Valvoline MaxLife 5w30, 4500K on oil, 134,776K

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This is the first UOA for my new-to-me truck. 2007 Chevy Silverado with a 5.3L V8. The truck is burning oil, probably because of Active Fuel Management, that's what I've read anyway. I switched to Penzoil High Mileage in 5w30. No real reason other than to try something different. Blackstone recommended bumping the change interval up to 6500~7000 miles. It doesn't seem to be burning the Penzoil as much. That could be the engine getting cleaner after the first run of Valvoline and now the Penzoil, not sure. Time will tell. I'm going to bump the change interval up and keep it topped off. OLM was only at 40% when I changed the oil.

Code:


OIL VML 5w30

MILES IN USE 4500K

MILES 134,776K

SAMPLE TAKEN 07/16/13

Make Up Added 1 qt

ALUMINUM 3

CHROMIUM 1

IRON 15

COPPER 11

LEAD 2

TIN 4

MOLYBDENUM 6

NICKEL 1

MANGANESE 1

SILVER 0

TITANIUM 2

POTASSIUM 2

BORON 4

SILICON 11

SODIUM 269

CALCIUM 2050

MAGNESIUM 12

PHOSPHORUS 625

ZINC 688

BARIUM 0



SUS VIS 210ºF 56.3

cSt @ 100ºC 9.15

Flashpoint in ºF 360

Fuel % TR

Antifreeze % 0.0

Water % 0.0

INSOLUBLES .3

TBN 1.3
 
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not a great report considering the make up oil. where did all the moly go
frown.gif
It will be interesting to see how the PHM does for you.
 
Originally Posted By: volk06
Im starting to believe they took the moly out of maxlife.


There is recent VOA here.

Considering this is a GM V8, this isn't too bad is it? Aren't these engines known for putting out lots of metals? Will be interested to see the next one.
 
On paper, I'm less than impressed with MaxLife 5W-30 lately. I don't really think of it as a 'high mileage' oil anymore; most high mileage oils are about 10%-15% thicker than their non high-mileage counterparts, but MaxLife is not. Plus it seems to shear more than it should. And we really have no idea -why- they decided to take the Moly out... it may have been that they found a replacement, or it may have been a cost-savings deal.

Valvoline makes good oils, to be sure - but I wonder if MaxLife may be falling behind. M1HM, PZ HM, and Defy look mighty good in comparison.

In the OP's instance, the TBN sure is low for such a short run, ESPECIALLY since he added a quart of make-up oil and ESPECIALLY since, if his 5.3 is anything like mine, the sump is 6 quarts to start with.... that means the TBN depleted to 1.3 on 7 quarts of MaxLife? That may have little to do with the oil and a lot to do with the OP's application, but it is worth noting.

The wear numbers look OK, but man does that Zinc look low to anyone else? Is this a Blackstone UOA?
 
Originally Posted By: JethroBodine
This shows you need to limit OCI to 5000 with this engine and dino.


Maxlife it not a dino...
 
Originally Posted By: danthaman1980


In the OP's instance, the TBN sure is low for such a short run, ESPECIALLY since he added a quart of make-up oil and ESPECIALLY since, if his 5.3 is anything like mine, the sump is 6 quarts to start with.... that means the TBN depleted to 1.3 on 7 quarts of MaxLife? That may have little to do with the oil and a lot to do with the OP's application, but it is worth noting.



It is a 6 quart sump, It was also almost 1 quart low at the change. Ultimately that is why I changed the oil... I had to buy oil anyway, so I changed. Oil Management was still reading 40% oil life remaining.

I don't drive hard. I'm pretty easy on the throttle. Mostly city driving. I do tow a 5000 lb boat occasionally, probably about 400 miles of towing in that run.
 
Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
Originally Posted By: dparm
I think I'd stick with a 5,000 mile interval.


Agree!


I will probably keep the interval very close to 4,500 on this run just to have the best comparison that I can.
 
Originally Posted By: Phishin
How much oil are you burning? Before MaxLife and now?


Before MaxLife and with MaxLife was the same, about 1 quart 2,200~2,300 miles.

I will have to get further into this run before I can compare, I still have less than 1,000 miles on this oil, but so far I'm not down any oil.

I am also going to add oil now when I see it is low, instead of waiting till it gets 1 quart low.
 
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