miles. Running long OCI intervals on this engine are very risky. Add to that-Pontiac may have some reservations with the OCIs.

 

[pitzel]

Very, very cool. I have the same engine (well a 1992 3.1L), live very near you, and am aiming for a 25,000km change interval with my existing Mobil-1 before I switch to XD-3 0W30.

Glad to see that Mobil-1 stands up to the task.

 

[Patman]

The TBN is still 9.1! Nice!

I know that I harp on Mobil 1 a lot, but it sure does take the crown of extended interval king on here. It almost always shows a nice high TBN even with long intervals.

 

[Cutehumor]

24,200 miles in 4 months?

I agree, I wouldn't go longer intervals when in warranty and with the coolant leak possibility too. how are these miles accumulated from a cold start..250 miles at a time/per day?

 

[buster]

quote:

---

I know that I harp on Mobil 1 a lot, but it sure does take the crown of extended interval king on here

---

Definitely. Mobil 1 IMO, is the long drain king. Holds it's TBN very well. Mobil knows that many of the cars that have Mobil 1 in them, call for drains up to 20,000 miles in certain countries. I really think the AN's Mobil is now rumored to be using help it's viscosity. Just a thought yo.

 

[pitzel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:

quote:

---

I know that I harp on Mobil 1 a lot, but it sure does take the crown of extended interval king on here

---

Definitely. Mobil 1 IMO, is the long drain king. Holds it's TBN very well. Mobil knows that many of the cars that have Mobil 1 in them, call for drains up to 20,000 miles in certain countries. I really think the AN's Mobil is now rumored to be using help it's viscosity. Just a thought yo.

---

Yes, and Saskatchewan, Canada is probably one of the least 'severe' places in the world insofar as engine operation is concerned. Very few hills, relatively low speeds, almost non-existent conditions of 'stop and go' traffic, and maybe only 20-30 days a year, at the most, where the temperature ever exceeds +30C.

I almost spilled my tea when a Medicine Hat-based quickie-lube, on the radio, was advertising 5000 km/3 month oil changes because "every vehicle in Alberta falls into the severe service category" on a drive to Calgary one night. We have been so collectively brainwashed by quickie-lubes, it is absolutely incredible.

 

[pitzel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cutehumor:
24,200 miles in 4 months?

I agree, I wouldn't go longer intervals when in warranty and with the coolant leak possibility too. how are these miles accumulated from a cold start..250 miles at a time/per day?

---

I think he'd be long out of warranty by now, especially with that usage. Insofar as cooling leak is concerned, I understand, however anecdotally, that the cooling leak is related to the number of cycles an engine receives, and not necessarily to the number of hours it is operated. Since the Montana is obviously high-hours, and low-cycles vehicle, it probably has been immune so far.

 

[olympic]

Sorry, I typed that up quickly and forgot a few things. The first column is at 21,000km, the second is at 39,000km. Current odometer is 143,000km or 89,000 miles, well out of warranty.

The van does four 300 mile trips Tuesday through Friday and then the odd trip on the weekend. So it racks up the miles very quickly. Back when I used dino oil, it was changed once a month. The scary thing is, I have another van that puts on miles faster than this one...lol!

I'm very aware of the intake gasket problem. I have an 01 Montana that had that repair at around 160,000km. The coolant resevoir only holds a few ounces and I monitor it closely. As soon as it drops, I know what to do.

 

[Steve S]

Wait till this hits the Amsoil
action !!!

 

[GreenElixer]

I would agree with the fact that this is an amazing OCI with very solid wear numbers. My only thought here, is why isn't anyone questioning the TBN number? 9.1 TBN on 24,000 miles with same oil filter? I don't want to rain on the parade here, but I'd seriously question the lab results on that one! Heck, VOA on Mobil 1 is usually just a point or two higher.

 

[olympic]

I trust it. Long trips and few warm up/cool down cycles really take it easy on TBN. Very few contaminants get into the oil when the engine is running at full operating temperature and normal RPM's. Over this 24k interval, this van was probably cold-started only 80 times. Compare that to the average driver who commutes 3 miles to work and takes 2 years to rack up 24k.

I have other UOA's from this lab on another car that does mostly stop and go driving and the TBN has been as low as 3.5.

 

[pitzel]

TBN and oil filters really don't have anything to do with each other. Oil filtration would affect the percentage of insolubles, and perhaps a few of the wear numbers, but not the TBN.

As for the TBN, olympic has the benefit of also burning some of the lowest-sulfur petrol in the country, from the Consumers Co-Operative refinery in Regina:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/energ/fuels/reports/SulphurLiquid/2002SulphurLiquid_p4_e.cfm

 

[Palut]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pitzel:
TBN and oil filters really don't have anything to do with each other. Oil filtration would affect the percentage of insolubles, and perhaps a few of the wear numbers, but not the TBN.

As for the TBN, olympic has the benefit of also burning some of the lowest-sulfur petrol in the country, from the Consumers Co-Operative refinery in Regina:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/energ/fuels/reports/SulphurLiquid/2002SulphurLiquid_p4_e.cfm

---

I think he was saying that if the filter had been changed, the oil added at that time would have recharged the TBN somewhat.

 

[olympic]

You're likely correct. Even the effects of the 1L of make up oil(added after the first UOA) can be seen in the phosphorous, boron, and moly numbers. TBN would have been boosted as well. With a viscosity control additive like LC I could have just changed both filters at this point without draining the oil.

I only have 1 much shorter UOA on XD3 so far but it held it's viscosity perfectly. If everything looks good at 40,000km, I'll just change the filters and keep on going. The system holds about 5.5L, 3L of which would be replaced through filter changes(over 40k) and 1L would be burned off. That leaves only 1.5L of the "original" oil in the sunp.

 

[msparks]

Exactly why did you change this oil?

Looks to me you could have changed filters and went another 20,000 miles.

 

[GreenElixer]

Thnx Palut...that's what I was referring to. Now that I realized that I can't read very well

I noticed the 1 Liter of oil added. Still seems a little high but now seems quite doable with the extra oil add. Anyway, Olympic...great wear numbers

 

[Brons2]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pitzel:

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:

quote:

---

I know that I harp on Mobil 1 a lot, but it sure does take the crown of extended interval king on here

---

Definitely. Mobil 1 IMO, is the long drain king. Holds it's TBN very well. Mobil knows that many of the cars that have Mobil 1 in them, call for drains up to 20,000 miles in certain countries. I really think the AN's Mobil is now rumored to be using help it's viscosity. Just a thought yo.

---

Yes, and Saskatchewan, Canada is probably one of the least 'severe' places in the world insofar as engine operation is concerned. Very few hills, relatively low speeds, almost non-existent conditions of 'stop and go' traffic, and maybe only 20-30 days a year, at the most, where the temperature ever exceeds +30C.

I almost spilled my tea when a Medicine Hat-based quickie-lube, on the radio, was advertising 5000 km/3 month oil changes because "every vehicle in Alberta falls into the severe service category" on a drive to Calgary one night. We have been so collectively brainwashed by quickie-lubes, it is absolutely incredible.

---

Disagree, the frigid temperatures you see in the winter are not good on machinery.

 

[olympic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by msparks:
Exactly why did you change this oil?

Looks to me you could have changed filters and went another 20,000 miles.

---

Just plain fear I guess. Not long ago I was a member of the 3k/3 month club. It takes a while to break all those chains.

Plus I wanted to move on to the Esso XD3. If this oil looks good after the same interval, that's exactly what I'll do. If it fails miserably, I'll go back to M1.

This interval (December-March) will be the real torture test. Winter is now here and -40C temps are just around the corner. The van sits outside 2 days/week with no access to a block heater, so it'll be interesting to see how that affects the results.