Castrol Syntec 5w30, 04 Sunfire, 7051mi

[OriginHacker21]

Paul: You can see the difference between this oil and the German Castrol you were using in the additives (moly, boron, and everything from calcium on down the list). Either oil will work well for you. Wear increased a little in this sample because you ran this oil a little longer. By and large, though, your Ecotec is making much less metal than most of the cars you pass on the highway. The TBN read 3.7, still active additive left. Insolubles (oil oxidation due to heat and use) were quite low at 0.1%, showing excellent oil filtration. Great engine! You could run the oil longer.

OIL: Castrol Syntec 5w30
Oil Added: 0 quarts
Oil Sump: 5.5 quarts
Oil Filter: STP Cartridge filter 9018r
Air Filter: K&N Air filter

Mi/Hr on oil: 7,051
Mi/Hr on Unit: 51,811
Date: 7/18/06

Aluminum: 2 (2)
Chromium: 0 (0)
Iron: 3 (12)
Copper: 2 (2)
Lead: 0 (1)
Tin: 0 (1)
Moly: 93 (54)
Nickel: 0 (0)
Manganese: 0 (0)
Silver: 0 (0)
Titanium: 0 (0)
Potassium: 0 (2)
Boron: 30 (16)
Silicon: 3 (5)
Sodium: 1 (4)
Calcium: 3070 (2206)
Magnesium: 16 (170)
Phosphorus: 659 (764)
Zinc: 797 (883)
Barium: 0 (0)

Visc at 210F - 59.2 (57-63)
Flashpoint F - 390 (greater than 365)
Fuel - less than .5 (less than 2.0)
Antifreeze - 0
Water - 0
Insolubles - .1 (less than .6)

To view picture (jpeg):
Oil Results

Edit: Sorry the above picture is small - can't figure out why or where to post for free.

 

[TooSlick]

I'd guess you're doing lots of long drives on the highway?

You should be able to run very long service intervals under these conditions....

 

[The Critic]

Looks great!

So much for the Syntec haters...

 

[Bill in Utah]

Excellent UOA!

A few points....

Once of those terrible GM motors..

with a terrible K&N filter..

running not a "real" syn oil..

(just kidding. We hear this so often here..)

SI is 3, Metals are close to perfect!

I'd be happy with that UOA!

Those Ecotec sure have a large sump! 5.5 qts!

My GM 4.8l V8 holds only 6qts...

Thanks for the posting! Bill

 

[blue_goose]

Nice! Time after time Castrol products are turning out some really nice used oil analysis. I was really pleased with my last run of Syntec Blend 5W30.

You can post your pic at PhotoBucket.com

Free and a great hosting site


Ecotec is a great engine...lots of people at Saturnfans.com rave about the 4 banger in their Vues


Goose

 

[OriginHacker21]

I "really" liked this UOA as well. Thank you for the kind comments. Yes, most of my driving is highway miles - with city on the weekends. I rarely go above 3,000 RPMs trying to be easy on the engine. Route to work: 210 east to the 15 north freeway and back. - total of 220 miles/day. If you see a black sunfire coupe on those freeways at 5-7am and 4-6pm its me.

Castrol Syntec appears to be a GREAT oil. I would have no problem using it again if I didn't have a large stash of GC Green and Gold to use. Am running a fill of GC Gold now and then plan on putting in GC Green for several 7-10k runs - will post the used oil analysis.

My goal is to get this engine to 400,000 miles so I don't think I can do "long" oci. Nice thing is, this engine isn't eating ANY oil - even after 7,000 miles. The oil was actually higher on the dipstick at the end of the OCI.

FYI: I usually put in Chevron w/ Techron every 3,000 miles. Every time I wash the car (once a week) I check the oil level, vaccume out the air filter box and the air filter.

A LARGE Photobucket picture of UOA sheet: Oil Analysis

Thank you Blue_Goose for the Photobucket suggestion. Very nice!

[ July 28, 2006, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: OriginHacker21 ]

 

[OriginHacker21]

It will be interesting to compare this Castrol Syntec 7,000 mile run with a GC Green 7,000 mile run.

Blue_Goose - yeah, I'm driving way too much. But it is so much fun!

As much as I love driving - 220 miles a day is really getting difficult. School starts back up next month so I'll only be working 3 days a week.

My question/something I'm not clear on - the longer the OCI the more the wear, obviously. So, to help an engine last 400,000 miles (goal) - short OCIs (5k-7k?) would be best, right? I've always been a short OCI'er. Those 5k and 7k runs are the longest ever. Don't think I could go longer even if I was paid.

A good friend of mine recently bought a Matrix. He REALLY likes the car.

 

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Critic:
Since your Matrix has an Auto transmission, I doubt you'll get 300-400K out of the original unit.

---

I don't know about that Mike.

There is a Lab here in SLC and everyone of their Corollas has over 300k and some of them are Autos with no problems. (and they drive them like they stole them...

)

They do a fluid exchange every 75k and thats it.

The Matrix is a little heaver than a corolla, but I think Goose treats his Matrix better!

Take care, bill

 

[427Z06]

59.2 SUS => 9.98 cSt Purrfect. Goes to show you don't need thick GC for good performance out of a Castrol synthetic oil. A lot a credit can probably be given to the Ecotech. Congrats, nice engine here.

 

[buster]

Agree with 427. Nice report.

 

[Patman]

Very nice report indeed! I think a lot of oils are getting much better in recent formulations, I don't think we'd have seen results this good with the Syntec formulations of 5 years ago. It's getting harder and harder to find a "bad oil" nowadays, we've been seeing so many very good oil analysis results with oils that we'd never imagine would work so well. Of course a good part of the credit has to go to the engine and to the driver as well in this particular case.

 

[blue_goose]

Whoa! That is some serious miles you are putting on your wheels Paul!

Almost 20K since February. I thought I did a lot...maybe 34K a year...

I think the Ecotec is probably the best 4 banger put in a US brand car....that UOA looks as good if not better than my 1ZZFE report!

I plan on putting 300-400k on the Matrix but my past history tends to change vehicles more often than not although I am pretty happy with Matrix that's for sure. Hmmmmm I have an Auto Zone Gift Card that may turn into some Castrol Syntec in a few days

Goose

 

[The Critic]

Since your Matrix has an Auto transmission, I doubt you'll get 300-400K out of the original unit.

 

[Hirev]

Interesting looks very good. It appears to be a different formula than your previous semi VOA on the same oil. Guess they are going to Calcium overbased Lubrizol additive package on all their recent USA oils.

Previous semi VOA
Aluminum: 1 (1)
Chromium: 0
Iron: 1 (1)
Copper: 0
Lead: 0
Tin: 0
Molybdenum: 69 (53)
Nickel: 0
Manganese: 0
Silver: 0
Titanium: 0
Potassium: 0
Boron: 46 (49)
Silicon: 4 (3)
Sodium: 1 (20)
Calcium: 2084 (1823)
Magnesium: 13 (76)
Phosphorus: 586 (639)
Zinc: 746
Barium: 0

Latest UOA
Mi/Hr on oil: 7,051
Mi/Hr on Unit: 51,811
Date: 7/18/06

Aluminum: 2 (2)
Chromium: 0 (0)
Iron: 3 (12)
Copper: 2 (2)
Lead: 0 (1)
Tin: 0 (1)
Moly: 93 (54)
Nickel: 0 (0)
Manganese: 0 (0)
Silver: 0 (0)
Titanium: 0 (0)
Potassium: 0 (2)
Boron: 30 (16)
Silicon: 3 (5)
Sodium: 1 (4)
Calcium: 3070 (2206)
Magnesium: 16 (170)
Phosphorus: 659 (764)
Zinc: 797 (883)
Barium: 0 (0)

Visc at 210F - 59.2 (57-63)
Flashpoint F - 390 (greater than 365)
Fuel - less than .5 (less than 2.0)
Antifreeze - 0
Water - 0
Insolubles - .1 (less than .6)

 

[OriginHacker21]

GC Green is now in the crankcase! Planning on a 7,000 mile oci or 5k if I can't make it

. Really looking forward to that UOA.

I really dislike dark oil. GC Gold has always held its light golden color - all the way to 5,000 miles. Castrol Syntec was turning pretty dark after that 7,000 mile run. Whenever oil turns dark I imagine tons of dirt particles tearing up the engine and varnish building up everywhere.

Hirev - Interesting - I didn't think to check the M0xxx numbers but I did notice the bottle designs were different. Maybe Wal-Mart had an old CS stock that day?

 

[blue_goose]

A Walmart near me still has SL Castrol Syntec 5W30..I may get some as my Matrix seems to like SL "flavor" over SM...most likely a placebo effect

Goose