2006 Sentra, PP 5w-30, 4,200 miles

[csavko]

This is the wife's Sentra with its massive 2.7 qt sump. Enjoy.

Blackstone comments:

Lead dropped by more than half in this latest sample from your Sentra. It was probably a temporary particle streak, which is a common find. It happens when a tiny piece of debris gets lodged in the Babbitt bearing and gouges some lead out. It usually drops back down in the next sample, like it did here. Insolubles are oxidized solids due to heat and use. They read high at 0.7%, so the oil filter was used up. It's okay once in a while, but if it's a common occurrence, it can cause more problems, so try just 4,000 miles again to monitor. The TBN was fine at 2.7.


Code:


OIL PP 5w-30 PP 5w-30,5w-20 mix

MILES IN USE 4,200 4,637

MILES 75,120 70,920

SAMPLE TAKEN 5/26/2013 10/22/12



ALUMINUM 3 3

CHROMIUM 1 1

IRON 13 12

COPPER 5 6

LEAD 6 13

TIN 1 0

MOLYBDENUM 54 65

NICKEL 0 0

MANGANESE 1 1

SILVER 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 11 12

BORON 7 7

SILICON 10 14

SODIUM 13 14

CALCIUM 2475 2548

MAGNESIUM 19 55

PHOSPHORUS 735 708

ZINC 857 855

BARIUM 0 0



INSOLUBLES 0.7 0.2

WATER 0 0

FLASHPOINT ºF 375 430

SUS VIS 210ºF 57.6 55.6

cSt @ 212ºF 9.52 8.95

TBN 2.17 2.7

 

[Nate1979]

What was the oil filter used?

 

[csavko]

Purolator Classic

 

[2James1]

Any explanations why insolubles were so high in 4200 miles? In a 4800 miles uoa I have from blackstone from my previous vehicle the insolubles were .1% using a Mobil 1 oil filter.

 

[needsducktape]

How did they know it was used up?

 

[2James1]

Blackstone's limit on Insolubles is .6%. So they are probably basing the statement about the used up=p filter off of that.

 

[901Memphis]

Try a pure one next time or cut open the classic after the run and check her out.

 

[dnewton3]

Wear metals are fine. Overall contamination low.

Insolubles is a puzzler ...

First, know that the insoluble count in a Blackstone UOA is a comparison to a visual standard; some acuity variance can alter the magnitude from person to person.

But to go from .2 the last time to .7 this time seems askew, to say the least. Especially from a fluid that generally is known to hold up very well. At .7, the oil would have to be VERY black, and almost "thick" appearing and such. This is very subjective topic to talk about, because it's hard to quantify the raw oil sample relative to the diluted insoluble test tube. But with a rating of .7, your oil would just seem "odd" from such heavy soot and oxidation loading when draining out of the sump pan.

It's always possible, too, that the filter failed in some manner, which essentially allowed little to no filtration to occur. (Tear in media, bypass stuck open for some reason, etc). You're probably never know for sure.

Also, FP dropped. It, too, is based upon timing and visual acuity. No fuel number? Did they forget it or did you?

I'd not panic here. Ask them if they have any sample left, to double check. While very rare, there is potential for them to mix up samples, etc.

Either way, just stay the course and run another 4.5k miles or so, and see what comes out in the wash, so to speak. If things return to normal, then I'd say nothing to worry about and it's worthy of considering to extend to get some ROI.

 

[csavko]

Funny you should mention, my first thought when pouring the oil into the sample container was that it was very black and very thick. Look is subjective, but it looked worse off than last year's mower oil that I finally dumped.

Fuel was < .5%.

I attribute everything to the small filter, small sump, and relatively short trips.

 

[dnewton3]

Originally Posted By: csavko
I attribute everything to the small filter, small sump, and relatively short trips.


Then why was your other UOA so much lower in insolubles? Did your driving habits change so drastically? The sump size and filter inputs could not have caused such a massive shift. The same small sump and filter choice were present in the last UOA, were they not?

Don't read too much into one UOA result. Try to back up the data with several successive (and similar) OCIs. Keep the variables to a minimum; don't change oil brand/grade or filter, etc. To really become a believable storyline, you should be able to turn the event on/off with the introduction and removal of the variable. In short, if you cannot repeat your data by manipulating the inputs, then you're just seeing correlation and not causation.

 

[Errtt]

Interesting. & 2.7qts massive? lol
OC/filter... PP 5w/30... next UOA may be interesting.

 

[csavko]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not really stressing about the insolubles or the prior high lead reading. I'm more curious about how much this engine beats up on oil in 90% city use. I only wish I hard built up the history years ago.

The only changes would be that the prior oil change was 2 qts PP 5w-30 and roughly 3/4 qt PP 5w-20 that I had left over. This time was all 5w-30. Hardly a difference IMO.

Temperature wise the prior OCI would have been late spring, summer, early fall where this one was fall, winter, spring.

The car did get Mobil 1 most of it's life. I picked up some sale PP, which comprises the last two changes. Most recently, I filled it with Mobil 1 again.

 

[901Memphis]

2.7 Quarts, just noticed that! Is there any smaller sumps around lol?

 

[FZ1]

Originally Posted By: csavko
Funny you should mention, my first thought when pouring the oil into the sample container was that it was very black and very thick. Look is subjective, but it looked worse off than last year's mower oil that I finally dumped.

Fuel was < .5%.

I attribute everything to the small filter, small sump, and relatively short trips.
Agree. Stay with the current ocis.

 

[Errtt]

Seeing again, with a 2.7qt sump, driving conditions, don't know how easy/hard this engine is on oil... perhaps a high quality oil filter, a tad shorter OCI (3.7-4k), maybe/might hold insolubles a tad lower/in check although the TBN is fine. Didn't see fuel dilution.
Guessing a 3.5 - 3.7k sample is what I'd probably think about, but I know so little in the early learning stages.