I believe this uses an oil cooler that is full copper inside. The fact that lead is almost non existent and aluminum is low doesn't point to bearing wear regardless if it has aluminum or tri metal shells. It would have to wear through the first layer to get to the copper layer and your UOA doesnt show this to be the case.
This is a cooler similar to the one I think your engine uses. Nissan part 21305EA03A is for a 2015 Nissan frontier.
I'd bet good money Trav is right on with his thinking here. This makes a lot of sense has the causative factor in the copper being a bit high. Otherwise this Valvoline Synpower held up very well indeed.
Originally Posted By: Trav
The fact that lead is almost non existent and aluminum is low doesn't point to bearing wear regardless if it has aluminum or tri metal shells. It would have to wear through the first layer to get to the copper layer and your UOA doesnt show this to be the case.
+1
This is always my thought processes while looking at an UOA report.
I wouldn't be concerned with Cu ppm here and consider extending OCI to 10K or beyond.
Edit:I would personally bump up thicker than 5W30 and do not expect any change in metal wear rates in OP's case.
Originally Posted By: bbhero
I'd bet good money Trav is right on with his thinking here. This makes a lot of sense has the causative factor in the copper being a bit high. Otherwise this Valvoline Synpower held up very well indeed.
I have found that in deference to Nissan's "suggested" 5W30 for all seasons suggestion, the 4L V6's, in my experience, prefer 10W30's for low wear metals.
Addendum: The copper is trending downward so that is good.
This is the V6. Thanks everyone! This makes sense. It must have a copper cooler to leach copper like this.
I appreciate everyone helping. I will keep an eye on it.
I had the same issue with my 2013 Maxima with VQ35DE, but my Cu numbers were higher than yours! As stated before, this is nothing to worry about, it is not from bearings. FWIW, my subsequent Blackstone UOA show the Cu numbers going down.