Havoline 10w30 from Chevy Blazer

[rriddle3]

Got my Blackstone report today for my UOA on my Blazer. The truck has 25k on it and the oil was run 4,470 miles. This was from the last fill done at a Texaco Xpress Lube. I told them to use Havoline 10w30, but I don't know if it was bulk or bottled, and I assume it was pre-DS formula since it was put in 1-6-07. The gist of the report follows:

"Lead and sodium both read fairly high in this first sample from your Blazer. Lead is mainly from the bearings and could possibly be from a particle streak. If so, it's temporary and should drop next time. Sodium may show a trace of anti-freeze, and this could be causing the lead. But sodium can also come from additive in various types of oil (not Havoline), so we aren't going to call this a problem just yet. All wear other than lead looks great. If this engine sees a lot of idling or city driving, then that may explain some of the lead. The TBN read 2.2, on the low side."

This test/ Univ. Avg.
aluminum 2/ 3
chromium 1/ 1
iron 8/ 15
copper 5/ 5
lead 33/ 8
tin 0/ 1
moly 25/ 65
nickel 1/ 0
manganese 0/ 1
silver 0/ 0
titanium 0/ 0
potassium 1/ 7
boron 12/ 37
silicon 21/ 18
sodium 28/ 10
calcium 1985/ 1954
magnesium 20/ 151
phos 865/ 739
zinc 968/ 893
barium 17/ 0

This test/ Should be
sus visc 65.1/ 59-65
flashpoint 385/ >375
fuel % antifreeze % ?/ 0
water % 0/ insolbs % .3/
Since I changed the oil and filter myself this time, I know that it now is running Havoline 10w30 pre-DS. Any comments or thoughts on this UOA?

 

[jeepman]

That doesn't look like Havoline to me, unless the bulk fill is a different breed. Moly number should be in the 400's for pre-DS and 250 or so for DS. Calcium seems a little high for any Havoline formula I've ever seen also.

 

[rriddle3]

Yeah, I too have questions about it being Havoline. The viscosity also makes me suspicious about the weight oil they put in. Either that or there was almost no shearing going on. Like I say, if you have your oil changed by someone else, you never know for sure what's going in your engine.

 

[addyguy]

High silicon, and questionable anti-freeze would definetly cause bearing wear, and oil thickening...no real mystery here....

 

[G-MAN]

This is not Havoline.

 

[buster]

I don't think it's Havoline either.

 

[SFCP]

I'll bet it is simply Havoline bulk which likely has a lesser add pack. Don't forget, Valvolne does this as well. Those Napa bottles have Valvoline in them with a lesser add pack and a tech at Valvoline told me this is true.

 

[Brett Miller]

Intake gaskets..............

 

[rriddle3]

At this point it is impossible to be certain, but at 25k miles, I doubt the intake gasket is failing (at least I hope not). I lean toward the 'wrong oil' idea, but the next UOA will tell more.

 

[buster]

Quote:

---

I'll bet it is simply Havoline bulk which likely has a lesser add pack. Don't forget, Valvolne does this as well. Those Napa bottles have Valvoline in them with a lesser add pack and a tech at Valvoline told me this is true.

---

Figures.

 

[MC5W20]

More likely it was bulk oil from the local distributor. They are just passing it off as Havoline to fatten there profit margin.

 

[rriddle3]

Here's the latest UOA from the Blazer. It confirms my suspicions about the first one; that the oil changers did not use Havoline, but another brand, possibly a 10W40. Once again showing the benefits of doing it yourself.

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[addyguy]

Lead is really high for those miles, and the TBN is pretty fried. You've got some bad dirt ingestion (Si is 22) causing these problems.....

 

[rriddle3]

The silicon isn't worrying me too much, it's not far off from the univ averages. Texas is known for being dusty and all connections on the intake appear to be good. The lead is a puzzlement, though it is way down from the initial analysis. I'm thinking that these engines are just not going to deliver terribly extended OC's with a dino oil.

 

[glennc]

At first I saw the universal averages and concluded that whatever was going on here it couldn't be too bad because the averages are worse. Then I realized that the universal averages appear to be from just these two reports! Therefore they are meaningless!

Given that I would say the lead seems very high, especially for such a short OCI. I would try an HDEO or a good synthetic. The engine seems to be wearing much faster than normal. Either that or you got some silicate-based grit in the engine that will eventually work its way out. Something is giving the bearings a rough time.

I am disappointed that Blackstone would give these universal average numbers as though they had some statistical significance when they definitly don't.

 

[FZ1]

I buy my own M1 EP oil and filter,take it to my Honda dealer, they charge me $10-15 labor.

 

[rriddle3]

Originally Posted By: glennc
At first I saw the universal averages and concluded that whatever was going on here it couldn't be too bad because the averages are worse. Then I realized that the universal averages appear to be from just these two reports! Therefore they are meaningless!
I am disappointed that Blackstone would give these universal average numbers as though they had some statistical significance when they definitly don't.

I think you are looking at the "unit averages". The 'universal averages' are on the right hand side of the report. They are not based on my two reports.

 

[glennc]

Oh you're absolutely right. Duh. Sorry for the misdirection and also for ignorantly questioning Blackstone.

So everything EXCEPT lead is actually pretty low, but the lead is quite high, and the Si is also a bit high but not off the charts. If it were mine I'd still fool around and see if I could get an improvement from something like an HDEO, etc.

Then again it would probably be fine either way.

 

[Drew99GT]

Looks like old formula Havoline 10w-30 to me.

 

[rriddle3]

Yep, it is.