Mobile1 10/30 5,896 mi 98 ford Windstar HELP

[pasopaul]

This is the 3.8L V6,with 100750 miles, motorcraft oil filter. First figure actual 2nd universal avg. First oil test on this vehicle. 4 1/2 mos time span.

Aluminum 5 5
Chromium 1 1
iron 41 25
copper 13 6
lead 12 8
tin 1 1
molybd 59 48
nickel 1 1
mangan 0 3
silver 0 0
titanium 0 0
potass 26 2
boron 66 39
silicon 16 18
sodium 50 10
calcium 3045 1919
magnesium 24 321
phosph 711 761
zinc 790 921
barium 0 1

tested values were sus visc @210 65.9
flashpoint 440
fuel less than 0.5
antifreeze 0.1
water 0.0
insolubles 0.5

Comments: The potassium and sodium in this sample are from anti-freeze contamination of the oil.You probably have a leaky intake manifold or head gasket problem. The engine's lower end wear metals read about 50% above average levels.

How bad is this fellas any help would be appreciated.

 

[Stinky Peterson]

You lab is probably right about the coolant, especially is this engine is prone to leaks. But I would want a little more information before I took it apart.

What oil are you using and how many miles are on it? What are it's normal additive levels of P, B, Mo? these are also found in many coolants.

What coolant are you using? Is it an extended life coolant? if so the sodium and potassium are in the wrong ratios or at least for the ones I work with. Does the coolant contain potassium? most non extended life coolants do not. Copper and lead usually go up significantly with a coolant leak (if there are copper parts in the system) and you levels are only slightly elevated.

I would also want to make sure the engine wasn't pressure washed and be sure that salt spray isn't a possibility.

Also what method do they use to determine glycol level? It is easy to get fooled on glycol and the fact that it is reported leaves me to believe they are reporting the value from FTIR as none of the common antifreeze tests (ASTM) determine a percentage. The ones that do are too expensive to do on a routine basis.

Sometimes it is very difficult to accurately call a coolant leak on an early stage leak so this additional information helps.

Good luck

Stinky

 

[ekpolk]

I'd do two things:

1) Follow the advice already given. Your pattern is an indication of impending disaster. It's only a matter of time, and where you'll be when the fix-it-now decision gets made: it a shop of your choosing or on a dark, lonely roadside. . .

2) Read the oil bottle again! "Mobile" is a city on the Alabama gulf coast. "Mobil" is a brand of motor oil. . .

 

[Mike O'Connor]

I don't understand why the antifreeze percentage, at 0.1%, isn't higher if there really is a serious leak. 0.1% by volume of (roughly) 4 litres of oil is 0.8 teaspoons -- that's not a lot of antifreeze at all. In my UOA, the antifreeze percentage was 0.23%, two and a half times yours, and my sodium was twice yours, yet my wear metals weren't elevated at all.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike O'Connor:
I don't understand why the antifreeze percentage, at 0.1%, isn't higher if there really is a serious leak. 0.1% by volume of (roughly) 4 litres of oil is 0.8 teaspoons -- that's not a lot of antifreeze at all. In my UOA, the antifreeze percentage was 0.23%, two and a half times yours, and my sodium was twice yours, yet my wear metals weren't elevated at all.

---

And if the leak is progressive and slowly growing, what happens when it crosses the threshold and goes critical? I don't think anyone can comfortably guarantee that this will not happen for another X miles. At least IMO, this is not one those "let's wait and see" sort of issues.

 

[Mike O'Connor]

After doing some surfing, I found out that the glycol can be burned and hence not be detected in the oil, so even a trace amount can indicate a big leak. The labs look for coolant additives like sodium and potassium typically not present in oils to indicate coolant contamination. Clearly, the engine under discussion is experiencing high wear, so that's reason enough to act now to prevent further damage.

 

[T-Keith]

More Sodium and antifreeze in my oil and I didn't see that much wear. I guess different enines respond differently.

 

[Al]

Well..everything points to a leak-glycol, sodium, potassium, higher wear metals, and the higher viscosity..Mobil usually will not be this thick. You need to take action asap.

For a professional opinion.---http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/terry.html

 

[MONKEYMAN]

A friend of mine lost the engine on her 95 Windstar due to a leaking head gasket. Ford extended the warranty since it was a design problem. But, she missed it by a few months. I would check when they redesigned things. You may be having the same problem.

 

[Whimsey]

Unfortunately leaking gaskets were all too common with that engine. You need to get them fixed asap because they'll only get worse and then you'll do real serious damage to the engine. Have it diagnosed and see exactly whats wrong and what the repair cost is. It might even be cheaper to get a reman engine if the repair costs are high. They should be fairly common engines to find. Or if the Windstar is not in real good shape and you weren't planning to hold onto it for too much longer then just buy some cheap dino(Walmart's) and filters and change it every 2,000 miles. It'll buy you some time. But the engine can eventually seize if the leak(s) are not taken care of. Sorry

.

Whimsey