2010 Malibu UOA PU 5W-30 8.7k opinions?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
8,888
Location
The land of USA-made Subies!
2010 Malibu UOA

Here's a report from my mom's 2010 Malibu. It has probably 80% city driving during this OCI. Filter is unknown, the quick-change special filter (so probably a Fram.. ick!). After the 1st sample on unknown 5W-30 from the quick change, now this PU sample at 8.7k, I think 12k is reasonable. One big question.... what do you think all the sodium is from? Test shows 0% antifreeze, but 100+ppm of sodium. What should I be checking? Thanks!
 
I wouldn't be concerned that it was a Fram, especially considering this engine has a cartridge filter set-up.

I am confused, though, are you doing the oil changes on this? Or is the shop using Pennzoil Ultra? You said that the filter is an unknown quick-change special, which leads me to believe they did the oil change with the Pennzoil Ultra. Perhaps they're using a different oil? One that contains sodium as an additive? Or maybe you re-used the oil filter?
 
No. After talking to my mom about going synthetic, she has now had the quick-change place put the PU in just last week and the oil change before that (so approximately since 61k miles). All of her previous OCIs were around 5k on quick-change bulk 5W-30. So, therefore, the oil should be PU, and since the insolubles have been low, I am not super concerned about what filter they are putting on it.

The increased moly, boron, calcium, and magnesium make me believe they did put the PU in as expected.

Clarification: the 61k oil change was on the bulk oil and unknown filter. PU was put in at this time so the 69k sample was all PU.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SubieRubyRoo
No. After talking to my mom about going synthetic, she has now had the quick-change place put the PU in just last week and the oil change before that (so approximately since 61k miles). All of her previous OCIs were around 5k on quick-change bulk 5W-30. So, therefore, the oil should be PU, and since the insolubles have been low, I am not super concerned about what filter they are putting on it.

The increased moly, boron, calcium, and magnesium make me believe they did put the PU in as expected.

Clarification: the 61k oil change was on the bulk oil and unknown filter. PU was put in at this time so the 69k sample was all PU.


Gotcha.
thumbsup2.gif
The extra sodium is really strange.
 
I can only think of three possibilities for the relatively high sodium level:

1. The Ultra somehow found its way into the car of one of the lube place workers and your mom's car got bulk oil. You can fix this by doing the changes for mom yourself.
2. The quoted sodium level is wrong by a factor of ten due to either a lab error or a report generating error. You can contact the lab and share your concerns and ask that they either re-run your sample, if they still have it, or explain any possibility of the reported sodium level being in error.
3. There is coolant leaking into the oil. You can rule this out by carefully monitoring coolant level.

I think that 3 is the least likely, since coolant in the oil usually also produces elevated wear metals, which doesn't appear to be the case here.
 
wow, we have been blamed for alot of issues but this is a first for putting sodium in the oil!
Contact whomever tested your oil, they will have some suggestions about where it came from. And, we only put Franks Red Hot in our filters, no sodium!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top