97 Dakota Quaker State Synthetic 5W30 2,094

[DanielinTheLions]

Unit: 1997 Dodge Dakota
Engine: 3.9 V6
Miles on unit: 108,928
Miles on oil: 2,094
Months on oil: 9 1/2
Almost all trips 4 to 6 miles.
Filter: Napa Gold

Changes the oil and took this sample early because the truck was exhibiting lower than normal oil pressure: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...510#Post1820510

BlackStone flagged viscosity as being too low and some minor fuel dilution. I had though that perhaps the pickup screen was a bit clogged because it was quite clogged when I replaced the oil pump two years ago and for a while after cleaning the screen the pressure had improved but now it's down again. I'm suspecting that maybe I'm seeing two causes to the low pressure. 1.) the low viscosity indicated in the analysis, 2.) partially clogged screen. I refilled with valvoline durablend 10W30 and 1/2 quart MMO. For a couple days the pressure was even worse, then it got better (as good as it was after putting in the new pump) making me think the fresh oil and MMO might have cleaned out the screen. But now after about a month the pressure is worse again (like the first day after the oil change. So I'm just really confused about what is going on.

Black stone also flagged the iron, copper, and silicon saying the iron and copper were twice what they should be for the miles on the oil. My thinking is that perhaps the high silicon caused the extra wear and that the high silicon was caused by the RTV sealant when the pan reinstalled (this was only the second oil change since changing the pump....yeah I don't put many miles on this truck so very infrequent oil changes). I'm not sure RTV would cause high silicon, but if it could it seemed like a likely explanation.

Any thoughts?


Blackstone Comments:

Thanks for the note about the operation of this engine and the work done. The short trips could
explain the minor amount of fuel dilution we found. 1.3% isn't a problems level and as long as it stays in this
range, we probably won’t worry about it. Universal averages show typical wear levels after about 4,200
miles on the oil. Both iron and copper were high for an oil run just 2,094 miles, and it's possible this might
be related to the weak oil pressure, though it's hard to say for sure. The TBN was 2.6, showing active
additive left. 1.0 is low. Check back in ~3K miles.

*Note I've stared all the items that Blackstone flagged.

Code:


Current Universal average at 4,200M

ALUMINUM 3 4

CHROMIUM 1 1

IRON 34* 36

COPPER 12* 6

LEAD 5 5

TIN 3 1

MOLYBDENUM 52 51

NICKEL 2 1

MANGANESE 2 1

SILVER 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 3 3

BORON 9 42

SILICON 70* 13

SODIUM 4 17

CALCIUM 1946 1901

MAGNESIUM 13 204

PHOSPHORUS 645 683

ZINC 767 820

BARIUM 0 0







Should Be

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 54.7* 56-63

cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 8.67* 9.1-11.3

Flashpoint in °F 340* >365

Fuel % 1.3
Antifreeze % 0.0 0.0

Water % 0.0
Insolubles % 0.3
TBN

 

[Colt45ws]

RTV would cause the silicon spike, but it would not cause additional wear, as its more like molecules of silicon leeching out of the RTV rather than actual damaging particulate. Having an engine open provides opportunities for dirt to get in, however.
MMO is going to thin out the oil. I would not add it next change and see what happens.

 

[DanielinTheLions]

hmmm, well maybe RTV explains the silicon and Blackstone is right that the extra wear was from weak pressure. And maybe the weak pressure is from thinned oil because of the fuel dilution....Yeah, I'm thinking I'm gonna dump the oil in May and refill with out MMO to see if that improves things.

 

[Gary Allan]

I can't really see much of an issue with the Fe numbers. You're looking at 3k a year. The fuel content alone will account for most of what you see.

No real solution to the dilution other than throwing a block warmer on the thing.

You're at a 20 weight. Given the high(er) fuel content and the reduced viscosity, I'd almost suggest something like RTS 5w-40 just to keep you in range.

I'd also recommend 3month OCI's with a cheaper product. It's obvious that you are enduring accumulations that cannot be coped with by using a synthetic (I assert that any "cleaning" is incidental and that they are best at not adding anything).

That is, this is not working for you.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

As Gary said, this is not the application for a synthetic (few apps are).

Get thee a dino oil.

 

[addyguy]

Some of these numbers are from corrosion from condensation from extremely short trips.

I'd put a 10W-30 HDEO, like Rotella 10W-30, to protect against this.

 

[DanielinTheLions]

Yeah looks like the synthetic and long interval is not working out in this application. Seems to be working great in the prizm. Oh well... As an additional note it was cold out this morning and the oil pressure in the Dakota was great again. I think this just confirms that the pressure problem is probably due to viscosity.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I only put about 4,000 miles a year on my Dakota, and to keep it easy, I do 2k mile OCIs, with cheap conventional. The oil I have for it next are two OCIs of free Peak Performance oil from PepBoys from about a year ago, along with about 8 more $0.95 AA16 filters (that I also use on the Chrysler). Keep it simple; keep it cheap.

 

[DanielinTheLions]

I'm probably driving a lot if I even put 3,000 miles on the truck in one year. I've considered doing 6 month dyno ocis but even with that the summer oil change would be like 500 or 600 miles and the winter change would probably like 1,600 or 1,700. Since this oil change was 9 1/2 months I'm wondering if 6 months would be sufficiently short. If not and I were to shorten it to 3 months; in the summer I could easily be dumping the oil after only 200 or 300 miles...seems like such a waste...

 

[dakota99]

I'm in the same boat. I put about 10 miles on my dak per day. I stopped going by mileage altogether. It doesn't burn any but does leak. No oil has stopped the leak at all, so it has PP in it right now. It leaks about a quart every 3 months, so idk what to do really.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: dakota99
I'm in the same boat. I put about 10 miles on my dak per day. I stopped going by mileage altogether. It doesn't burn any but does leak. No oil has stopped the leak at all, so it has PP in it right now. It leaks about a quart every 3 months, so idk what to do really.


I've found the best leak-fix oil to be Valvoline MaxLife AND a bottle of rear main seal stop leak. With that combination, it doesn't really leak at all (mine has a RMS leak, not sure about yours). I've also had good service with Rotella 10W-30. That seemed to be sufficiently thick to quell the leaks (mostly). I still get a drop every now and again on the driveway.

A 6 month OCI would work well for me as well. I just prefer miles, since it's easier for me to remember. So I change it at every "even" thousand miles (next oil change will be at 180,000).