UOA - Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme 5W40 in 6.0L

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
163
Location
Texas
These are the results after the second oil change w/ VPBE 5W-40.
I previously used Schaeffer 9000 5W-40.

Miles on truck........48628
Miles on oil............5159
Oil......................Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme 5W-40
Miscellaneous........Analysis was after second OCI w/ VPBE

Parameter............ National Average... UOA Results
Aluminum........................3.....................4
Chromium........................1.....................1
Iron............................22....................30
Copper..........................3.....................2
Lead............................3.....................3
Tin.............................1.....................0
Molybdenum......................31....................95
Nickel..........................0......................1
Manganese.......................0......................0
Silver..........................0.......................0
Titanium........................0.......................0
Potassium.......................4.......................1
Boron..........................33.......................98
Silicon........................11.......................6
Sodium..........................3.......................6
Calcuim.......................3103....................3115
Magnesium......................83......................192
Phosphorous...................1120....................1313
Zinc..........................1288....................1505
Barium..........................2.......................0

SUS vis at 210 F............65 to 76..................64.2
cSt at 100 C................11.6-14.8.................11.4
Flashpoint....................>410.....................415
Fuel.......................... Antifreeze......................0%......................0
Water (Karl Fischer)........... Insolubles..................... TBN.............................>1.....................8.6
 
I would either go back to the Schaeffer's or try Mobil Delvac 1, or the Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40. I've just never been a big fan of Premium Blue oils.

If you can get it in Texas, give the Chevron Delo 400 5W-40 a try. Also an excellent product.
 
Last edited:
I'm not clear what the "national average" represents. Is that the numbers for all fluids from all locations? Or, just only 5w-40 fluids, nationally? How well defined is that quote? Was this a BlackStone report, or some other service? Each service has their own version of what "average" means, is why I ask. BlackStone quotes "universal averages".

Presuming "national average" is just a large homoginization of all fluids from all places, then I'd have to say the VPBE didn't exactly excel. Lost vis pretty quickly (probably due to HEUI); iron wear was higher than "average"; still has a lot of additives, and yet has mundane performance?

You did not mention the use of the vehicle; if you tow heavy, frequently, that might explain the iron. Of all the 6.0L issues known, shedding iron really isn't one of them, overall.

Gotta be better options for the money. Not that this is a bad report, but rather not a stellar one for having to spend (what must have been) a shiny penny on the VPBE. I would think you could get this type performance from VBP 15w-40 for a lot less coin.
 
Last edited:
I did tow some w/ this oil change, but not a lot and only in the 9k lb range. I previously used Schaeffer 9000 and Motorcraft 15W40 before that) and my iron numbers have always been in that range - since new. I am not too bothered by the iron in the high 20's.

It is a Blackstone analysis. I presume that the "National Average" is what you described as the "Universal Average".

My lead, copper and silicon numbers came down some w/ this oil vs. the Schaeffer (lead was at 9-10 w/ the Schaeffer, copper was at 6 and I can't recall the silicon). These changes may not be "statistically significant" though.

Since this is the second oil change analysis on this oil, it still is not representative of "pure VPBE". It takes three oil changes to get to a residual of apprx 2% of the original oil. I figure I still had 5-6% of the Schaeffer 9000 left in.

Also, I never do trust a single analysis (as has been stated here many times). Next oil change I will take two samples and send to two separate labs.

I am doing this pretty much as a hobby. I have no real reason to need the UOA (no desire to extend OCI and I have had no problems) - other than the fact I am curious and enjoy this kind of stuff.

The viscosity change was expected - at least to me. Even my Schaeffer sheared to ALMOST a 30 weight by 5k. This oil did shear a little more than the Schaeffer though. Except for the viscosity, the oil seems to have quite a bit more life in it. I believe I will make the next OCI to be 7.5k. I have heard that most oils shear fairly quickly and then level off. I want to see if it goes even lower than this, or if it had leveled off.

I am very please at the low insolubles and zero water and fuel dilution.
 
"I am doing this pretty much as a hobby. I have no real reason to need the UOA (no desire to extend OCI and I have had no problems) - other than the fact I am curious and enjoy this kind of stuff."

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a BITOG problem ...
grin2.gif
 
Last edited:
The second step to recovery is to want to!! I will have a hard time w/ that one ...............
 
Update -

I just got another UOA after apprx 5k miles. The iron is up a LOT, but no other metal is high. What might be the cause????

Miles on truck.........53539
Miles on oil............4911
Oil......................Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme 5W-40
Miscellaneous........Analysis was after third OCI w/ VPBE

Parameter............ New UOA Results... Previous UOA Results
Aluminum........................3.....................4
Chromium........................2.....................1
Iron............................56....................30
Copper..........................2.....................2
Lead............................5.....................3
Tin.............................0.....................0
Molybdenum......................69....................95
Nickel..........................1......................1
Manganese.......................1......................0
Silver..........................0.......................0
Titanium........................0.......................0
Potassium.......................2.......................1
Boron..........................67.......................98
Silicon.........................6.......................6
Sodium.........................11.......................6
Calcuim.......................1818....................3115
Magnesium......................701......................192
Phosphorous...................1313....................1313
Zinc..........................1514....................1505
Barium..........................0.......................0

SUS vis at 210 F...............63.3...................64.2
cSt at 100 C..................11.14.................11.4
Flashpoint.....................425.....................415
Fuel.......................... Antifreeze......................0%......................0
Water (Karl Fischer)............0%......................0
Insolubles.....................

I may be ready to try a different oil.
Schaeffer - good results EXCEPT "lead"
Valvoline PBE - good results EXCEPT "iron"

Is my truck so unique??? I will say that the Valvoline PBE does not hold the viscosity like the Schaeffer (but then I did not expect it to).

Oh yeah, I do not have a magnetic oil plug. I took it out so I could install the Fumoto valve. Could this be a contributing factor?

Again - I have towed some, but not too much and definitely not an extremely heacy load (and no idling to speak of).
 
Went up some, I would not worry it too much at this point just keep monitoring, it could go back down next time. I would only start getting alarmed if it kept trending up, not even if it stayed the same for a while.

You don't really have to run a 5w-40 in it, maybe next oil use Delo 400, you may be surprised.

Or go back to the Schaeffers, the lead streak may be gone.
 
Originally Posted By: bismic1
Update -

I just got another UOA after apprx 5k miles. The iron is up a LOT, but no other metal is high. What might be the cause????

Miles on truck.........53539
Miles on oil............4911
Oil......................Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme 5W-40
Miscellaneous........Analysis was after third OCI w/ VPBE

Parameter............ New UOA Results... Previous UOA Results
Aluminum........................3.....................4
Chromium........................2.....................1
Iron............................56....................30
Copper..........................2.....................2
Lead............................5.....................3
Tin.............................0.....................0
Molybdenum......................69....................95
Nickel..........................1......................1
Manganese.......................1......................0
Silver..........................0.......................0
Titanium........................0.......................0
Potassium.......................2.......................1
Boron..........................67.......................98
Silicon.........................6.......................6
Sodium.........................11.......................6
Calcuim.......................1818....................3115
Magnesium......................701......................192
Phosphorous...................1313....................1313
Zinc..........................1514....................1505
Barium..........................0.......................0

SUS vis at 210 F...............63.3...................64.2
cSt at 100 C..................11.14.................11.4
Flashpoint.....................425.....................415
Fuel.......................... Antifreeze......................0%......................0
Water (Karl Fischer)............0%......................0
Insolubles.....................

I may be ready to try a different oil.
Schaeffer - good results EXCEPT "lead"
Valvoline PBE - good results EXCEPT "iron"

Is my truck so unique??? I will say that the Valvoline PBE does not hold the viscosity like the Schaeffer (but then I did not expect it to).

Oh yeah, I do not have a magnetic oil plug. I took it out so I could install the Fumoto valve. Could this be a contributing factor?

Again - I have towed some, but not too much and definitely not an extremely heacy load (and no idling to speak of).


Bismic,

I own a 2006 6.0l too, and see you over at the Diesel Stop, and Garage forums.

I have had good results with the Shell 5W-40. You'll need to change it every 5,000 miles or so it shears fast, and keeps going, but it is a good oil for the money/availability and I've had good analysis with it. Ditto to you on the Schaeffer's!

I took a long towing trip this summer and decided to try Amsoil AME 15W-40 because I wanted the best oil for this 4,000 mile trip to Yellowstone. The Amsoil has better NOACK #'s (lower volitiliy) and a pretty high HTHS #, and I know it is a "real" synthetic. It has thinner viscosity #'s than a petro 15W-40 and that appealed to me as well. I believe the HPOP in the Powerstrokes prefer a lower viscosity.

The Amsoil shears too, but it takes longer and then appears to stop. I have an Oil Pressure gauge to verify this and can watch my idle pressure and hot highway pressures drop over time. Analysis confirms this too. I installed an oil bypass system a while back, and I'm going to go with 10,000 mile OCI if analysis confirms it.

Something to consider.
 
Bismic, I just bought 4 gallons of PBE after you posted it was on sale at FTE. I'll give it a try and probably do two changes with a UOA on the second one. I'll post the results when I get it, might be a year though. I'm needing a 5w-40 to make my injectors happier on cold starts, been running Mobil Delvac 15w-40 for the last 20k.
 
Just an update - my last iron reading (after 3400 miles) was 78. The four results have been 29, then 30, then 56, then 78. I am going back to Schaeffer 9000 to see if the lead stays at 7-8. After these high iron numbers, the 8 ppm lead sounds like nothing.

BTW - I am going back to the Schaeffer for two oil change intervals because I had 9 gallons of it in the garage from a previous "bulk" order.

I do use Stanadyne fuel additive. I am now wondering about its affect on the system w/ the (innevitable) minor fuel dilution that all 6.0L's have.

Next oil will be either Mobil 1 5W40 or Rotella T 5W40.
 
I have a customer using the Valvoline Blue as well in the transit industry. We noticed viscosity between 11.1 and 11.9 in all units...............the customer is looking to go back to Chevron Delo which gave results of 13.8 to 15.4 @ 100cSt.

Has anybody called Valvoline to see what may be causing this?

Thanks for the insight
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top