2003 Buick Regal 3800 V-6, 937 miles, 7 months,Exxon Superflo 5w-30 + Rx

[rugerman1]

Second interval with Exxon Superflo + 3oz Rx.95% of all trips were 2 miles or less.
937 miles on oil/ 7 months
Total miles on car,3951
Zero makeup oil added
Fuel Power used in most fillups.

code:

---

ALUMINUM 2

CHROMIUM 1

IRON 15

COPPER 68

LEAD 2

TIN 1

MOLYBDENUM 2

NICKEL 0

MANGANESE 1

SILVER 0

TITANIUM 0

POTASSIUM 2

BORON 0

SILICON 36

SODIUM 3

CALCIUM 1861

MAGNESIUM 7

PHOSPHORUS 694

ZINC 1033

BARIUM 0



VIS 56.3

Flashpoint 410

Fuel
Antifreeze 0

Water 0

Insolubules 0.2%

TBN 4.8

---

[ June 13, 2004, 02:58 AM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]

 

[Palut]

Did you drop a penny in there? I hope that that's normal break-in wear...

 

[V6 Diesel]

Not bad numbers for 7 months and the car having under 4k miles on it. And as you likely already know that copper will continue dropping.

[ June 13, 2004, 08:19 AM: Message edited by: V6 Diesel ]

 

[joee12]

Not bad Mark, most wear was probably from startup, but the short trips don't help either. Nice to see the 410 flashpoint. I know that this oil and it's Mobil twin(Drive Clean) have been highly criticized for having low flashpoints in the past. Do you think that one day we can get a 3000 mile OCI out of you?

-Joe

[ June 13, 2004, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: joee12 ]

 

[rugerman1]

Joe,
I just dropped the oil in the S-10 with 2788 miles on it.I get nervous when OCI get near 3000 miles.

Soo many oils,soo little time

I keep buying all the oil at Wal-Mart,but they keep re-stocking the shelves?

If GOD didn't intend me to use his oil,why'd he kill the dinosaurs?

Maybe I have a drain plug fetish?

 

[Quattro Pete]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rugerman1:
If GOD didn't intend me to use his oil,why'd he kill the dinosaurs?

---

ROTFL!!!

BTW, does this car only get driven to church once a week? And here I thought I was bad with my 5K miles in 12 months...

 

[Bio-T]

Mark,

I think you said you changed the oil in the fall, so this oil endured the entire winter weather of Pittsburg. And then 2 mile trips on top of that. With those paramaters, I would classify this UOA as excellent. I can't think of a harder way to abuse the engine and oil, and both stood the test.

 

[Cutehumor]

hi Mark

what's your oil plan for this car? are you going to run dino until the break in wear metals start to settle and then go to syn for yearly changes? it's interesting that with the 2 mile trips, fuel is only 0.5, but viscosity is 20 wt

[ June 13, 2004, 02:02 PM: Message edited by: Cutehumor ]

 

[rugerman1]

I'm looking for a 1 year OCI.I replaced the Exxon Superflo with Torco SR-1 10w-30 + 3oz Rx.If I can find my sample pump,I'll take a sample in the fall.If not,I'll dump this current run of Torco and refill with Torco again.Terry Dyson read this analysis and didn't protest switching to synthetic.We'll see how good oil compares to 79¢ oil.
Superflo shearing in only 900 miles doesn't suprise me.I've done 3 analysis with Superflo,all sheared out of grade.
The Buick is getting a real workout today.She's going to WVa and back,about 300 miles roundtrip.

Mark

[ June 13, 2004, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]

 

[JohnBrowning]

This is why I like the 3.8. Even with winter driveing of mostly 2 miles trips, breaking in and running a cheap oil it still looks good. Once you get 20,000 miles on this thing I think the number will be even more impressive.

The 3.8 is the best engine GM has in current production. Why they still keep the 3.1,3.4 and 3.5 around I will never know?

 

[jthorner]

quote:

---

Why they still keep the 3.1,3.4 and 3.5 around I will never know?

---

Probably due to size and weight considerations.

The 3.8 is an iron block, iron head, 90 degree angle engine derived from an ancient GM V-8 (Buick I think???).

The 3.1/.4/.5 is all aluminum, 60 degree motor and can fit into smaller spaces and suits lighter cars. It is kind of strange that the 3.4 is the motor GM puts into the minivans as they are heavy vehicles. Probably a space consideration given the minimal underhood area of a modern minivan.

Certainly the 3.8 is a more bulletproof engine though!

John

 

[Spector]

Copper is very normal with this engine and low mileage. Iron higher then mine at 12,000 mile OCI but this engine is still breaking in and very short trips.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jthorner:

quote:

---

Why they still keep the 3.1,3.4 and 3.5 around I will never know?

---

Probably due to size and weight considerations.

The 3.8 is an iron block, iron head, 90 degree angle engine derived from an ancient GM V-8 (Buick I think???).

The 3.1/.4/.5 is all aluminum, 60 degree motor and can fit into smaller spaces and suits lighter cars. It is kind of strange that the 3.4 is the motor GM puts into the minivans as they are heavy vehicles. Probably a space consideration given the minimal underhood area of a modern minivan.

Certainly the 3.8 is a more bulletproof engine though!

John

---

This pretty well hits the nail on the head. I know it's

, but the precursor engine was actually an experimental aluminum pushrod 4.0L V-8 GM was working on in the late '50s. The first "Buick V-6" appeared as an uneven firing (shared vs. split crank pins in the 90 deg engine) 198 cid iron V-6 in 1961. It soon made its way to the 231/3.8 displacement, was sold to another car company and later bought back, and refined constantly along the way. If any engine should be well developed, this one is it.

 

[haley10]

My copper is 13 @ (75K mi.) This engine is very, very easy on oil. My problem for any drain beyond 6K is probably going to be the PF-47 filter.

I'll try the Amsoil filter next and see if my insolubles improve any over the AC Delco.

 

[Motorbike]

quote:

---

Originally posted by joee12:

I know that this oil and it's Mobil twin(Drive Clean) have been highly criticized for having low flashpoints in the past.

---

I think they forgot to put the " not less than 390F " on the data sheets

Look at the magnesium and boron in this Superflo . Wonder which one is the newest oil ?


Exxon Superflo

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

---

Originally posted by jthorner:

quote:

---

Why they still keep the 3.1,3.4 and 3.5 around I will never know?

---

Probably due to size and weight considerations.

The 3.8 is an iron block, iron head, 90 degree angle engine derived from an ancient GM V-8 (Buick I think???).

The 3.1/.4/.5 is all aluminum, 60 degree motor and can fit into smaller spaces and suits lighter cars. It is kind of strange that the 3.4 is the motor GM puts into the minivans as they are heavy vehicles. Probably a space consideration given the minimal underhood area of a modern minivan.

Certainly the 3.8 is a more bulletproof engine though!

John

---

You are correct except for the 60deg family has only aluminum heads, the block is still cast iron. It will fit in smaller cars, that's why GM is going with it.

BTW the 3.1 and 3.4 will be dropped soon. The 3.5 and soon 3.9 versions will continue on. They really are changing these engines, for those who worry about Intake gaskets. The 3.9 has a new block, intake and heads, and will be available with VVT and DOD.

http://x.wieck.com/pv/WKA/2004/02/02/WKA2004020239560_pv.jpg
http://x.wieck.com/pv/WKA/2003/12/17/WKA2003121741393_pv.jpg

Keep us posted on the 3.8L

-T