5W-30, 6600miles, 99 ford contour 2.0L MFI DOHC

[jpatota]

I have a 99 Ford Contour, 2.0L 4 cylinder DOHC with 116,551 miles on it at the time of sample. The oil has been in the car for about 3 or 4 months. I'm using AMSOIL SAE 5W-30 XL Synthetic Motor Oil. I use Group 7 oil filters which are made by purolator.

I do about 120 miles a day, almost all on the highway with little stop and go.

The oil level was just a tad under the lower fill line before i took the sample which dropped the oil level by a little more. I added 1qt of make up oil after taking the sample to bring it back up to the top fill line. There are no leaks anywhere so I think its just burn off.


The report follows:


JOHN: Wear read near averages and metals are properly balanced for this type of engine. Universal
averages are based on an oil change at ~5700 miles on the oil. The viscosity was fine for a 5W/30. Silicon
may show dirt getting past the air filter. We suggest checking that. Silicon could also be from sealers or a
silicone lube, and in this form it's harmless. No fuel or antifreeze was found. The TBN read 4.8, showing
active additive remaining (1.0 is too low for extended use). Changing the oil is recommended due to the
high silicon. Resample after 8K miles on the next oil.

Code:


6,600 miles | universal averages

ALUMINUM 3 3

CHROMIUM 0 1

IRON 17 11

COPPER 3 4

LEAD 0 1

TIN 0 1

MOLYBDENUM 44 65

NICKEL 1 0

MANGANESE 0 0

SILVER 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 2 1

BORON 139 64

SILICON 30 12

SODIUM 8 13

CALCIUM 2270 2336

MAGNESIUM 11 114

PHOSPHORUS 616 716

ZINC 771 840

BARIUM 0 1


Code:




cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 57.4 56-63

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 9.48 9.1-11.3

Flashpoint in °F 405 >365

Fuel %
Antifreeze % 0.0 0

Water % 0.0
Insolubles % 0.4
TBN 4.8

TAN

ISO Code




The analysis pointed out a lot of Silicon possibly due to sealers or a silicone lube. I just had my timing belt replaced, and noticed new seals around the engine cover. They report also says silicon could also be due to dirt getting past the air filter. I have a K&N stock replacement air filter and have heard stories about their filtration vs air flow characteristics.

They recommend changing the oil due to the high silicone. Given the new seals and K&N filter, information that blackstone did not know when making their recommendation, should I still change it? Should I wait until 8 or 8.5k miles and see how long the TBN lasts?

A TBN of 1 is considered the end of the usefulness of oil correct? if it stars at 7(?) does that mean i'm really not even half way through the life of the oil especially since I added the 1qt of top off oil?

 

[addyguy]

Silicon is from the new seals. Don't know if it will cause abrisive damage the same way silica does....

With a TBN of 4.8 BEFORE a new quart of oil was added, after you added the oil, TBN is probably now over 6! You could easily run this oil to 10k miles, just on the oil condition alone.

However, now that I look at it, with the silicon in the oil, and insols. at 0.4, might make sense to change it at about 7-8k miles, to be safe. You will probably be able to run future fills to 8-9k without problems, once the repair dirt is washed out of the system.....

 

[Johnny]

Amsoil says it is a 7.5K oil and it will probably be fine until then. Personally, I would dump the K&N air filter. They work on some applications and some applications they don't. I think you would be better served by one of the Amsoil EaA air filters.

 

[Steve S]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm The uoa looks great and the oil still has life left in it.Check the intake plumbing .But the si could be from the RTV sealant

 

[FZ1]

When in doubt;Dump it out. Change the AF to oem.

 

[jpatota]

I get somehow 40 MPG on the highway when i dont hit the brakes once at 60mph. Cruising at 75mph its about 31-32 during the every day commute. Over the summer that figure had a larger impression on my wallet than it does now, but none the less I want to get the best fuel economy possible. I like to think part of the reason those numbers are so good is the K&N air filter.

Are there any UOA's that show the difference in contaminants using the K&N and a stock filter in the same car with only that one variable being changed?

I dont doubt that more dirt can get though. I have seen the studies. Does a good oil filter offset that though?

 

[FZ1]

I've read that the engine computer compensates for less air vs. more air so the flow may not be of paramount importance. I'm sure a good OF helps,but why get the dirt in in the first place? Use the search function for previous uoas.