Internal coolant leak or not ....

Pennzoil motor oil
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Baveux

Joined
May 25, 2003
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744
Location
Quebec Canada
My last UOA came back with this

Sodium 281 !!
Pottasium 2.0
Glycol negative
Oxydation 46
Sulfation 51
Nitration 48
visc 100 10.3
Tan 2.29
Silicone 24

wear reported normal,

I should say the raise of sodium was sudden , no warning on the previous sample.

That sample belongs to a Buick Century 2002 3.1 ltr I use the oil life monitor and the result are usualy good. The lower intake manifold gasket has been changed 2 years ago .

This time the interval was super long 11169 km or 6924 miles. I use Castrol GTX 5 w 30 with a quaker states filter ( same or similar to a purolator not a fram)

We are planning to get rid of it in may or june 2009. Can we get away with it with coolant pellets and early oil change ?

thanks for your input guys
 
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Bars leak is very good. I used it in '94 LS400 and it stops small leak without effecting coolant performance, the heater core is still produce very hot air. Bars leak does not clog radiator or heater core.
 
I had a radiator that was leaking slightly, and I wanted to wait before getting another radiator so I added Bar's Leak.

It plugged the leak but within another week I was leaking coolant from other areas of the radiator.

Moral of the story, do what The Critic said.
 
Thanks for your suggestion guys however I want to understand the level of urgency since I dont want to keep the car for longer than 4 months max.

Also, why the coolant test came back negative ( no trace of glycol)
The Potassium is not really out of range.
Furthermore all the other reading are not really out of range, and are acceptable I think...
 
That is sodium from the additive package in Castrol GTX. Potassium is only 2 ppm, and glycol is negative, indicating no coolant in the oil. Everything is A-OK.
 
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If your getting rid of the car that quick, I'd stop-leak it and change the oil in a timley fashion.

One thing about Barr's stop-leak I've found (at least the powder stuff), is you can use MUCH less than their reccomended dosage and still slow or stop a leak.

I know it's a total band-aid cop out, but I've never had the stuff clog a heater core or even noticably affect it's performance.
 
HELLO, Castrol GTX has roughly 300 ppm sodium in the additive package. Valvoline does now as well. I'm not seeing any sign of a coolant leak here, so there's no need to use Bar's Leaks or to do anything but sleep fine tonight.
grin2.gif
 
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I'd give the Bars a try especially if you plan on getting rid of the car in a few months. IIRC you can use up to 2 bottles of the stuff. Certainly not the best thing to do, but the Band-Aid might just get you the time you need.

Frank D
 
What is the coolant level like? Any external leaks? Is the oil milky? What lab did the test? Different labs use different methods for glycol determination.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
HELLO, Castrol GTX has roughly 300 ppm sodium in the additive package. Valvoline does now as well. I'm not seeing any sign of a coolant leak here, so there's no need to use Bar's Leaks or to do anything but sleep fine tonight.
grin2.gif



Really !! That would explain the sudden increase of sodium and the decent numbers on the UOA.

Actually I am really impressed by the GTX almost 7000 miles on a dino and the oil still good for service as per wearcheck canada it is at the very impressive IMHO
 
Quote:

Sodium 281 !!
Pottasium 2.0
Glycol negative


THAT'S supposed to be an internal leak? Yeah, ok.
smirk2.gif


When your potassium and nitration start getting into triple digits, then it's time to start worrying.
 
Originally Posted By: benjamming
What is the coolant level like? Any external leaks? Is the oil milky? What lab did the test? Different labs use different methods for glycol determination.


Coolant level was ok when we changed the oil, I'll take a look tomorrow just to make sure.

No milky oil here, not even around the oil cap or at the top of the dipstick....no significant external leak .......

Wearcheck Canada did the test,and all the previous one ;-))

BTW In March 06 wearcheck detected and reported Glycol in the oil, not this time, so its probably the new level of sodium in the GTX as suggested by Drew 99...

Thanks to all for your input its really appreciated !!
 
Originally Posted By: kingrob
Quote:

Sodium 281 !!
Pottasium 2.0
Glycol negative


THAT'S supposed to be an internal leak? Yeah, ok.
smirk2.gif


When your potassium and nitration start getting into triple digits, then it's time to start worrying.


You know as a French canadian my english is far from being perfect. So I just want to highlight the fact that Wearcheck never said that I had an internal leak. All they say is that I should resample a.s.a.p to confirm the elevation of sodium and the absence of glycol. ;-))
 
run 2 short 1000 miles cycles of Wally Tech and run another UOA.

bet your sodium is back down to background levels.

sodium is a cheap AW replacing the dying legend, ZDDP

you have not other signs of a coolant into engine oil leak

what "lab" did the analysis and report?
if they aren't familiar with the use of sodium in several MOs now, they're in the wrong business

switch labs, not cars
 
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I'm was running AMSOIL Signature Series in my engine and had similar numbers, I changed to their ASL 10w30/5w30 for a couple changes and the numbers dropped back down. Both used oil analysis showed no glycol. I had both samples sent to Wearcheck in Burlington.

Hope this helps you feel better.
 
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