This run was taken using the recommended EaO filter, with a filter change performed at 7500 miles. Hot sample, taken near the middle of the drain. Due to the number of miles I drive each day... (104 miles there and back to work), I ran 87 octane this whole duration... despite it being a hot Texas summer and that Pontiac recommends Premium fuel for this model of Grand Prix. If it falls to around $3.00/gal again for premium, then I'll go back, but for now I will try to keep the .35/gal difference in my pocket... not big oils. The car was a full qt low at the time of the sample, but I had not added any oil in the last month or so, knowing that I would be sending a sample out for analysis, and I did not want skewed results with fresh oil.
In this 15.9k interval, the car burned slightly less oil than the 15.5k interval.
When I changed filters at 7.5k, it took about 1/2qt of makeup oil.
I had bought a couple of strong magnets from the Homo Depot and put them on the side of the filter. The drain plug from the factory is not magnetized, and I really think that (and possibly the filter change... but more the magnets...) is the direct reason that my Iron numbers were cut in 1/2.
I think the high Silicone numbers mean I need to thoroughly clean that K&N.
If Amsoil made a drop in nano-filter for my model, I'd prefer that over the oiled guaze.
TBN is getting on down there... I think that no more than 15k is a good range on this oil in city driving.
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BLAKE: Wear improved quite a bit in the latest sample from your Pontiac. That's especially good considering that this oil was run a bit longer than the last. Silicon increased quite a bit and has been on a steady up trend. This may show the need for a fresh air filter. Or maybe you've used a silicone-based sealer or lube; that can also cause high silicon.
The viscosity read in the 10W/40 range, though this doesn't appear to be a problem.
The TBN was low at 1.3 showing that little active additive was left.
Try 16K-17K miles next time. Looks like a nice engine.
CRESSON, TX 76035
EQUIPMENT MAKE:...GM
EQUIPMENT MODEL:..5.3L 327 CI V-8
FUEL TYPE:.........Gasoline (Unleaded)
CODE:..............GXP
ADDITIONAL INFO:...LS4
REPORT DATE:.......9/4/2008
NAME:..............BLAKE MOORE
E-MAIL:[email protected]
OIL USE INTERVAL : 15,916 Miles
OIL TYPE & GRADE : Amsoil 5W/30
MAKE-UP OIL ADDED: 2.5 qts
OIL REPORT
MI/HR ON OIL :.....15,916
MI/HR ON UNIT:.....54,466
SAMPLE DATE:.......08/25/08
*PARTS PER MILLION this sample* / 15.5k sample of 5w-30
ALUMINUM........2...............................3
CHROMIUM........1...............................1
IRON............28..............................51
COPPER..........50..............................78
LEAD............14..............................18
TIN.............2...............................1
MOLYBDENUM......59..............................52
NICKEL..........2...............................1
MANGANESE.......8...............................2
SILVER..........0...............................0
TITANIUM........0...............................0
POTASSIUM.......1...............................2
BORON...........77..............................34
SILICON.........27..............................18
SODIUM..........5...............................9
CALCIUM.........3731............................3229
MAGNESIUM.......16..............................12
PHOSPHORUS......688.............................661
ZINC............918.............................828
BARIUM..........0...............................0
TEST.....VALUES SHOULD BE.......TESTED VALUES WERE
WATER %.............<0.1................0.0
ANTIFREEZE %..........0.................0.0
FUEL %..............<2.0...............<0.5
FLASHPOINT INºF.....>365................415
SUS [email protected]ºF: 56-63.............67.4
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C: 10.90...........12.25
INSOLUBLES %........<0.6................0.4
TBN.....................................1.3
(this is the link from my last UOA, it was 15.5k with no filter change, Amsoil 5w-30)
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1099051&fpart=1
15,916mi/Amsoil 5w-30(w/filter [email protected])/GXP-LS4
- Thread starter blakeinspace
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Also meant to add that the lab was Blackstone.
I am bothered by this oil falling out of viscosity range, I noticed it was thicker than the last sample I sent off... it 'clung' to the sides of the sample bottle more than I remembered the last sample that I sent off.... and that was back in December!
I also noticed that Manganese is about 4x higher than the last UOA... no idea what that is or where it would come from.
I am glad to see all wear metals were down... especially both Copper and Iron!
I am cleaning the filter this weekend... for my next UOA... one of the guys on the Grand Prix forum wanted to see what the results would be from the Amsoil Signature Series 0w-30 would be. I am going to run that 15k, with no filter change. We'll see what Amsoil's flagship (and most expensive oil!) is all about.
I am hoping for comparable numbers... with better fuel economy.
Hopefully this 0w-30 won't fall out of viscosity range... what's up with that?!
I think that your oil's thickening was probably due to the fact it was shot and may have started to thicken due to oxidation. I would not exceed 15k miles. 1.3 TBN is certainly low enough! In the Texas heat I would run the 10W-30 since you would not really ever need the 5W. 10w-30 would be a tad more stable for these longs runs, between the 2 oils. Will be interesting to see how the 0W-30 holds up.
In a GM V8 in Texas I would run ACD 10W-30 for anything over 10K. I'll bet a buck that if went to the ACD, you would be quite surprised at the low wear and good TBN retention. (and lower consumption and cost).
Silicon is far too high!!! - I'd toss the K&N, go back to the OEM paper filter and wear rates will drop. The SSO/0w-30 should last 20%-25% longer than the regular ASL or ATM formulations, under the same conditions. I actually like the Amsoil Series 3000 the best for this application. The API/CI-4+, additive chemistry is still the most robust for high levels of oil contamination.
This oil has thickened slightly from 10.7 to 12.2 centistokes, but is still a 30wt - the SAE spec limit is 12.5 Cst.
For 15K run, the oil thickening to the upper edge of a 30/40 weight, I don't think, is a big deal. older TSO reports at this mileage would be almost a 50-weight!
I think Pablo's advice is best - you don't need the '0W' or even '5W' ability in Texas - go with something much more stable, like the straight 30-weight of ACD.
Originally Posted By: tpitcher
2.5 quarts of make-up oil ?!?!
I would think the TBN would be higher with that much.
ACD = Amsoil 10W-30/SAE 30 HDEO
Amsoil ACD
Having looked at the link you supplied for your last ASL 5W-30 UOA, it includes the results of a run with TSO 0W-30, and your results were better with that oil, so you may get much better results with the improved SSO...maybe your engine like thinner oil better. We'll have to see.
It would be interesting in the future to see if you could get better results with either the ATM 10W-30, or the ACD 30-weight, both of which I would say are much more 'stable' oils....
Dump the [email protected] and get a real filter. The Amsoil oil filter doesn't need to be changes half way through the oil change you are paying for a long life filter . Run premium gas ,running regular causes the timing to be retarded which increases the heat and nitration and maybe is the cause of the oil thickening.You are spending the big bucks on the oi and the oil filter which you change out too soon and have the poorest filtering filter on the market and are too cheap to run the proper octane gas "my rant" Do not change the oil types you will have trouble trending the UOAs.
There's NO significant difference in the ASL & ATM formulations, either in terms of basestock or additive chemistry. You can use these interchangably or mix them if you please.
The SSO is very different; the ACD & HDD diesel oils use a similar additive chemistry, but the HDD uses a better basestock blend.
Originally Posted By: chet2
ballsy to go that far...but the oil seemed to do ok
Go with an Amsoil Ea air filter or OEM. Forget the K&N. The paper air filters are a better technology.
Thanks for taking the time to read and the replies with your comments and recommendations.
It is too late at this point to switch to a different oil. The current run, for better or worse is Amsoil Signature Series 0w-30 for 15k with no filter changes and magnets clipped to the filter sides.
The purpose of the filter change on this run of ASL was to see if it lowered my Iron count, and if the TBN came up some.
Well, the filter change (or something anyways) did lower all wear metals... the magnets would really only help the Iron number. Maybe my LS4 with now about 55k is coming more into a routine.
The TBN was pretty much exhausted. The make-up oil did help prop up the TBN to that 16k mark. To the oils' credit... it had not seen any makeup oil for a couple of months... and was about 1/2 qt low when I dumped it. If I had put that make-up oil in say 2-3 weeks ago... the numbers would probably look different.
I loosely deduce that the filter change was not really necessary, and did not gain me much. As a result, I won't do it again... and it is nice to have UOA's to compare with vs w/o filter change.
Any ideas what an 8ppm Manganese count might be from... seems kinda odd to me?
Crud... I got carried away with my previous typing and forgot to even get to the point...
Amsoil now makes an EAA nano-fiber filter in my engine size.
The K&N is coming out and the Amsoil is going in.
The REALLY COOL part is... the 0w-30 only has a few hundred K&N miles... so 95% of the next UOA will be on the Amsoil filter... so we can get a Si & Insoluables comparison next time!
... egad... I feel like I am turning into you guys...
(not necessarily a bad thing) :D
Manganese is a trace additive in some gasoline formulations....
I think you'll like the SSO - its a significant upgrade from their Series 2000 oil, which was already excellent. I still would not exceed 15,000 miles due to your total fuel consumption over a long OCI, relative to the size of the sump.
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