Liqui Moly 5w-30, 5,011 miles, '18 Audi A4

[Cardiobuck]

My 4th run of Liqui Moly Top Tec 4200 5w-30 in an Audi A4 2.0L gas engine. 70% highway. The last two samples sat for months in their respective collection containers but that shouldn't have effected anything. I plan to stick with 5K intervals and though I'm happy with the oil, I haven't ruled out switching to a different 504.00 at the 40K service. The 40K service is the big one and and I may do a stage 1 tune at that time.
--All of these runs are with a Mann filter changed at the time of oil change.

Miles on oil       5,011         4,991           5,127            4,971         5,435              Universal
Miles on Unit      35,029        30,018          25,027           19,900        14,927             Averages
Sample Date        11/27/2020    05/17/2020      10/12/2019       3/3/2019      10/26/2018  
Make up oil        0             0               0                0             0
Oil Type           LM TT 5w-30   LM TT 5w-30     LM TT 5w-30      LM TT 5w-30   RL 5w-40

Aluminum           5              5              4                6             4                    4
Chromium           0              0              0                0             0                    1
Iron               5              6              5                8             22                   25
Copper             2              3              4                5             14                   4
Lead               0              0              0                0             0                    0
Tin                0              0              0                0             0                    0
Molybdenum         2              4              10               64            465                  44
Nickel             0              0              0                0             0                    0
Manganese          1              1              1                2             5                    1
Silver             0              0              0                0             0                    0
Titanium           0              0              1                1             0                    3
Potassium          1              1              0                1             2                    3
Boron              4              5              4                7             56                   55
Silicon            4              5              4                6             15                   9
Sodium             1              2              3                6             14                   9
Calcium            1506          1510            1354            1606           2361                 2326
Magnesium          13             7              6                9             5                    130
Phosphorus         690           693             606             726           1004                  846
Zinc               778           779             701             809           1066                  969
Barium             0             0               0                0             0                     0


SUS Viscosity@210F 63.5          62.7           65.8            63.1           71.3
cST Viscosity@100C 11.19         10.98          11.82           11.10          13.3
Flashpoint in F    410           390            395             395            395
Fuel %             <0.5          <0.5           <0.5            <0.5           <0.5
Antifreeze %       0.0           0.0            0.0             0.0            0.0
Water %            0.0           0.0            0.0             0.0            0.0
Insolubles %       0.2           0.2            0.2             0.2            0.2
TBN                2.9           3.6            3.3             3.4            3.5
TAN                2.0           2.1            5.7

 

[jurko]

What is the percentage of TBN depletion compare to TBN of fresh oil in each test?

 

[Danno]

The oil works for your use and car.

 

[Cardiobuck]

What is the percentage of TBN depletion compare to TBN of fresh oil in each test?

I have no clue but TBN depletion as far as I know is not linear. Why would I want to calculate % of depletion?

 

[ka9mnx]

Looks really good. Better than the RL.

 

[jurko]

TBN depletion rate is one part to determine OCI but there are other factors equably important like contamination from fuel, dirt, soot, coolant which ultimately determine OCI and your numbers look good. I looked at LM fresh oil TBN and it is 6.5 The depletion rate averages about 50% which is ok. Anything over 70% would be a concern.
As far as your choice of Moly Top Tec 4200 5w-30 there's nothing special about this oil. Is it good oil for your application? Probably.
But based on the list below it rates all the way on the bottom.
There might be better choices to protect your 2.0L Turbo. It would be up to you to decide.
The add pack should also be considered.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I noticed your 5435 oci oil has the most wear metals.

 

[RDY4WAR]

That was also with RL 5w-40 which (like most high ester oils) are known to show higher iron and copper wear on their initial OCI. Plus, it only had 14k miles total at that point so some of it could've still been leftover break-in particles. Also, we have no idea how these samples were collected.

I still find it ironic that Liqui-"Moly" contains no moly.

That add pack looks rather anemic, but there's no denying it's working well for you. I think 5k miles or 6 months with this oil is a good fit for your engine.

 

[Cardiobuck]

TBN depletion rate is one part to determine OCI but there are other factors equably important like contamination from fuel, dirt, soot, coolant which ultimately determine OCI and your numbers look good. I looked at LM fresh oil TBN and it is 6.5 The depletion rate averages about 50% which is ok. Anything over 70% would be a concern.
As far as your choice of Moly Top Tec 4200 5w-30 there's nothing special about this oil. Is it good oil for your application? Probably.
But based on the list below it rates all the way on the bottom.
There might be better choices to protect your 2.0L Turbo. It would be up to you to decide.
The add pack should also be considered.
View attachment 46263

I've come across this table before but the one I saw didn't have the Top Tec 4200 on it. This must be an updated version, thanks for posting.
The Top Tec is working well in my engine. My main impetus for considering a change to another 504.00 oil is that I may tune the car, thus putting more strain on it. I was considering the Ravenol VMP but haven't made up my mind. Any idea where Amsoil's 504.00 oil would fit on this chart?

 

[wemay]

Looks excellent

 

[Cardiobuck]

Looks really good. Better than the RL.

To really know I'd have to run the RL for a few more changes. What you see in that 15K sample is only the cars 2nd oil change. I left the FF in for 10K as Audi calls for. So that run of RL I believe had a lot of break in left in in.

 

[jurko]

I've come across this table before but the one I saw didn't have the Top Tec 4200 on it. This must be an updated version, thanks for posting.
The Top Tec is working well in my engine. My main impetus for considering a change to another 504.00 oil is that I may tune the car, thus putting more strain on it. I was considering the Ravenol VMP but haven't made up my mind. Any idea where Amsoil's 504.00 oil would fit on this chart?

Tha Gokhan sheet is HERE and Amsoil is on it. Just didn't make it to my list because I only used oil with HTHS ≥ 3.5
You can save it to your G-drive and play with it.

 

[ka9mnx]

To really know I'd have to run the RL for a few more changes. What you see in that 15K sample is only the cars 2nd oil change. I left the FF in for 10K as Audi calls for. So that run of RL I believe had a lot of break in left in in.

Very true...

 

[KCJeep]

I don't see where you are going to gain any measurable benefit switching between 504 oils, they are all really good. If you feel the need to switch a look at some tempting 40 grades would make more sense to me especially since you are thinking of a tune.

Nice car.

 

[TiGeo]

I don't see where you are going to gain any measurable benefit switching between 504 oils, they are all really good. If you feel the need to switch a look at some tempting 40 grades would make more sense to me especially since you are thinking of a tune.

Nice car.

Only if you feel that these minor diff I. A dew specs are meaningful.

 

[newtoncd8]

What did you do differently from 2018->2019 to lower silicon?

 

[Cardiobuck]

What did you do differently from 2018->2019 to lower silicon?

Absolutely nothing different. My routine is pretty type-A.

My best guess, (and really just a guess) is that with a bit of age and dirt on the air filter it became slightly more effective at capturing particles from the air. I haven't so much as opened the air box since I've owned it. I'll test my theory with the 45,000 mile UOA. I will change the air filter at the 40,000 mile interval and if I'm right the silicon will go back up for a while and will show up at the 45,000 mile sample.

 

[newtoncd8]

Absolutely nothing different. My routine is pretty type-A.

My best guess, (and really just a guess) is that with a bit of age and dirt on the air filter it became slightly more effective at capturing particles from the air. I haven't so much as opened the air box since I've owned it. I'll test my theory with the 45,000 mile UOA. I will change the air filter at the 40,000 mile interval and if I'm right the silicon will go back up for a while and will show up at the 45,000 mile sample.

Thanks, that is really interesting, I was assuming you had changed the (air) filter or made some type of adjustment on the airbox.

As far as the numbers go, seems like a really good match for your vehicle.

 

[TiGeo]

The silicone is just residual sealant etc. from the new engine and drops off with time. Likely zero to do with the air filer.

 

[newtoncd8]

The silicone is just residual sealant etc. from the new engine and drops off with time. Likely zero to do with the air filer.

Good point, I wasn't even tracking that the vehicle was new at that time.