Elf LLX 507, 04 TDI golf, 15k OCI

[VW_TDI_PD]

Had blackstone run an analysis. Oil was solaris LLX 507. 15k on sample, engine is 04 PD with about 132k. There are some things to worry about here... please comment. Air filter is stock. Car sees a lot of idling, LOTS of wide open throttle redline runs, the car is a messenger vehicle. 5spd. EGR is deleted.

ALUMINUM - 11 (they say its too high!)
IRON - 155 ????????
COPPER - 6
SILICON - 5

all other metals are under 5

Viscosity is 64.8 @ 210F
11.56 @ 100C
Flashpoint 420
Fuel less than .5
Insolubles .4
TBN is 2.0 (almost gone)

Also, about 1 quart of makeup oil used. This is my second run of ELF 507.

I will note that about half of that makeup quart was from dealer castrol 505.01.

"Adam: Aluminum and iron both read high in this sample, and show some piston scuffing and higher wear at steel parts like cylinders. Universal averages show normal wear levels from this type of engine after about 8,000 miles use on the oil. This oil was run a lot longer, so that accounts for some of the iron, though we cant blame all of it on that and a longer oil run should not have caused aluminum to read this high. Suggest dropping back to a 10,000 mile run and check back"


SO any clues to why iron and alum are so high? Is something self destructing?

 

[Pablo]

These VW engines can and do throw a lot of iron. It does look like you went too long on the oil, wear wise or rather it's not providing good wear protection.......what is the starting viscosity of this oil?? 11.8 cSt@100°C. 5W-30 - 11.56 cSt@100°C it barely changed.

 

[wjdell]

Higher wear numbers in VW engines may be more to VW giving a 10k OCI in NA were fuel has vastly different levels of quality. They do say some will need to be sooner but few care to read that. The philosophy of the VW forums is that 10k is conservative. They do not seem to follow the evidence but more often blindly follow others who claim 10k is overkill. They eventually get a accumulation and things go down hill. Once there they have a hard time climbing up still clinging to the 10k myth. The 10k myth may be a result of the 3k myth. A blanket 10k fits all in the VW engine is false, especially the PD. I feel the SAE paper I read is best, and they feel 6800 is optimum.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

My take on it is that it is just fine. All metal wear but the iron was within normal limits. Even at 155 its not way out of line. You might as well continue on with the 15K OCI and keep it monitored. Once you reach 500K on the engine think about trading it in or rebuilding the engine

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Heck, the way Delvac/Turbo diesel oil (Mobil 1) is showing such great UOA's....you might want to try this 5-40. Even Amsoil Europeon 5-40 is not comparing near Mobil 1.

 

[wjdell]

If Mobil built their oil TDT aka Delvac around VW specs of 505.01 then you would not see that kind of performance.

There is a PD owner out their that dropped AFL for DEO and went from 10ppm per K to 1.3 ppm per K in less than 7000 miles.