Unit Make: 1995 FORD
Unit Model: F-250 Powerstroke, 7.3L DIT
Oil: Chevron RPM HD 15W-40 fleet oil
Additive: Tribomaxx-Mfr.name-"EPConcentrate"
Filter: AMSOIL SDF
Time on oil: 11,686 miles in 12 months
Time on filter: Same
Driving conditions:
2,520 highway miles;
1,310 towing miles--over high mountain passes;
7,756 in-town miles: 1 mile to work; 12 to 15 minute town, i.e., severe on a Powerstroke diesel.
The first data column on the left represents a 4 month drain of Delo 400 15W-40 at 3,700 miles on oil and on OEM filter. Middle data column is the current report data for the RPM 15W-40 plus Tribomaxx additive with AMSOIL SDF filter. The third column is Wear Check's abnormal wear guidelines info. specified for the 7.3L DIT engine.
Purpose: To find a lube which will protect my engine as much as possible, given the in-town driving scenario I described. The Tribomaxx additive is designed to upgrade and maintain TBN over extended periods. The data would indicate that such is the case. The formula for this additive incorporates the use of a calcium petroleum sulfonate. Accordingly, figures are high for calcium and sodium in the UOA data
Worrisome result: The potassium figure makes me nervous, although it wasn't enough to trigger a glycol test at Wear Check. The Wear Check technician said that at the potassium level indicated by the results, it would be nigh onto impossible to trace a glycol leak of that proportion, that is, hard to detect at only 19 ppm. I'm going to do a UOA of my fresh oil at 3,000 miles to see if potassium is still present. I have been monitoring the coolant level since the test, and it has not gone down since I changed oil two weeks ago.
I did have an external coolant leak two months ago. The source was not perceivable, so my mechanic did a cold pressure test to find it, which he did and then repaired it with a new thermostat housing and gasket. I just wonder if the pressure test forced some gylcol through a weak spot in a seal or gasket when the engine was cold? Just one more consideration.
Chevron formula changes: The Boron and moly figures are indicative of changes in Chevron's new formulae for both the Delo 400 and the RPM oils. These additions, plus some other tweakings, have enabled these two oils to meet the CI 4 Plus criteria. Delo and RPM were both licensed in September of '04, but were on the market as CI 4 products before they were licensed as CI 4 Plus.
What is your take on the oxidation, nitration and sulfation results? Wear Check didn't give me abnormal wear guidelines for these effects. I don't have any idea as to what the abnormal levels would be for this engine. Any ideas?
I did change the oil despite Wear Check saying that it was good to go beyond the 11.7K mile point. Without knowing more than I do about these things, I was concerned about the potassium and the oxidation levels.
Unit Model: F-250 Powerstroke, 7.3L DIT
Oil: Chevron RPM HD 15W-40 fleet oil
Additive: Tribomaxx-Mfr.name-"EPConcentrate"
Filter: AMSOIL SDF
Time on oil: 11,686 miles in 12 months
Time on filter: Same
Driving conditions:
2,520 highway miles;
1,310 towing miles--over high mountain passes;
7,756 in-town miles: 1 mile to work; 12 to 15 minute town, i.e., severe on a Powerstroke diesel.
The first data column on the left represents a 4 month drain of Delo 400 15W-40 at 3,700 miles on oil and on OEM filter. Middle data column is the current report data for the RPM 15W-40 plus Tribomaxx additive with AMSOIL SDF filter. The third column is Wear Check's abnormal wear guidelines info. specified for the 7.3L DIT engine.
Purpose: To find a lube which will protect my engine as much as possible, given the in-town driving scenario I described. The Tribomaxx additive is designed to upgrade and maintain TBN over extended periods. The data would indicate that such is the case. The formula for this additive incorporates the use of a calcium petroleum sulfonate. Accordingly, figures are high for calcium and sodium in the UOA data
Worrisome result: The potassium figure makes me nervous, although it wasn't enough to trigger a glycol test at Wear Check. The Wear Check technician said that at the potassium level indicated by the results, it would be nigh onto impossible to trace a glycol leak of that proportion, that is, hard to detect at only 19 ppm. I'm going to do a UOA of my fresh oil at 3,000 miles to see if potassium is still present. I have been monitoring the coolant level since the test, and it has not gone down since I changed oil two weeks ago.
I did have an external coolant leak two months ago. The source was not perceivable, so my mechanic did a cold pressure test to find it, which he did and then repaired it with a new thermostat housing and gasket. I just wonder if the pressure test forced some gylcol through a weak spot in a seal or gasket when the engine was cold? Just one more consideration.
Chevron formula changes: The Boron and moly figures are indicative of changes in Chevron's new formulae for both the Delo 400 and the RPM oils. These additions, plus some other tweakings, have enabled these two oils to meet the CI 4 Plus criteria. Delo and RPM were both licensed in September of '04, but were on the market as CI 4 products before they were licensed as CI 4 Plus.
What is your take on the oxidation, nitration and sulfation results? Wear Check didn't give me abnormal wear guidelines for these effects. I don't have any idea as to what the abnormal levels would be for this engine. Any ideas?
I did change the oil despite Wear Check saying that it was good to go beyond the 11.7K mile point. Without knowing more than I do about these things, I was concerned about the potassium and the oxidation levels.
code:
4/27/05 Abnorm.
5/12/04 RPM wear
Delo 15W-40 limits
15W-40 w/ add. for 7.3L
3700 mi 11686 mi. DIT
-------- -------- --------
Silicon 4.4 11 20
Potassium 2.4 19 40
Sodium 3.6 201 60
Fuel %
Glycol --- --- K+NA limits
Water %
Soot % 0.0 0.1 2.0
Sulfation 20 43 --
Nitration 30 55 --
Boron 1.1 35 --
Barium 0.2 0.0 --
Calcium 2921 5630 --
Magnesium 13 12 --
Molybdenum 1.5 27.0 --
Sodium 3.6 201 --
Phosphorus 1154 1113 --
Sulfur 4424 4560 --
Zinc 1257 1208 --
Visc@40°C --- --- --
Visc@100°C 14.2 13.04 --
Oxidation 50 85 --
TAN --- --- --
TBN 10.1 16.6
Iron 13 36 250
Nickel 0.7 1.7 8
Chromium 0.6 1.5 30
Titanium 0.0 0.5 --
Copper 0.0 2.2 50
Aluminum 2.3 4.7 30
Tin 0.4 0.0 20
Lead 2.4 5.7 50
Silver 0.0 0.0 20