Castrol 5W30 SL

[jjbula]

Looks like I have a coolant leak. Disappointing since I had a new head gasket installed per recall about 2 years ago. Will probably wait until next month to have it looked at. Also, this was first oil after treating with Auto-Rx for 1,000 miles (106.5K to 107.5K) Since Auto-Rx the windstar feels like it has more power from 3K to 5K RPM. I have original plugs and need new spark plug wires on the back three cylinders (can't reach them).

1995 Ford Windstar 110K miles (2.5K oil) with Castrol GTX 5w-30

element in ppm / comment

Copper-----2-----low ,good

Iron-------5-----low ,good

Chrome-----0-----excellent

Lead-------5-----low ,good

aluminum---3-----low,good

silicon----7-----very low,excellent

tin--------1-----low,good

moly-------63----normal additive for castrol

sodium-----119---elevated, secondary indication of a coolant leak. Can
also be used as an additive but it would be much lower.

magnesium----52---normal can be wear or additive

Zinc-------867----normal additive

potassium--65-----elevated,directly attributed to a coolant leak.

calcium----1730---normal additive

water------negative, if you in fact have a coolant leak this may show
negative because it evaporates before we can see it.

fuel-------negative, no excess dilution

Antifreeze---POSITIVE, may be small but its a problem to check out. Could
get worse at any time.

soot---------0-----for diesels but I run it anyway

oxidation----20----excellent, clean engine scale 0-199

Nitration----48----normal, could possibly need new plugs and wires to
bring this down. Directly reflects combustion efficiency. 0- 199

Sulfur-------18----for diesels not really meaningful but its free

TBN----------9-----excellent retention of acid nuetralizing capability,
higher level indicates to me soolant leak is small.

VIs @100c 11.4 30w oil at operating temp. Slightly elevated and this
oil
usually thins to nearly 20w so this is a indication also of a coolant leak,
glycol thickens oil. 9.3 to 12.5 = 30 weight oil.

Thats what I see. Hopefully it is not serious but I'd rater err on the safe
side. Any questions please let me know. Let me know what you find out.
Just
a little glycol will spin a bearing sometimes even before the oil totally
gels up. Aside from the coolant issue the engine and oil are holding up
well.

 

[jjbula]

The analysis is brought to you by Terry Dyson. My first analysis and, IMHO, Terry gives first rate info and service.

 

[Patman]

Looks more impressive than my Maxlife 10w30 sample with roughly the same miles! Plus I see moly!

I asked this in another thread, but will ask it again. Would an oil with a small concentration of moly eventually treat the engine with enough moly to bond to the parts, just taking longer to reach that level? Since moly goes to 39 levels, eventually even with lower moly oils, won't it reach that level too, and protect just as well as an oil loaded with moly?

 

[Spector]

Okay. Crazy question but have you been adding coolant?
Hard not to have a coolant leak if you are adding coolant?

Hard to say you have a coolant leak if the level doesn't change.
If level hasn't changed since the gasket was replaced I am really confused by the statement that a coolant leak is present.

[ July 06, 2002, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: Spector ]

 

[dragboat]

Quote:
"moly-------63----normal additive for castrol'

Must be a new formulation I do not think they used it in the past years

[ July 06, 2002, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: dragboat ]

 

[MolaKule]

Zinc-------867----normal additive

potassium--65-----elevated,directly attributed to a coolant leak.

calcium----1730---normal additive

Is line 2 supposed to be Phosphorous instead of Potassium?

Phoshorous is usually listed as "P" and potassium is listed as "K."

And if that's potassium, where is the phosphorous?

 

[Patman]

Phosphorus numbers would usually be way higher than 65 though right? My phosphorus numbers on about the same amount of miles on my analysis with Maxlife showed 981ppm of Phosphorus.

 

[jjbula]

MolaKule,

The report came as written (with spaces added by me) from Terry Dyson. I can only figure that potassium is in coolant.

[ July 10, 2002, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: jjbula ]

 

[MolaKule]

I would expect a phorphorous reading of at leat 700 ppm, even for an SL/SJ additive package.

Potassium could also be a surfactant used in the detergent package.