L67 Rocker Arm Pics...

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During the thread the thread on Shell oils Oz...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3258504/Shell_Australia

Helix HX-5 15W-40 came on special at a ridiculous (for Oz) price of just over $3 per litre. (single litre bottles $13, nearly as much as the 5L)

So I bought some for the Caprice.

History of the car is that I bought it with 97,750km on it.
97,750 - changed oil with Store brand (Penrite made) 15W-40 fleet oil.
98,000 - Shell Helix AJ 10W-30, with a bottle of Auto-Rx (gift from Gary when I was in NY)
6 months later
105,575 - Store brand 15W-40 as before (bought 2 5L for $40)
3 months later
106,559 - Store brand 15W-40 as before
2 months later
107,700 - Nulon 5W-30 Long Life Diesel synthetic
13 months later
114,000 - Delvac 1330, after replacing LIM gasket (found that someone had already been in there) Delvac 1330 was in the shed, and only for a flush to get the antifreeze out, not a statement)
2 weeks later
114,500 - Delo Gold Ultra/C3 synthetic heavy 30 blend
5 months later
117,000 - Delo Gold Ultra/C3 synthetic heavy 30 blend

Which gets us 6 months later to January, and the Helix cleanign thread, and my investment in 15 litres.

Looking in the rocker cover gives the following picture...pretty disappointing given the excessive oil changes since I've had it...can't say that I paid too much attention early on IIRC...if it were a steam turbine, I'd be worried a tad.

IMG_07371-1.jpg


121,200 km - Shell Helix HX-5 (with cleaning power), and a Fram Xtended Gard installed.

Did a business card blotter on way home from work the other day, and the hot Helix "wet" the card all the way through, rapidly...making it translucent for 10 or so minutes. A tad unusual.
 
So this has had a ARX cleaning and rinse phase?
This should be interesting as time goes by, i am genuinely interested in the results good or bad.

Any thoughts on why the oil did that with the card?
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
So this has had a ARX cleaning and rinse phase?
This should be interesting as time goes by, i am genuinely interested in the results good or bad.


20k miles ago. Methinks it did nothing then, or the more recent oils over the last 20k have been quite poor. Given that "good" oils have been used since then, it will indeed be an interesting exercise in an oil's "cleaning power".
 
Given that since the car was purchased (and the A-Rx), I've been involved with, and sponsored a thesis on varnish and turbine oils, my statements on varnish formation/removal, and the alleged cleaning powers of the oil...I'm looking forward to what happens as well.

The L67 sump holds 5L (in Oz), I've got 3x5L containers cheap(ish), I think a plan is forming.
 
I have to ask. If there isn't varnish on the surfaces that actually need lubrication, what is the harm in the discoloration?

I will say I have not seen a 3800 with that discoloration.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I have to ask. If there isn't varnish on the surfaces that actually need lubrication, what is the harm in the discoloration?

I will say I have not seen a 3800 with that discoloration.


I have seen them discolor when run on dino and let the OCI go too long.
I cant speak for Shannow but i believe varnish is a good base for other deposits to adhere to.

On a non moving parts i agree its not much than just a harmless discoloration but when it gets in the lifters or hydraulic actuators like cam chain tensioners, VVT and VCM controllers it can become a serious issue.
 
Not worried about it, or the varnish on this engine really (not sure what the pistons and ring belt look like, 'though).

As per the discussion in the OP and the Shell thread, I came across an "active" cleaning oil, have seen/worked on varnish in turbines, have run some expensive products/oils, and have a photo.

Not trying to do/fix anything, but see what happens/doesn't.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I cant speak for Shannow but i believe varnish is a good base for other deposits to adhere to.


Good analogy..."undercoat" for deposits.
 
Update...and fixing broken link to the photo...
IMG_07371-1.jpg

IMG_07371.jpg


There's been no visible changes, as per expectation, but watching the oil, it was pure clean for 900km or thereabouts, and went pitch black in the space of a week.

Changed the oil with the Helix stash, no filter change. Oil was completely opaque in a glass jar when taken out.

900km later, still pure clean on the dipstick, waiting for it to go black again, then another change.
 
3 off very short OCIs with the Helix with active cleaning, a total oil and filter change, to Castrol Magnatec 5W30, and 1,500 km on...current milage 125,500km

IMG_0830.jpg
 
I was personally calling my varnish removal project a failure, but you drew my attention to the pushrod itself.
 
Try again using some natural light to let the phone focus before the flash, more like I did in the first few.

IMG_0835.jpg
 
We don't get the HM range of M1 oils in Australia...Helix Ultra is here.

The reason I used the Helix 15W40 is that it was ridiculously cheap ($3/L), and supposedly had the Shell (Pennzoil) active cleaning stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
It doesn't seem to be doing jack does it?


In technical terms, I think that you nailed it.
 
Rocker Covers off last weekend to replace with alloys...4,000km into Magnatec Fuel saver 5W30, which went nearly 3,000km before snapping to black overnight.
IMG_20141227_131722.jpg


They cleaned right up with a caustic based degreaser and water...so proper varnish.
 
Experiment is over...and nothing successful.

Knew it was going to be over, as I wanted to install higher ratio rockers on the inlets, and the guide plates had to be replaced also.

So I did something that I don't recommend, a solvent flush.

Used liquimoly flush, entirely reputable brand. Put it in cold, and drove it around the block to the maintenance bay (back yard really), so that it wouldn't heat, just mix for a few minutes.

Morning of the OCI, I started it and ran it unloaded for 25mins.

Changed the Oil.

Drove a couple hundred Km on the new oil, and did the rockers today.

Here's the parts on a tray.

IMG_20150124_153430.jpg


One on the left is the one that's been photographed through the fill hole each time, and looks just like it did, through all my actions.

One on the right was surprising how clean it was...dunno whether it's always been that clean, but given the lack of action on the other side, I'll say so.

There's been a couple of other posts recently with one clean head/one dirty, or a clean/dirty end.
 
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