5w-40 PB Extreme, 7,409miles, '97Subaru

[n8wvi]

Oil: 5w-40 Valvoline PremiumBlue Extreme
Car: '97 Soob, EJ-22 motor, filter was a Purolator PureOne 20195 (similar to FL-400S)
Oil was in for 7,409 miles with ZERO makeup oil.
Analysis done by OAI.
Fe 1
Pb 15
Cu 11
Al 3
Si 12
B 90
Mg 22
Ca 3231
P 1344
Zn 1627
Mo 113
All other elements zero.
Vis @ 100C 13.55
TBN 5.62

I decided a few months back to convert all our 4 stroke engines to Amsoil ACD for convenience sake, this car and the snowthrower are the last to be changed over. Already change wife's car, Generac, and the CubCadet. I plan on going 6K or so, changing, then 7K or so and retest. Should rack up a bit faster, as I'm now commuting 98 miles/day.

Dave

 

[TooSlick]

Your level of bearing wear is elevated in this analysis...

How much fuel was in this sample and how many miles are on this engine? Also, what is the previous oil/filter change history for this particular engine? In particular, was this the first run of a synthetic, or at least a synthetic HDEO in this motor?

thanks,

TS

 

[n8wvi]

Fuel was listed as The lead was really the only number that stood out to me as well. I've been shifting earlier and earlier, I think I may be overdoing it.

Dave

 

[TooSlick]

Stop lugging the engine and just drive normally and the bearing wear will return to normal...I typically shift my 2006 Outback in manual/sport mode @ 3000-4000 rpms, depending on how late I am for work...

Given the # of engine miles, I'd run a 0w-30 in the winter and stay with 5w-40/10w-40 in the warmer months.

TS

 

[n8wvi]

Yeah, I really think I've been overdoing the gas saving early shifting. I'd shift to 5th as early as 35MPH and just accelerate very lightly. It's been great for mileage (my 9 yr old wagon averages 32mpg), but apparently at the expense of a little lead. Shifting normally I get around 30mpg.

For the sake of having one oil in the garage, I'm trying ACD for both sube's (my EJ22 and wife's EZ30), cubCaded zeroTurn, Deere walk behind, 4kw generac, and tecumseh powered snow thrower. Down to 25F, it's actually THINNER than the 5w-40 I was running. The soobs are in an attached garage at night. Around these parts, I suppose another "one oil" could be ASL, but we'll see how the ACD does first.

Dave

 

[JohnBrowning]

Normaly when lead is higher then iron it means that the viscosity you are useing is not sufficient for the application. I know that this is not the case for this application at all. You need to stop lugging this engine and drive it proper. Oil volume is determined by RPM and you are putting your engine in a high load low RPM situation. This is were all of the lead is comeing from. I would also check air filtration as the silicone numbers looked high to me.

 

[Dave]

Subaru's tend to start lugging below 1800 RPM or so, so keep it at least there if accelerating, I prefer to keep RPMs above 2000 RPM on my WRX if accelerating.

 

[n8wvi]

I didn't say I was lugging the engine, John did. I've been driving Subaru's since '83. To make such a blanket statement is strange to me. 1700 RPM's is bad if I've only got 2% throttle? What about 1600 RPM's? Or 1400?

Better tell the Subaru engineers, 'cuz our EZ30 powered '02 drops to about 1500 (or less? really can't remember, it's the wife's car) when the TC locks up. From a full stop, it never get > 2000 RPM's 'til you're going > 55 MPH.

Has my oil pump been spinning too slowly? Perhaps. Have I been lugging my engine? I don't think so.

Dave

 

[oilyriser]

I drove a lot with the engine ~1250 rpm, and Pb & Al remained very low, even with 5w20. But mine is an EJ 25, and the auto tx will unlock the converter clutch if I use too much pedal.