Silicone in oil analysis

[widman]

Silicon isn't from piston wear, but it causes it. A new engine will always show high levels of silicon from the seals. By the 3rd oil change this goes away, and most silicon you see will be from ingested dirt through the air filter or breather. Depending on exactly where you drive, you should also have about 1 part of aluminum for every 3 to 3.5 parts of silicon since it is in the dust. So if you have 10 ppm of silicon, "normal" would be about 3 ppm of aluminum. If you have 10 of each, 7 ppm of the aluminum is from your pistons.
Of my 12 vehicles, 8 are Asian and I don't see any difference. (2 made in USA, 1 Russia, 1 Brazil-but I think the Ztec engine comes from Europe or somewhere).

 

[Patman]

Are we talking about silicone, or silicon here though?

 

[MolaKule]

Silicon is the element, silicone is a "form" of the element.

 

[dragboat]

When we see a high amount of silicone in a analysis of a Asian built car using a Synthetic Oil are we certain that it is piston wear and not from the silicone type seals used in these motors?
PAO's are very hard on these type seals I have been told.Can start naming off the sources if needed

Although I am not an expert on the import motors the only piston I know of that contains silicone in a high amount are the Hyperutectic's usually found in aftermarket performance pistons for Domestic V8's.Of the two major manufactures of the one has a higher amount that the other

 

[dragboat]

Widman,
Silicon would indeed be shown from piston wear if the piston in the engine used a Hyperuetectic Alloy.

http://www.kb-silvolite.com/page03.htm

[ July 15, 2002, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: dragboat ]

 

[widman]

that is interesting..... Not what engines use them?

 

[dragboat]

Widman,Good luck finding out! I have been 6 months trying to find out what the front and rear main seals are made out of on a Kia Rio.I would like to use a PAO Synthetic in the car but not at the expense of hurting the engine seals.I have been told Neoprene and another source said Silicone

A Manual I requested from Parker Seal arrived today.The contents are alarming when it comes to silicone type seals! When time permits,I will post some of the info.

Back to the Hyeruetectic pistons,a cast aluminun generally has more expansion when heated then a Hyper does requiring more wall clearance,so if you see a modern engine that sets up with .001 clearance or less I think that engine would be using a Hyperuetectic style piston.

This might well be what people are seeing in their analysis.Or in a M/C that is Asian built that uses a Silicone seal,might be the seal especially if using a polyolester oil? Don't really know anymore.Kind of burnt out on searching for answers. I have dino in the car for the safety factor