PU Euro 5w40. 5209 miles. 43759 on vehicle

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This oil had been in for 15 months / 5209 miles. No tops ups and is still in my CLS.

Really interested in how much longer you think I can run it.

Code:


Iron 7

Chromium
Lead
Copper 11

Tin
Aluminium 5

Nickel 2

Silver
Titanium
Vanadium


Silicon 7

Sodium 16

Potassium


Magnesium 16

Calcium 2388

Barium
Phosphorus 842

Zinc 979

Molybdenum 54

Boron 60



Water %
Coolant No



Viscosity (cST 100C) 12.5

Base Number (mgKOH/g) 3.9
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Really interested in how much longer you think I can run it.

Would need to know TAN, oxidation, and nitration to answer that.

Might be able to stretch it out to 2 years if no short tripping.
 
Thanks. As I don't currently have those indicators, is it possible I've gone too far already, or does my report suggest I am ok at present?
 
I'm sure your fine, your wear seems good for 5k, it would have been nice to have wear rates from other (same) engines to compare with.
 
While I understand TBN does not fall linearly, 3.9 seems a bit low for a Euro oil after 5200 miles.

I may do another UOA rather than risk going all the way to 2 years and / or 10,000 miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Really interested in how much longer you think I can run it.

Would need to know TAN, oxidation, and nitration to answer that.

Might be able to stretch it out to 2 years if no short tripping.



I'm thinking at a linear rate of TBN depletion (to be conservative), I can go about 21 months / 7500 miles.

Interestingly, I found your UOA and you had a similar experience with PU Euro 5w40:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2591203

Some of our numbers are very similar. What did you end up doing?

Code:


PU Euro 5w40 My Mercedes Quattro Pete's BMW



Time on oil 15 months 16 months

Miles on oil 5209 5900



TBN 3.9 3.6 (flagged as lower than normal)

Viscosity 100c 12.5 12.8

Copper 11 10 (~4 times higher than your previous UOA's)
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Some of our numbers are very similar. What did you end up doing?

Based on that 16-month report that you linked to, I ended up reducing my OCI to just 12 months, mainly because TAN was already exceeding TBN, and that's not good. However, in my case, that 16 months included two harsh Illinois winters with significant amount of short tripping, which is tough on any engine/oil.

Here is my subsequent PU UOA after 12 months:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2983142#Post2983142

If I had not been short tripping so much, I would have stayed at 16-24 month OCI.
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
is it possible I've gone too far already, or does my report suggest I am ok at present?

I'd say you're fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Here is my subsequent PU UOA after 12 months:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2983142#Post2983142

If I had not been short tripping so much, I would have stayed at 16-24 month OCI.


Did your driving pattern change between the two ocis, or was the only difference the one extra winter?. Your second run of PU fared much much better in TAN and TBN even though the viscosity dropped to a similar amount. A TBN difference of 6.0 to 3.6 is quite severe for one winter / 600 miles / 4 months.

What has me a little worried with my results is that my viscosity has dropped more than yours in much less harsh ambient conditions and my TBN took a similar hit. There have been short trips and the engine is bigger but as mentioned the ambient temperature is more favorable and there are usually a few good length highway trips a few times a month.

The other thought I had is that your first run of PU was after a run with GC. My first run of PU was after running M1. Perhaps the PU does more cleaning and therefore depletes faster the first time it is used.
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Did your driving pattern change between the two ocis,

Driving pattern did change a bit - this latter OCI had more 200-mile hwy trips in it.

Quote:

The other thought I had is that your first run of PU was after a run with GC. My first run of PU was after running M1. Perhaps the PU does more cleaning and therefore depletes faster the first time it is used.

Not sure if it has to do with cleaning, but it is true that you normally see faster TBN drop the first time you run a particular oil. Something to do with additive clash with the leftover previous oil, based on what I've read.
 
Since I tend to buy whatever oil is cheapest during deals, it seems my TBN is going to be variable amongst different oci's across different vehicles.

Maybe I'll buy that device for home TBN testing otherwise it will get expensive trying to get the most out of oil changes through formal UOA's.
 
Or you could just stick to M1 0w-40. It is often the least expensive MB 229.5 approved oil, even if not on sale.
smile.gif
 
I have a small stash consisting of 2 changes with PU 5w40 and 1 change with M1 0w40. With discounts and a bit of luck, it averages about $2 a quart. I've currently got 2 coupons printed out for 10 quarts of Edge 0w40 which I want to try out but I know I shouldn't.

I could do the next two changes with the PU, then settle with the M1, but I really want to try the Edge. The problem after all that will be orphan quarts, I'll have to make a Frankenbrew of 3 Euro oils.
 
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