5w30 PYB, 5k miles, 1999 Honda Civic D16Y8

[InvalidUserID]

Background: Car had a head gasket go bad late last year and this is the 2nd oil change since then, approx 7-8k miles since the repair. Not sure what the sodium/potassium and iron levels mean in terms of what could be wrong.

 

[gfh77665]

A good example that going 10K on conventional is not automatic by any means...

 

[chubbs1]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
A good example that going 10K on conventional is not automatic by any means...


No...it shows that when there has been repairs done you should check to see if the problems are fixed. It has no bearing whatsoever on the quality of conventional v syn.

 

[jorton]

If there is a layer of varnish or solids in the oil pan or valve cover it could be holding elements in coolant. If levels rise next time that would be evidence of a leak.

 

[901Memphis]

The PYB will continue dropping if it's stopped leaking. Good reason to UOA.

 

[Errtt]

Me, I'd run 5k OC (& filter), and another UOA after next OC. Watch the coolant too. Maybe still a little coolant elements (sodium/potassium) remained from previous. Not 100% of the oil gets drained.
Ex: if one was using oil with titanium, then change oil with a product with no titanium, UOA probably going to show low levels of Titanium for a couple fills.
Just guessing at all this.

 

[dnewton3]

Originally Posted By: chubbs1
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
A good example that going 10K on conventional is not automatic by any means...


No...it shows that when there has been repairs done you should check to see if the problems are fixed. It has no bearing whatsoever on the quality of conventional v syn.



There is no evidence to confirm that this is related to the use of dino oil. There is no reason to believe that a syn would have done any "better or worse" in this regard, either.


Generally, after such heavy work is done, I like to run several very short OCI flushes with the cheapest dino fluid (properly spec'd) I can find. Run perhaps three or four 500 mile OCIs to flush out any stuff (Si, K, Na, etc) from the leak and work.

After that, then you can go back to running the lube of choice, normalize over an OCI or two, and then get back to UOAs. If contamination is gone, or at least very diminished, then all is well. If it's still present, the work was not completed adequately.

 

[FZ1]

Stay with the pyb and 5k oci. jmo.

 

[badtlc]

I just want to make sure I know the order of events. Did it go like this:

1) repair head gasket
2) Change oil, run OCI
3) change oil again
4) Run OCI but at end of this OCI, sample for UOA.

If this is correct and you have had 2 full OCIs since the repair, I don't think your repair is working.

 

[gfh77665]

I am not playing a conventional vs. syn debate, nor did I even mention syn! What I am saying, and what I stick to, is that you cannot automatically assume a 10K conventional OCI, like some would have you believe. Notice the advice is "try 6K".

 

[InvalidUserID]

Went like this:

1) Shop repaired head gasket. They changed oil and filter.
2) Ran this 2,300 miles, changed oil/filter, sent out for UOA.
3) Ran this 5k miles, changed oil/filter, sent out of UOA which is posted in the original post.

So it has had two oil changes in the past 7k miles since the repair. First at 2,300 miles, second at 5,000 miles.

 

[dave1251]

I recommend another 4 to 5K OCI. Then a 5K UOA after your next change to see if the sodium and potassium drop with PYB or another PCMO with similar chemistry.