Castrol Edge (Gold) 5W-30, 9KOCI, 2006 Expedititio

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Another report with higher metals than I would like.

Backing down to 7,500 OCI from here on in. Not sure if the engine just wears worse than normal, or if I'm just hard on it. I'd guess a combination of the two. I use it like a truck and drive it every day to work 25 miles one-way.

I'm not going to worry about the metals. it is what it is.
I'd gather that the Iron is from the cylinder bores, cams and cam chains. and that the Aluminum is from the bearings (these engines use a bi-metal aluminum alloy bearing).
based on the TBN coming back at 1.4, I'm backing down on the OCI.

Oil filter for this OCI was a Fram Ultra. the super-duper specs on the FU didn't seem to help anything, so I'm going back to the Napa Gold from here on.
The air filter was the same Fram Extra guard as the previous filter (dirty).

1.5 quarts of make up oil for this 9,000 mile run (which is my best ever, usually it is 1qt/4,000 miles).

Code:


OIL Castrol 5w30 Castrol 5w30 Trop 5w30 NAPA 5w20

Edge Edge Artic Synthetic

Gold Bottle Gold Bottle SynBlend



MILES IN USE 9,060 9,980 4,989 6,447

MILES 158145 149,085 125,086 114,429

SAMPLE TAKEN 06/16/16 01/14/16 10/23/14 06/01/14





Metals (ppm)

IRON 71 88 10 45

CHROMIUM
LEAD
COPPER 3 4 1 2

TIN 2
ALUMINUM 12 19 4 22

NICKEL 1
SILVER
TITANIUM 21 20
VANADIUM


Contaminants (ppm)

SILICON 11 12 8 10

SODIUM 24 18 17 278

POTASSIUM


Additives (ppm)

MAGNESIUM 154 278 14 118

CALCIUM 1770 1990 2044 1792

BARIUM 1
PHOSPHORUS 637 648 690 627

ZINC 667 755 761 730

MOLYBDENUM 66 69 15 6

BORON 62 58 70 9



Contaminants

WATER (%)
Coolant No No No No



Physical Tests

Visc (cSt 100C) 9.0 8.9 8.9 9.0



TBN (mgKOH/g) 1.4 2.4 2.6 2.5


current fill is Mobil 1 5w30HM with napa Gold filter.
I might check the next OCI, and let the Castrol wash out with the current fill.
If the Mobil 1 looks like it is holding up well and doesn't increase consumption, I'll stick with it.
 
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Is this a 3v 5.4? Iron Block I'm guessing?

Any Cam Phaser or VCT issues?

A lot of the 3V's develop low oil pressure issues as they age, apparently from leaking chain tensioners, and phaser issues IIRC.

The stock pressure gauge is merely a dummy light. Don't trust it.

I'd say check the oil pressure with a real gauge and scan it for proper VCT operation. My .02
 
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
A lot of the 3V's develop low oil pressure issues as they age, apparently from leaking chain tensioners, and phaser issues IIRC.


Another issue is the oil pump itself. Here's a video -
 
Not very familiar with this engine, but the TBN sure took a beating for an "extended OCI" oil. You might as well go with the regular Edge or something else.
 
I'm not sure there's any problems to solve ...

I've not had any indications that the cam phasers aren't working like they should. it runs really well through out the RPM range and doesn't stumble or hesitate under any circumstance. I have changed the VCT Solenoids to the updated part.

Being a 2006, I'm assuming at this mileage, that the previous owner probably had the phasers changed out. I know most don't make this kind of mileage on the original phasers.

As to the tensioners, I don't suspect problems there either. the timing chains on my 2006 @ 160k miles are as quiet on 5w30 oil as my 2010 F150 at work is @ 60k miles with 5w20. they both make a slight rattling noise just as you tip out of the throttle, but that's it (they just aren't quiet motors).

I could check the oil pressure, I suppose. I've got a gauge. I'm just not suspecting any oil pressure issues. usually a low oil pressure issue will manifest itself with goofy cam phaser activity and throw codes.

I don't have access to a scanner with live data to view the VCT solenoids/phaser data.

I think I've just got a Monday/Friday engine ..... some wear better than others.
if I get another 50-60K out of it, i'll be happy enough.

I, too, was surprised by the TBN. Goes to show what makeup oil can do for you. under the same driving conditions with twice the make-up oil, the TBN was significantly higher. the previous fill had 3qts of makeup, as compared to this run with 1.5 qts.
 
I think the UOA looks decent. Interesting to see how the beloved M1 EP would have done
27.gif
28.gif
 
I'll be able to get one with M1 high mileage
smile.gif


I think I'm done with EP oils, though. They don't appear to be with the extra money for me.
 
I peesonally think a bunch of things factor in here like idling, short trips and whether you row or haul stuff. That's my uneducated guess sir
smile.gif
 
I'll throw my .02 in here. I've got a 2006 Mustang with the 4.6 3v - basically the same engine, except al block.

Check out my UOA from last year - although it was a short run of about 4000km's, it included about 300 (IIRC) km's at track days, yet still showed very low wear numbers and a high TBN remaining.

It's possible the oil pump is getting weaker as it ages and that it wouldn't throw any codes or cause VCT issues. At a minimum, I would certainly check the oil pressure with a real gauge. It's too easy. Unscrew the stock pressure switch by the filter and thread in the gauge with some teflon paste. I have a real gauge on my car now and it shows 25PSI hot idle, 60-70PSI cruise and 80PSI near redline. Cold starts can show as high as 95PSI briefly. This is with Castrol Edge (black) 5W30.

Some of these engines exhibit funky cam lobe wear, which from what I've been told can lead to lower oil pressure.

Honestly, an oil pressure check would take 30 minutes at most, if it were me, I'd do it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
A lot of the 3V's develop low oil pressure issues as they age, apparently from leaking chain tensioners, and phaser issues IIRC.


Another issue is the oil pump itself. Here's a video -



That's the thing I'm always talking about. Put that engine under a good tow with 5w-20 in hot weather, and that oil pressure will never close those phasers back to idle setting (requires 25 psi).
 
You sir, have a problem.

Check my 2007 Navigator's UOA, and you'll see I did significantly better on 9,000 miles, using a conventional 5000-mile 5w20 oil, on an FU XG2 that already had done 10,000 miles it, for a total of 19,000 miles on filter.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3812765/all/07_Navigator__/_MS5K_5W20_/_9,

The only time I drive slow is when I'm hauling my 11,000 lb. boat on a 2500 lb. trailer.

This can't blamed on oil or filter. 2015_PSD got similar excellent results running a ho-hum oil in his old 5.4 3V.
 
Interested in all opinions ,always.

Im willing to consider that there is something wrong, but I keep going back to the 5k run which had very good wear numbers. The difference there is that 5k came in about a month-and-a-half and accounted for mostly long highway miles accumulated very quickly. No towing, just interstate drives in excess of 6hrs.

There could be something wrong, but the lab isn't flagging it, so I don't know.

I'll look for the oil sender. If its easy I might put a gauge on it.

Im not sure it matters much though. The AC just went out. Its getting fixed, but anything more costly than this ($600) and it goes down the road, which is in the 2year plan regardless.

If it makes 200k, I'm happy. And that's only 4 oil changes away.
 
If you're towing anything heavy, that's really hard on oil. Just change a little more often if worried. Your #'s don't suggest the motor will be worn out at 200k, but the 7500 OCI looks like a smart move. Keep it topped off.
 
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