Amsoil 5w30 HDD 5,007 04 Sunfire

[OriginHacker21]

2004 Pontiac Sunfire 2.2L Ecotec (140 HP) Gasoline.

Blackstone Comments:

PAUL: You're doing everything right when you take your samples. Getting the engine hot eliminates any normal moisture and fuel buildup, leaving us with a clean and dry analysis that provides a good picture of your engine. Your Sunfire is generating very little metal into the oil, which is a good sign that it has a long life ahead of it. The universal averages column shows typical wear from this type of engine after 3700 miles on the oil. No moisture or antifreeze was present. The TBN read 5.0, still lots of active additive left. Looks great! Try 6000 miles next.

Oil used: Amsoil Series 3000 5W/30
Mi on oil: 5,007
Mi on Unit: 42,780
Makeup Oil: .3 quarts

Universal Averages after 3,700 in parenthesis ().

Aluminum - 1 (2)
Chromium - 0 (0)
Iron - 8 (15)
Copper - 2 (2)
Lead - 0 (1)
Tin - 4 (1)
Molybdenum - 5 (29)
Nickel - 0 (0)
Manganese - 0 (1)
Silver - 0 (0)
Titanium - 0 (0)
Potassium - 3 (1)
Boron - 3 (12)
Silicon - 4 (5)
Sodium - 4 (5)
Calcium - 2806 (2128)
Magnesium - 58 (229)
Phosphorus - 1029 (805)
Zinc - 1259 (924)
Barium - 0 (0)

TEST - Should be values in parenthesis ()

Sus Viscosity @ 210F - 63.4 (56-63)
Flashpoint in F - 405 (greater than 365)
Fuel % - Less than .5 (Less than 2.0)
Antifreeze % - 0 (0)
Water - 0 (less than .1)
Insolubles - .2 (Less than .6)


Link below shows all of my UOAs - last 3 with German Castrol and the last (above) with Amsoil.
Picture Version

 

[OriginHacker21]

My Comments: All in all I am very happy with Amsoil. Engine seems to like heavier oil as I noticed it was more quiet/smooth than normal.

Used a Napa Gold oil filter this run instead of STP. Chevron w/ Techron was added at 4,000 miles. In all honesty I drove Amsoil a bit harder than the German Castrol runs.

Iron was higher and Tin jumped. Maybe nothing to worry about? The TBN shows a little low for only 5,000 miles?

I'm still a good believer of 3,000 mile OCI. Those of you Anti-Short-OCIers: My dad runs my oil in his Ford Focus - and he will run the above oil as well (usually 5,000 oci). So no waste

Amsoil 0w30 Series 2k is now in the hatch.

I am going on a 5,000 mile summer vacation. Epecting to hit 10,000 miles on Amsoil 0w30 if I can leave it in that long. Recommendations/Reassurances/Suggestions?

Comments Welcome - Paul

 

[TooSlick]

I'd test the S2000 after 10k-12k miles. I see no issues here and you're changing this oil much too early.

TS

 

[OriginHacker21]

Isn't there an advantage over my 3,000 mile runs of GC (Iron 2/3/4) and then a 5,000 mile run with Iron being 8.

So, isn't it techically correct to say an engine will last longer with a 3,000 oci with Iron being 2, 3, or 4 instead of a 5,000 oci with Iron being 8?

Or am I missing something?

BTW: Yes, I am planning on hitting 10,000 + miles on this OCI of Amsoil 0w30.

 

[Pablo]

quote:

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Or am I missing something? [Razz]

---

Maybe a couple things:

Fe in solution vs. miles is not a straight line.
Fe under and around 5 ppm probably has a repeatability, sampling, other error of around +/- 2-3 ppm.

 

[TooSlick]

You'll never get the best results if you keep switching oils all the time. For long drains in this application, the S2000 is probably going to be your best bet from Amsoil. It is highly friction modified and will also give you the highest fuel efficiency of their offerings, along with their 5w-20.

The wear rates you're seeing with both these oils are so low that the engine will FAR outlast the rest of the vehicle. Anything < 2 ppm/1000 miles for Fe is extremely low wear.

TS

 

[OriginHacker21]

Alright guys. I think I've done my last 3,000 mile oci. I'll take this 0w30 to 10,000+ miles and see how the UOA does.

I'll also take your advice (TooSlick) and stick with Amsoil's S2000 0w30. Thank you for the information about the "engine will FAR outlast." I'm just doing the best I can for my car.

After finals are done I'll be driving to work every day of the week (220 miles/day). Would you guys (Pablo, TooSlick, anyone else) recommend changing the oil filter at 5,000 miles? Or because I'll hit 10,000 miles in 2 months (5k in 1 mo) the oil filter should be ok?

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

What filter did you use? If you used the Amsoil SDF or EAO filters then go with their recommendations, if you used another brand, then 5,000 miles wouldn't be a bad idea since you are only planning for 10,000 miles total on the oil.

 

[Norm Olt]

"(220 miles/day)"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you ever consider moving?

Wow! How many hours/day will you spend on this commute?

Cheers!

 

[Laminar Lou]

quote:

---

Originally posted by OriginHacker21:
Isn't there an advantage over my 3,000 mile runs of GC (Iron 2/3/4) and then a 5,000 mile run with Iron being 8.

So, isn't it techically correct to say an engine will last longer with a 3,000 oci with Iron being 2, 3, or 4 instead of a 5,000 oci with Iron being 8?

Or am I missing something?

BTW: Yes, I am planning on hitting 10,000 + miles on this OCI of Amsoil 0w30.

---

Origin,

Well, I've read the whitepaper 2203-01-3119 (Yes I paid the $12 to download it from SAE). Even though it was in a lab, the study showed the scaveging effect (at least that was the hypothesis) of new oil increased wear on the cam lobes they were studying. Used oil introduced back into the test showed lower wear rates. Now just because it happens in a lab it doesn't mean that it always applies to real life. But it definately got me thinking.

There is some anecdotal evidence here that shows that most of the wear seemed to occur during the first 3000 miles (as I think Pablo was trying to say). Mobil 1 study

(look at the bottom chart).

You can draw the conclusions yourself, but I am planning on extending my oil a little longer and verify it with oil analysis. I don't feel comfortable pushing it to the limit, but I'll take it 80-90% of the way.

 

[unDummy]

With numbers like that, I'd go a full year or 10k also.

 

[OriginHacker21]

In the UOA above I used a Napa Gold (Hard to get as the only Napa is 15 min away from work).

I have a stash of 4 STP (champion) filters.

In my car right now is the new FRAM that looks 100% identical to a Wix I bought off of Amsoil's site.

 

[OriginHacker21]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Norm Olt:
"(220 miles/day)"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you ever consider moving?
Wow! How many hours/day will you spend on this commute?

---

Yep, 110 miles each way. Takes about 1.7 hours one way according to ScanGuage. I wouldn't do it if I didn't have a co-worker (who helped me get the job) rode along with me - paying half of the gas. I love driving so it works for me. Yes, I've considered moving. Still a great possibility... We'll see what happens

I've pretty much set in my mind that I will go 10,000+ miles on this 0w30. Sad thing is, with my 5,000 mile vacation to Iowa - I'll probably be at 15,000 miles by the end of this month.

I start working full time at my job starting next week (school's over).

Thanks for all the help/info guys/gals. -Paul

 

[ekpolk]

My iron's lower than yours!

Seriously though, that's a great result. More evidence that GM is building nice solid engines.

I agree that you are likely getting somewhat distorted results by switching around oils. Remember that most engines trap a fair amount of oil each change. Not the stuff that continues to dribble out if you give it time, but rather, the stuff that's downstream of the pump, but not yet where it can drain (in some engines, it's nearly a quart). Now, OTOH, I don't expect that you'd have shown tremendously different results with a "pure" fill of one brand or another, but still, when you change type of oil at each OCI, it makes it even harder to draw any conclusions about how one product or another does for you in your engine.

Still, a great result, I'd sleep well with this.

 

[SyntheticShield]

Laminar Lou, can you send me a link to that paper on the SAE's website. I would like to purchase a copy of it as well. I couldnt find it by searching. Thanks.