2000 Lexus LS430 - Nulon 10w40 'Fast Flow'

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Nov 18, 2018
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165
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Hi all,

I thought I would do a used oil analysis on my Lexus LS430 which I acquired about 18 months ago. I have been doing some short oil changes over the past 18 months in an effort to clean the internals. This change had 4000km on it and was the last of the short intervals. I plan on going to 7000km from here on out.

Here is the report, very impressed - Hard to say whether its the oil or the engine. Though I must say I have always been intrigued by this Nulon product. They advertise it as containing MolyDTC.

1685625593415.jpg
 
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Your wear metals are very low, especially the iron. I wonder if that's due to the thicker viscosity.
How did the oil look when it was drained out? During short oil change interval drains, I like to see how the oil looks when it's drained.
Although not scientific, if the oil turns black in a short oil change interval, it could be an indication of sludge.
If the oil looks light or medium brown, it can be an indication of a clean engine.
 
No surprise. Full syn 10w-40 with added moly means it's gonna be good. Fuels a tad high though, could be a leaky injector,
 
It's Toyota/Lexus engine and are known to run for a long time if not neglected. It appears that you got a good used car here and nothing to be concerned about. The fuel at 3% doesn't appear to be effecting anything here.
 
Your wear metals are very low, especially the iron. I wonder if that's due to the thicker viscosity.
How did the oil look when it was drained out? During short oil change interval drains, I like to see how the oil looks when it's drained.
Although not scientific, if the oil turns black in a short oil change interval, it could be an indication of sludge.
If the oil looks light or medium brown, it can be an indication of a clean engine.

It's the 2,400 mile OCI which is borderline absurd.
 
Unless there was something seriously wrong with the engine, with only 4k km (2485 miles), i wouldn't expect anything but a great UOA. When you stretch it out to 10k - 12k km, then an UOA will tell you something.
 
Your wear metals are very low, especially the iron. I wonder if that's due to the thicker viscosity.
How did the oil look when it was drained out? During short oil change interval drains, I like to see how the oil looks when it's drained.
Although not scientific, if the oil turns black in a short oil change interval, it could be an indication of sludge.
If the oil looks light or medium brown, it can be an indication of a clean engine.
full-72491-16276-img_20160206_162328_zpseruzxhsi.jpg

I had some oils drain out in light or medium brown from this engine after 3k-5k OCI. So I wouldn't rely on oil color too much. It's a piece of a puzzle for sure, but not the main piece.
 
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I had some oils drain out in light or medium brown from this engine after 3k-5k OCI. So I wouldn't rely on oil color too much. It's a piece of a puzzle for sure, but not the main piece.
Wow, that engine has some substantial sludge.
Could you share with us the oil and oil change interval that it saw for most of it's life.
Just trying to learn more about what actually causes sludge (besides short tripping).
 
Your wear metals are very low, especially the iron. I wonder if that's due to the thicker viscosity.
How did the oil look when it was drained out? During short oil change interval drains, I like to see how the oil looks when it's drained.
Although not scientific, if the oil turns black in a short oil change interval, it could be an indication of sludge.
If the oil looks light or medium brown, it can be an indication of a clean engine.
It was dark brown when it came out
 
It's Toyota/Lexus engine and are known to run for a long time if not neglected. It appears that you got a good used car here and nothing to be concerned about. The fuel at 3% doesn't appear to be effecting anything here.
I noticed the elevated fuel, too. Its done a fair few short trips (incl. running for 1-2 minutes swapping cars around in the driveway) mixed with highway driving. Not sure if that has anything to do with it
 
I wouldn't call it absurd. I explained I have been making an effort to clean the internals with shorter changes - which are stopping now
Totally agree with short oil change intervals. My main goal is to keep the engines clean and without wear.

The max oil change interval I'll ever do is 4k miles / 6 months whichever comes first.
I use a low priced group III full synthetic oil.
If I buy a used car, I do engine flushes when doing the first 2 oil changes.
 
I wouldn't call it absurd. I explained I have been making an effort to clean the internals with shorter changes - which are stopping now
Ya I get it, but remember primary job of motor oils is to prevent buildup from occurring rather than remove existing buildup like varnish The only readily available oil I've seen advertised to do that is Mobil 1 0w40. The second oil is from HPL but it's not available in Australia.
 
Ya I get it, but remember primary job of motor oils is to prevent buildup from occurring rather than remove existing buildup like varnish The only readily available oil I've seen advertised to do that is Mobil 1 0w40. The second oil is from HPL but it's not available in Australia.

Yeah, I did run M1 previously, it does seem like it works from a cleaning perspective - I cut open the oil filter and it must have done some cleaning - There was some black carbon looking material in the pleats.
 
Wow, that engine has some substantial sludge.
Could you share with us the oil and oil change interval that it saw for most of it's life.
Just trying to learn more about what actually causes sludge (besides short tripping).
That doesn't look like sludge to me, looks more like resin-coated soot particles. Sludge has a moisture component, that stuff doesn't look moist.
 
Less than 2500 miles, I would have sampled and left it in. Not much to be gained from this UOA, the oil is good for continued service.

Was there any reason to think the oil was "dirty"? The carbon in the filter, maybe cleaned from the ring lands?
 
I wouldn't call it absurd. I explained I have been making an effort to clean the internals with shorter changes - which are stopping now
Unless the Nulon has alkylated naphthalenes and esters, you haven’t been cleaning anything, just throwing money onto a fire in hopes of putting it out.

Mobil 1 Euro 0w40 and HPL are a few (but possibly not all) of the oils that contain ANs & esters.
 
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