Proof of MaxLife Cleaning

[buster]

Well, all I know is that this occurred shortly after using MaxLife. As most on here know, I've only used good oils and very moderate drain intervals throughout the life of this motor. I never went past 12k miles per drain. Usually 8-11k, sometimes less.

Can't explain it yet. If this current fill doesn't clean it up, I'll switch back to Mobil 1 HM/M1 mix or maybe their 0w40.

 

[shell_user]

I dont know if I would go dumping M1 0W40 in it expecting a miracle either. Guess MAXLIFE is NOT and was NOT the answer as people here give it the undo praise I have read about for as long as I have been alive. I wil stick with a known oil; i.e. QSGB, ST, MS5K, some MOBIL CLEAN 5K I have still.

 

[buster]

LOL. I'm doing this more out of curiosity. I've talked up ML a good bit lately and still think it's a very good oil. Just not sure what the deal is here....

 

[shell_user]

Either you got a real old batch of it, or just bad batch. I used the MAXLIFE NEXTGEN 10W40 in my 91' chevy truck, no issues and it got darker faster, didnt turn UFO colors though. Used oversized baldwin filter on it. Leas the "grit/black [censored]" is easily wiped off. Keep us posted

Adam

 

[addyguy]

This would worry me a great deal - an engine fed syn for any mileage at shorter OCI's should be basically spotless, without ANY 'gunk' being on any surface....

 

[buster]

^Agree.

This is the bottle code of the last batch I bought and put in the car.

"L1312C5"

 

[REDDOG]

That was made 11/13/12, I believe, so it is very new. Did that bottle have the starburst on it?

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
This would worry me a great deal - an engine fed syn for any mileage at shorter OCI's should be basically spotless, without ANY 'gunk' being on any surface....

x10

 

[buster]

No starburst on it. We don't have any of the new bottles.

Here is the code of the jug when this all began.

"I1012C5"

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: buster
If this run of ML doesn't remove it in 3k miles, I'll try Mobil 1 again just to see if it removes it.


I'd say give it a couple OCIs, buster. No matter what you choose, it takes patience.

 

[REDDOG]

Ok, so according to previous threads here on date codes that makes the first code you posted made on 12/13/12 and the second 9/10/12. The first letter should correspond to the month. FWIW, if anything.

To me your pics look like a bunch of freed carbon-or iron. Can you tell if they are magnetic, somehow?

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: buster
If this run of ML doesn't remove it in 3k miles, I'll try Mobil 1 again just to see if it removes it.


I'd say give it a couple OCIs, buster. No matter what you choose, it takes patience.

This is true.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: REDDOG

To me your pics look like a bunch of freed carbon-or iron. Can you tell if they are magnetic, somehow?


I'm not sure, I don't think so. I could sample it.

MaxLife is now dexos 1 compliant, so it's a pretty strong oil and I plan on sticking with it for awhile.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: buster
If this run of ML doesn't remove it in 3k miles, I'll try Mobil 1 again just to see if it removes it.


I'd say give it a couple OCIs, buster. No matter what you choose, it takes patience.

There should be nothing to clean-up though. My drains of M1 0w-40 in the M5 are always tar-black. The engine fuel dilutes like crazy that we know now after my UOA, has high compression, no real PCV system....etc and the VANOS setup isn't easy on oil either. However I've never had any particulate fall out of my oil and under the fill cap is "factory clean" (oh, did I step on a SOPUS trademark there?

)

I would consider this the oil NOT doing its job, which is keeping this junk in suspension.

 

[shell_user]

Good point and give me back my M1 0W40!

 

[buster]

Thing is, from what I can tell via the fill hole, the only area tht has this stuff is right on top below the cap/hole. Looking through everywhere else is spotless.

Knowing this oil has extra detergents, and seal conditioners, it's possible it's from that. However, as you stated, why it wasn't kept in "suspension" I simply don't know. Good point.

I'll stick with it for 3k miles and take it from there....

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: buster
Thing is, from what I can tell via the fill hole, the only area tht has this stuff is right on top below the cap/hole. Looking through everywhere else is spotless.

Knowing this oil has extra detergents, and seal conditioners, it's possible it's from that. However, as you stated, why it wasn't kept in "suspension" I simply don't know. Good point.

I'll stick with it for 3k miles and take it from there....


Try M1 0w-40? You already mentioned it and I mean, why not? I've run it in my Expedition that spec's 5w-20, LOL. You've got nothing to lose. It filled my filters full of crud for quite a while too.........

The M5 isn't ever getting anything else. I've come to that conclusion. My engine is abnormally quiet and apparently abnormally clean. I'd like to keep those two traits if possible.

 

[Maxima97]

Change oil today on my Maxima. PU oil comes out very dark. Add Maxlife just for another seal treatment plus some MoS2. I plan to use GC after this in the summer.

 

[REDDOG]

I think you are right to stick I out, buster. I really think the oil is freeing some stuff up. We can't say this wouldn't happen to others who switched over to ML also.

I'm extra interested because I have a "bunch" of ML on hand I'm going to be using.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I would consider this the oil NOT doing its job, which is keeping this junk in suspension.


That's certainly a possibility, but that really depends upon what we're seeing there. If it's a bunch of loose ferrous material, buster likely has problems that no oil is going to cure, nor was likely caused by any oil he chose. So that's why I'd say to stick with it for a couple OCIs. Bouncing around won't help the engine or our understanding. Perhaps it's a filter problem. Buster's not sure what it is, so we can't be sure, either.

I do know the F-150 got cleaned up nicely with my MaxLife winter and Delvac 15w-40 summer routine. I don't know which did the job, but it did work nicely, aside from the clogged oil galleries. Of course, oil alone isn't going to fix previous neglect.

As an aside, both products were far better than a normal PCMO for maintaining viscosity after fuel dilution throughout the OCI. With both being thicker than a normal PCMO, that was expected anyhow.