HELP!! 1st analysis Mobil 1 5W-30 4.3 blazer

[DoubleDee]

My first analysis of a 1996 Chevy Blazer with a 4.3 V-6 with 63,000 miles. States high potassium but no moisture?? Coolant?? In Pennsylvania with 2 weeks of snow.
Averages
Aluminum 2 3
Chromium 1 1
Iron 7 18
Copper 1 6
Lead 2 10
Tin 4 1
Molybdenum 54 41
Nickel 0 0
Manganese 0 1
Silver 0 0
Titanium 0 0
Potassium 99 4
Boron 100 43
Silicon 7 17
Sodium 9 12
Calcium 1969 1883
Magnesium 13 218
Phosphorus 555 771
Zinc 577 933
Barium 0 1

Fuel should be < 2, was
Any help with the interprtation would be appreciated.

 

[silverz06vette]

How many miles on the oil?

 

[TooSlick]

Could be a leaking intake manifold gasket letting some coolant into the combustion chambers. This one test is inconclusive, so I'd test again in 3000 miles. Sometimes these leaks remain small for quite some time.

Small #'s of sodium/potassium can also come from salting the roads, but anything > 100 ppm raises a flag with me.

TS

 

[JHZR2]

Looks pretty good, except for that potassium.

Has your engine had dex-cool in it all its life?

I have gotten similar results... too bad they didnt check for glycol.

JMH

 

[DoubleDee]

Oil had 2700 miles on it. I didn't do a TBN because I knew the oil should be fine on that short of an interval. I am tryin to find the oil
that gives the best results as anyone is. The Blazer has had Dexcool and was recently flushed by the Dealer. How can you differentiate from an intake leak versus a head gasket leak?

 

[Brett Miller]

You could safely bet your last dollar its an intake gasket leak.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brett Miller:
You could safely bet your last dollar its an intake gasket leak.

---

Probably but wear metals are small so it "probably"** wouldn't hurt to do another 3K mile (max) run. What is the viscosity?? Coolant can thicken viscosity. And don't hang your hat on moisture or positive tests for glycol.

**= Disclaimer- waiting could bite you

 

[DoubleDee]

Viscosity should be values are 55-62, actual was 60.4. Flashpoint should be >365, was 410. This was the first oil after an autorx cleaning. Could this have started this problem??? Is it best to just do the intake gasket to minimize further wear?

 

[BlazerLT]

Whoa whoa whoa there guys.

Stop with the fear mongering.

The intake gaskets on the 1996 4.3L have never shown any problems.

Go for another 3000 mile run and then let's see what happens.

No major repair conclusions should be made from one oil analysis and you guys know better than that.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BlazerLT:
Whoa whoa whoa there guys.

Stop with the fear mongering.

The intake gaskets on the 1996 4.3L have never shown any problems.

Go for another 3000 mile run and then let's see what happens.

No major repair conclusions should be made from one oil analysis and you guys know better than that.

---

Never say "never". I have heard of at least 2-4.3 intake gasket leaks. Any engine can get a head gasket leak. I'd bet on a leak here..though nothing is certain.

And no one said he should dive into this engine at this point.

[ March 05, 2005, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Al ]

 

[dickwells]

These are the symptoms my 02 silvo 4.3 showed prior to having the intake gasket changed (it showed breaks in two places). It showed high sodium or potassium with not measurable glycol or water and thickening of the oil out of grade over a @6K run of mobil1 and later GC. Laterst GC shows all is well.

 

[pmt]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dickwells:
These are the symptoms my 02 silvo 4.3 showed prior to having the intake gasket changed (it showed breaks in two places). It showed high sodium or potassium with not measurable glycol or water and thickening of the oil out of grade over a @6K run of mobil1 and later GC. Laterst GC shows all is well.

---

How many miles were on your 4.3 L when the intake manifold gasket started leaking? I'm wondering when to start worrying about my 03 GMC with same engine - about 35,000 mi on it now. Did you have noticeable coolant leakage or was the UOA your first sign of trouble?
Thanks.

 

[dickwells]

My records seem to indicate that I had low levels of Sodium from go. The analysis showed 16,37,13,21,7, then at 47,000 miles it jumped to 53 and at 53,000 was at 59 (though reported by the lab as potassium). Changed the gasket. Next change showed Sodium 16 but Visc was at 15.9 and wear components were up a little. Most recent change the Sodium was down to 5 and the Visc was 11. My mechanic must have spilled antifreeze and even a 200 mile wrinse on dino did not get it all out. So there you have it!