Castrol Start-up 5w-30 in 1998 Chevrolet S-10 ZR2 4.3L V6

[JHZR2]

Hi,

This is the first good UOA from my 1998 S-10 ZR2 since Ive started doing them. I had a small intake manifold (I believe) leak, which though I never noticed any loss of coolant or adverse operation, did show up on UOAs.

It is my belief, based upon UOAs that Ive studied for the GM 4.3L V6, that dino oils FAR surpass synthetics like M1 in UOA results. This is a great result and I believe proves my point.

I added ~2oz LC at the initial fill, 2oz partway, and 2oz with about 500 miles left on the oil.

I am happy with this UOA. The results presented show the engine through an intake manifold gasket repair, autorx rinse (shortened) and then fill and run for 3000 miles.

Wear rates seem excellent, though Al seems high. Kind of odd, since this is an all-iron engine. Maybe its some sort of different additive?

Id appreciate any comments.

Thanks,

JMH

code:

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Sample Date 2/26/2005 9/11/2004 8/3/2004 5/27/2004 6/26/2003

Unit Age 48759m 46494m 45640m 43640m 36603m

Time on Fluid 3119m 854m 1661m 3361m 1790m

Time on Filter 3119m 854m 1661m 3361m 300m



Fluid startup 5w30 gtx 5w30 ac delco 10w30 GTX 5w-30 GTX 5w-30

Iron (Fe) 4.4 3.2 15 7.5 3.5

Chromium (Cr) 0.9 0.2 1.4 0.2 0.1

Nickel (Ni) 0.0 0.2 0.9 0.3 0.9

Titanium (Ti) 0.0 0.1 0.6 0.0 0.1

Silver (Ag) 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Aluminum (Al) 6.9 2.6 3.9 1.5 2.6

Lead (Pb) 0.0 1.7 9.8 7.1 2.7

Copper (Cu) 1.5 3.8 20 31 1.4

Tin (Sn) 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.0 2.2

Silicon (Si) 5.0 12 33 9.2 8.5

Sodium (Na) 2.5 3.1 5.0 17 3.9

Potassium (K) 30 12 94 446 40

Boron (B) 2.2 9.0 62 2.1 1.3

Barium (Ba) 0.3 0.0 1.4 0.3 0.0

Molybdenum (Mo) 71 39 48 46 53

Magnesium (Mg) 7.1 14 47 53 12

Calcium (Ca) 2089 1673 2467 1979 2015

Phosphorus (P) 866 782 765 740 907

Zinc (Zn) 789 822 836 849 907

Sulfur (S) 2856 2800 4712 2634 3117

Cadmium (Cd) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2

Manganese (Mn) 1.0 0.3 2.4 2.5 0.3

Vanadium (V) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1

Glycol 0.0 0.10 0.10 0.0

Soot(%) 0 0 0 0 0

Oxidation(PA) 20 80 30 35

Nitratrion(PA) 15 0 40 45 20

Sulfation(PA) 10 13 87 7 13

Kv@100°C 10.66 10.4 10.59 10.7 10.18

White Metal NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Babbitt NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Precipitate NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Silt NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Debris NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Dirt NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE

Appearance NORML NORML NORML NORML NORML

Odor NORML NORML NORML NORML NORML

H2O(Emul) NEG NEG NEG NEG NEG

H2O(Free) NEG NEG NEG NEG NEG

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[ March 10, 2005, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: JHZR2 ]

 

[Patman]

I'm surprised nobody commented on this post, especially since I believe it's the first UOA on Castrol's new Start-up oil! The wear numbers look excellent! This stuff looks like decent stuff after all.

 

[Al]

Well it looks like you still have a small coolant leak.

What brand coolant do you have in there? It would be nice to know so others can watch out for trace elements depending on the brand.

Al wear particles=Pistons

 

[dickwells]

My experience indicates that the next analysis will show better clearing of the K. Oil pump housing in these engines is also aluminum.

 

[JHZR2]

OK, just to clarify, the OCI with 1661 miles on it was the oil put in at the dealer, when they fixed the intake manifold. I put auto-rx in there shortly thereafter, and ran it for 1661. I then used GTX as a rinse for the 854 miles, and then went to startup.

I cant say that id classify 30ppm K and 2.5ppm Na as a 'leak'. Especially when no trace of glycol showed, whereas a slight (0.1%) showed before.

Any ideas why the pistons/oil pump housing would be putting Al into the system? Seems to me that if there was piston wear, it would have showed when there was the glycol/hydrocarbon mix maxing acidic sludge, not two oil changes and an auto-rx cleaning later... What should I be considering due to the result of the Al seen here?

dickwells: Can you comment more on 'your experience'? Did it take you two oil changes/flushes to get the K out of the system? Id love for you to shed some more insight into what you think is going on here based upon your experience!

BTW, The truck has always had Dex-cool in the system.

JMH

 

[BlazerLT]

What is the difference between the price of the startup and the stndard GTX 5w30?

 

[Al]

quote:

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Originally posted by JHZR2:
I cant say that id classify 30ppm K and 2.5ppm Na as a 'leak'. Especially when no trace of glycol showed, whereas a slight (0.1%) showed before.

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That's probably true. But it certainly bears watching. Next oil analysis should help tell the tale. And btw I had several UOA's with even lower than this level of Potassium and no glycol. Then one oil analysis showed the glycol.

Silicon is another marker for the Dexcool. Your silicon is low..so you just might be O.K. Keep us posted.

 

[JHZR2]

thanks very much... good info.

Thanks!

JMH