PP 5W30 4,818 - Mazdaspeed 3 2.3L DISI Turbo

[BeerLube]

Had my 2nd UOA done this week. Copper improved substantially as wear-in looks to be slowing, and did not shear as much as in my previous sample, even with longer OCI.

Some people with this motor are having high FE #'s. At what point is FE "too high"? Other thoughts?

 

[RI_RS4]

Looks like this engine is starting to wear in. I wonder how many miles it will take before it reaches the plateau. PP seems to be doing okay, but it has sheared down.

Don't believe the no fuel dilution comment. The viscosity shear and the trace Manganese in the oil point to some fuel dilution.

 

[Titan]

I'm not nearly as sophisticated in my knowledge of these as RI_RS4, but, would fuel dilution contribute to the viscosity being on the low side? I would expect dilution to drop the flash point...but, it's still pretty high at 420...

 

[Eddie]

The faily high flasepoint, indicates no fuel dilution issues.

 

[badtlc]

Do you have an aftermarket intake on this bad boy?

 

[buster]

Yeah this is a tricky one. FP is very good, but the viscosity dropped slightly, which I think if from fuel. Regardless, this is a very good report IMO.

 

[BeerLube]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
Do you have an aftermarket intake on this bad boy?


Yes Mazdaspeed CAI and very happy with it. I believe this intake was installed for full mileage of both posted OCI's. Silicon/Insolubles are ok for both samples, and OEM oil filtration cartridges have been used thus far. Finally found some Napa Gold elements locally, so should have some data in the next few UOA's for different media on this engine.

 

[BeerLube]

Originally Posted By: buster
Yeah this is a tricky one. FP is very good, but the viscosity dropped slightly, which I think if from fuel. Regardless, this is a very good report IMO.


Interesting point. However, in this sample, shearing was less so than previous sample, although FP is marginally lower. Thus, I'd be inclined to believe data commented upon may be largely irrelevant via margin of error.

 

[RI_RS4]

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that the Blackstone open cup flashpoint measurement is still in error. They consistently report high, and then use that to compute fuel dilution %. Blackstone does not directly measure fuel %. Two things in this analysis indicate some dilution:

1) Trace Manganese
2) Lowered viscosity


But, your insolubles are getting better, indicting that ring seal is getting better and average dilution is getting lower, IMO.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: BeerLube
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Do you have an aftermarket intake on this bad boy?


Yes Mazdaspeed CAI and very happy with it. I believe this intake was installed for full mileage of both posted OCI's. Silicon/Insolubles are ok for both samples, and OEM oil filtration cartridges have been used thus far. Finally found some Napa Gold elements locally, so should have some data in the next few UOA's for different media on this engine.


IMO, that is why you are not having near the fuel dilution problems as other DISI owners. The intake is leaning out the DISI a whole lot better than stock.

 

[BeerLube]

RI_RS4, lowered viscosity is possible from mechanical shearing, right? Agreed the open cup method is inferior to closed cup, but if gives consistently high readings, wouldn't Blackstone account for that via some kind of ANSI (or other) testing standard? And can you make any comment regarding my previous point, "in this sample, shearing was less so than previous sample, although FP is marginally lower. Thus, I'd be inclined to believe data commented upon may be largely irrelevant via margin of error." ?

badtlc, I was hoping the MS CAI would do just that, clean up a bit of the rich tuning. It may indeed be helping some, but I can tell you the area around my tailpipe still accumulates soot between washes. Still pig rich.

A bit off topic, I've been keeping my foot waaaaay out of it the last few tanks of gas, for experiment's sake, and have netted over 33mpg (calculated by hand, not via the MS3's computer) with about 80% hwy driving... If the ignorant masses in America would put as much thought/effort into driving habits as they do b!tching about gas prices, we'd all be very pleased with the results!

 

[RI_RS4]

BeerLube

Unless the CAI is totally messing up the MAF sensor, I'd expect that the ECU is compensating for any increased flow. It's more likely that your new driving style has decreased fuel dilution, than the CAI.

Yes, lowered viscosity is possible from mechanical shearing. The open cup method has extremely low sensitivity when compared to the closed cup method. I think this is why Blackstone has so many issues with resolving fuel dilution. Terry Dyson's lab uses a Penske-Martin Closed cup method, along with an FTIR fuel reading. They should correlate, and generally do. When they do not, Terry has the lab retake the measurements.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: RI_RS4
BeerLube

Unless the CAI is totally messing up the MAF sensor, I'd expect that the ECU is compensating for any increased flow. It's more likely that your new driving style has decreased fuel dilution, than the CAI.


That's what you'd think, but fit most any CAI to the DISI 2.3 and the engine will run leaner. I've seen more than a few dyno runs that support this. As a matter of fact, Mazda recently placed a Stop Sale order on their MS3 and MS6 CAIs, the reason being that the intakes cause a problem with lean fuel trims that in some cases triggers a CEL. The expected solution is an ECU reflash, which supposedly will be released in the next month or so.

 

[Scott P]

I have a MazdaSpeed CAI new in box for my Speed6 that I have yet to install. My fuel numbers have never been more than a trace (Blackstone), but my oil has thinned down each time.

I wonder if your highway driving has helped keep the fuel dilution a bit lower?