5w-30 Castrol Syntec Blend, 93 Honda Accord

[T-Stick]

EQUIPMENT MAKE: Honda, 93 ACCORD
EQUIPMENT MODEL: 2.2L 4-cyl
FUEL TYPE: Gasoline (Unleaded)
OIL USE INTERVAL: 5,380 Miles
OIL TYPE & GRADE: Castrol Syntec Blend 5W/30 (gas)
MAKE-UP OIL ADDED: 0 qts
MI/HR ON UNIT 100,380


PAUL: No problems showed up in the initial sample from your Honda. All wear was around average for this type of engine, which is a very good indication of normal wearing parts. The universal averages show normal wear after 4600 miles on the oil. Silicon was mildly high at 17 ppm, and it may be coming from a leaky air filter or silicone-based sealers, if the engine has been opened for work. The TBN read at 0.9, which is on the low side. Your engine won't have any trouble going 5000 miles on a fill of oil, but this oil type might not hold up all that well. Check back to monitor. (BLACKSTONE'S COMMENTS)
--------------------------------------------------
First number sample, second number in parenthesis average:

ALUMINUM 3 (3)
CHROMIUM 0 (1)
IRON 7 (9)
COPPER 4 (5)
LEAD 5 (5)
TIN 1 (0)
MOLYBDENUM 37 (34)
NICKEL 0 (0)
MANGANESE 0 (0)
SILVER 0 (0)
TITANIUM 0 (0)
POTASSIUM 0 (1)
BORON 6 (71)
SILICON 17 (10)
SODIUM 6 (7)
CALCIUM 2169 (2106)
MAGNESIUM 4 (601)
PHOSPHORUS 814 (799)
ZINC 973 (940)
BARIUM 0 (0)

SUS viscosity 61.6 (56-62)
Flashpoint 375 (>365)
Fuel% >0.5 (>1.0)
Antifreeze% 0 (0)
Water% 0 (>0.1)
Insolubles 0.2 (>0.6)
-----------------------------------------------

* The engine was not taken apart, so the high silicon number may have come from a leaking air filter.

* On Blackstone's report they listed the oil as merely 5w-30 Castrol without further definition as a Syntec Blend (I inserted it above). I am not sure if this had any influence on their recomendation or not.

*I thought with a good report, a 5,000 mile interval change could be fine. Why do you suppose they recommend another oil? What do you folks think of using this oil for a 5,000 mile change interval?

 

[buster]

Nice report. TBN is very low showing there is not much left in the oil. I'd go 3-4K with this oil or switch to a full synthetic and safely extend interval out to 7k + miles.

 

[JohnBrowning]

again I am in agreement with buster!

 

[Al]

It would be good to find the siliconleak. Check the duct between the airbox and manifold. Make sure the clamps are tight. Also check the filter seating surface and installation. But agan not a bad report. 4K miles tops though.

 

[T-Stick]

I just received this report this evening and posted it. I will look into the air leak.

What should the TBN be as a good number for this weight? I am new at looking at these reports.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Patman]

The TBN should be at least higher than 2 in order to keep things safe, which is why they recommended trying another oil if you're going to do the same intervals.

This oil did do a good job though, and I'm not so sure the silicon is all from dirt, as the numbers don't look like it. With chromium of zero this shows no ring wear, so if you had a lot of dirt in there this value would be higher. Perhaps the oil sample got dirt in it at some point after you drained the oil from the car.

[ October 21, 2003, 04:43 AM: Message edited by: Patman ]

 

[T-Stick]

My initial checks on the intake reveal no air leaks. I doubt whether the oil was contaminated by me as it was drained straight into the container and then sealed.

I still am somewhat baffled how Honda can recommend a normal change interval of 7.5k with dino oil, when a synthetic blend from a major company turns in borderline results at 5k.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by T-Stick:
My initial checks on the intake reveal no air leaks. I doubt whether the oil was contaminated by me as it was drained straight into the container and then sealed.

I still am somewhat baffled how Honda can recommend a normal change interval of 7.5k with dino oil, when a synthetic blend from a major company turns in borderline results at 5k.

---

Tha't a question for which I have no answer. I suppose that of truth be known-the worst oil analysis we have ever seen here will take a vehicle 100K miles. But I hate to admit that

. Hower-any engine that has coolant in the oil (and that's one of the great things about oil analysis) will defenitely notgo the distance. Coolant in the oil is the great destroyer of engines.

 

[Bror Jace]

T-stick, the manufacturers want you to get a lot of use out of the car ... but they don't want it to last forever.

What's your use of this car like? Mostly highway miles? The oil was (chemically) shot ... yet you had very little wear. Highway miles would be my guess.

Patman, with Blackstone's new calibration, a TBN of 1 is acceptable. Are you saying it should be 2 or above as a comfortable safety cushion? That used to be the minimum safe value before the calibration.

--- Bror Jace

 

[pinoy99]

quote:

---

Originally posted by T-Stick:
.... borderline results at 5k.

---

IMO, this is a good report for a $2 oil/5k+ miles with no makeup tho it is shot at this point but I'm assuming you drained and changed oil/filter already so no harm done. I agree with the others that it would be best to stick close to severe schedule (3750 miles) OCI for this oil just to be safe or use GC 0w30 for normal 7500 interval then do another UOA.

Is this oil rated A3? Syntec Blend of heavier weights(10w40/20w50) are, but I'm not sure about the XXw30s.

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bror Jace:


Patman, with Blackstone's new calibration, a TBN of 1 is acceptable. Are you saying it should be 2 or above as a comfortable safety cushion? That used to be the minimum safe value before the calibration.

---

Bror, I thought that 2 was the minimum safe level for the new TBN method but I could be wrong. I think letting it get to 1 would still be pushing it a bit too far though. My lab uses the same method and I get uncomfortable when it gets below 3.

 

[T-Stick]

quote:

---

What's your use of this car like? Mostly highway miles? The oil was (chemically) shot ... yet you had very little wear. Highway miles would be my guess.

---

Actually most of the miles are from driving country roads around 10-20 miles at a clip.

quote:

---

IMO, this is a good report for a $2 oil/5k+ miles with no makeup tho it is shot at this point but I'm assuming you drained and changed oil/filter already so no harm done. I agree with the others that it would be best to stick close to severe schedule (3750 miles) OCI for this oil just to be safe or use GC 0w30 for normal 7500 interval then do another UOA.

---

I thought the report was good as well...and then comes the low TBN (any chance of an error here?). How can the TBN be so low while the viscosity and flashpoint still show strong numbers? I am not sure how they calculate that.

That oil has been used for a few changes previous to the test and was always changed at 5k. I wanted to stick with a 5k oil change for the life of the vehicle as it is easy to remember. I thought a good synthetic blend would fit the bill. I am not sure I want to jump to the next 5k increment (10k), even if I use full synthetic because of the potential build-up of gas, small particulates, anti-freeze, etc. and it seems like a lot of money to spend using a full synthetic for a 5k change.

I am using the same set-up in my 2000 Tacoma 3.4 and suppose those results would be similar.

I am not sure if I want to try another test or simply try another oil.

I want to find a formula that works and then stick with it for the life of the vehicles. We've had both vehicles less than a year, and I am trying to establish a baseline for the remainder of their lives.

Any suggestions? Would a 10W-30 of the same brand perform significantly better (less VI Improvers)?

quote:

---

Is this oil rated A3? Syntec Blend of heavier weights(10w40/20w50) are, but I'm not sure about the XXw30s.

---

You tell me, and we'll both know. Is it listed on the bottle somewhere?

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

That oil has been used for a few changes previous to the test and was always changed at 5k. I wanted to stick with a 5k oil change for the life of the vehicle as it is easy to remember. I thought a good synthetic blend would fit the bill. I am not sure I want to jump to the next 5k increment (10k), even if I use full synthetic because of the potential build-up of gas, small particulates, anti-freeze, etc. and it seems like a lot of money to spend using a full synthetic for a 5k change.

---

How about going with Schaeffer Supreme 7000 blend? It's probably the best blend on the market, and 5k is easily achievable. We recently saw Stuart go 15k on this oil in his Neon with stellar results!

 

[T-Stick]

I was hoping for an OTC brand. Do you think the 10W-30 syntec blend might show a better TBN?

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by T-Stick:
I was hoping for an OTC brand. Do you think the 10W-30 syntec blend might show a better TBN?

---

It would probably be the same as the 5w30 blend.

Another alternative would be to try one of the high mileage oils, as they are also synthetic blends, and I've noticed they tend to hold their TBN pretty well and their viscosity too. I'm going to have a UOA on Castrol GTX HM 5w30 in a few weeks from my mother's 94 Probe GT actually.

 

[pinoy99]

I thought the report was good as well...and then comes the low TBN (any chance of an error here?).

BS minimum(safe) for TBN is 1 so at .9 you're not far off anyway with a good report to boot.

That oil has been used for a few changes previous to the test and was always changed at 5k. I wanted to stick with a 5k oil change for the life of the vehicle as it is easy to remember.

Well, on this one you're close to 400 miles over so that extra miles might have put the oil TBN over the edge. I still think that this oil is fine provided you do OCI at 5k since this UOA shows that this is the most that this oil can handle.


I am using the same set-up in my 2000 Tacoma 3.4 and suppose those results would be similar.
Might not be, diff engines act diff with same oil.

I am not sure if I want to try another test or simply try another oil.
As the old timers here would point out, oil analysis is a trend. One can't really judge oil/engine combo with just one test. I would try at least another test at 5k before switching or

Is this oil A3 rated? You tell me, and we'll both know. Is it listed on the bottle somewhere?

Yep, the specs are in the back of the bottle. A3's supposed to handle longer drain's but I don't think the 5w30/10w30 Syntec Blend are A3's.

 

[Bror Jace]

"I was hoping for an OTC brand. Do you think the 10W30 syntec blend might show a better TBN?"

Like Patman said, I doubt it. The 10W30 should be a little more shear stable ... but that's about it.

Ya know, you might get good results from one of Pennzoil's High Mileage Vehicle oils. With a ~10% ester (Group V) added to an already good Group II+ base oil, I consider these to be more of a synthetic blend than the quarts labeled "synthetic blend." It should hold up better than a Group II & Group III blend.

Just ~$2 per quart at the discounters and available in both a 5W30 or a 10W30. Just be advised that they are a tad thick for their weight.

--- Bror Jace

 

[T-Stick]

With the report which came in on the 10w-30 Syntec blend from Russ, it may actually be a little better. Will have to try it. If you can get such an analysis with a $2 a quart oil, it seems like it might be the best of both worlds--economy and performance. The air filter was due a change on the car and may have been repsonsible for the high silicon number... even though a dirty filter is supposed to catch more dirt.