LE8531 - 3,020 mi; 2009 Tacoma 1GR-FE #2 UOA

[86cutlass307]

Here is the #2 UOA results for Lubrication Engineers LE8531, 5w30 Monolec Tetra-Syn
VOA numbers are the first set. Filter was a Pure One PL 10241, 48,133 miles on engine & truck, 3,020 miles on OCI. Don't flame me for the early change - had some really nice weather after what would be called harsh for North Texas winter and a couple of lengthy road trips coming up so I dropped the second run of this oil out and sent in a sample.

Lab comment - "Flagged data does not indicate an immediate need for maintenance action. Continue to observe the trend and monitor equipment and fluid conditions. FUEL DILUTION is at a MODERATE LEVEL. Base number is MODERATELY LOW. Lubricant and filter change acknowledged."

I was pleased the Sodium came way down along with the Copper in this sample. I was pretty sure the Sodium had come from a previous diet of Valvoline Synpower but I had no clue about the Copper. Anyway, while it skewed the 5K run trend I was hoping to hold to - here is another data point for LE8531 in a Toyot V6 1GR-FE. Please let me know your thoughts, thanks.

First UOA and comments are HERE

WEAR METALS (ppm)
Iron - 1,12,7
Chromium - 0,0,0
Nickel - 0,0,0
Aluminum - 1,4,3
Copper - 0,19,4
Lead - 1,0,0
Tin - 0,0,0
Cadmium - 0,0,0
Silver - 0,0,0
Vanadium - 0,0,0

CONTAMINANT METALS (ppm)
Silicon - 3,16,6
Sodium - 0,101,26
Potassium - 1,0,0

MULTI-SOURCE METALS (ppm)
Titanium - 0,0,0
Moly - 54,49,48
Antimony - 0,0.0
Manganese - 0,0,0
Lithium - 0,0,0
Boron - 1,0,0

ADDITIVE METALS (ppm)
Magnesium - 10,12,10
Calcium - 2190,2174,1892
Barium - 0,0,0
Phosphorus - 771,711,666
Zinc - 849,923,785

Water - < .1 - Hotplate, Viscosity @ 100 C - 10.4, 10.0, 9.5
Base Number - 7.29 mg KOH/g, 2.18, 3.07
Fuel dilution - 1.2% GC, 2.7% GC

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Just Understand You'll get MORE wear from virgin oil on your road trip than the "used" oil.

TBN is fine for mileage, The NAxx was most likely from the synpower package (or NAPA or Castrol GTX or Mobil Super ... .)

Any Fuel mileage or torque boosts over 2 dollar oils?

 

[fpracha]

Yes indeed good to see sodium has come down

Now if you are continuing to use the Tetra Syn LE8531, as Arcographite said it will surely be interesting to know if you noticed "Any Fuel mileage or torque boosts over 2 dollar oils?"

 

[86cutlass307]

Good morning all,

Is there a correlation between the viscosity drop and fuel dilution doubling? I have 1 more run after this current fill for data but...if I had to choose between this and other brands normally stocked and pay retail then, no, but I got a decent deal. While not a steal, I had not found any meaningful data out there on this oil so I gave it a try and will put some data out there for a Toyota V6. I have quite a bit of oil in my stash for the future, SM & SN, but like we have seen in the UOA's posted, there are great oils off the shelf for the average 5K - 7.5K runs most of us do. I have a friend in the oil field business that has great luck with LE's products, mostly diesel and power generation products (gear oil).

I did have some initial concerns with the copper and sodium, I hoped the Valvoline had been the sodium source and it looks that way, the copper? While I'm not an expert in fluid chemistry, LE's PCMO seems to have pretty good cleaning ability, but without an engine teardown and analysis of mechanical items I can't say much about it's lubricating ability. Wear metals, at least to me, don't seem to be out of average with any other oils. Am I disappointed? Maybe a little, I had hoped for more like most of us do. Time to use up my stash. Any ideas on the 1 point viscosity drop in only 3K miles? I will go back and look at my Fuelly data and see what that shows. That may be skewed though, in May 2013, my area of Texas lost all 100% gasoline pumps and everything is 10% ethanol blend now. I did notice a MPG drop when that happened...between 1.5 - 2 on average. We are coming up on 1 year now for the conversion so we'll see. Thanks all.

 

[INDYMAC]

I don't see the UOA Cutlass. Are you asking if fuel dilution can lower kV? Yes. Can it increase wear? Probably.

Have you done anything to try to improve fuel dilution?

Sorry, I see the UOA's now.

 

[fpracha]

Originally Posted By: 86cutlass307
I did have some initial concerns with the copper and sodium, I hoped the Valvoline had been the sodium source and it looks that way, the copper? While I'm not an expert in fluid chemistry, LE's PCMO seems to have pretty good cleaning ability, but without an engine teardown and analysis of mechanical items I can't say much about it's lubricating ability.

Wear metals should come down with time and OCIs, but not if you continue these early OCIs with the LE8531.
BTW why do you say "LE's PCMO seems to have pretty good cleaning ability" ?
Have you noticed anything different from the other oil brands to make this comment ?
Thanks for sharing

 

[fpracha]

Hi 86cutlass307, Did you finally notice any improvements in fuel consumption with the LE8531 compared to the other engine oils used ?