Lab results after running with no air filter

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Oct 15, 2010
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Location
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2010 Jeep Commander 5.7 Hemi
A few weeks ago I posted about running my vehicle without an air filter for an unknown amount of time when my aftermarket air intake slid off the tb. About a week after I noticed the issue I did an Oil change and sent a sample to Blackstone. The oil had slightly less than 5 months on it. Ironically, the silicone was low. The wear metals however, especially the iron, were high. The numbers were equivalent to an engine that'd run its oil for 5800 miles. I only put about 1,000 on mine.
Just some background on my situation - the truck has around 25K miles. OCIs are usually every 6 months, around 1500 miles per. Lots of short trips - (2) 2 mile runs daily, 5 days a week, so the engine rarely gets fully warmed up. The oil was PP 5w-20.

Code:


MI on Oil 1,000

MI on Unit 25,700

Sample Date 03/05/14

Make Up Oil Added 0 quarts





Universal Avgs

ALUMINUM 2 2

CHROMIUM 0 1

IRON 21 19

COPPER 35 41

LEAD 0 1

TIN 0 1

MOLYBDENUM 56 77

NICKEL 0 1

MANGANESE 1 1

SILVER 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 3 2

BORON 16 49

SILICON 3 8

SODIUM 3 49

CALCIUM 2168 2011

MAGNESIUM 12 185

PHOSPHORUS 690 833

ZINC 773 797

BARIUM 0 0



SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 51.0

cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 7.56

Flashpoint in °F 395

Fuel %
Antifreeze % 0.0

Water % 0.0

Insolubles 0.2

TBN 2.8


Here's the comment from Blackston: We typically look for dirt in the amount of silicon present in a sample of oil. Silicon read pretty low here, so it doesn't look like too much dirt got into your engine. Wear metals do seem a little high, though, for just 1,000 miles. Universal averages show typical wear levels for the 5.7L Hemi engine (if your Commander
is the 3.7L or 4.7L version, let us know) after ~5,800 miles. Iron, from steel parts, is a bit high. Maybe this is residual from last time, if you've been using long oil runs. Insolubles were low, and the viscosity was fine. Check back after a normal interval.

So i'm having a bit of trouble understanding this. Since the Silicone is so low, how come the wear is so high? Can it be that its not attributed to ingesting unfiltered air? Can my short trips be also responsible for this? There is no fuel in the oil but this could be because I took a long drive to warm up the oil before the change. Im pretty sure there is fuel dilution during the week since the car never warms up. Sometime i can go 2-3 weeks before taking a single long drive to fully warm up the motor. Anyways appreciate all responses.
 
nope, unfortunately this is my first UOA. I kind of thought of that as well - I am very easy on the motor so may be still be break-in...
 
Told you ingestion would be OK! Glad it was.

Not that it would make a difference in the long term, but I think a step up to 5W30 would lower Fe. Run another 5W20 round or two and check back.
 
Not really the best time of the year or worstplace in the world to run without a filter. Also a pretty short run.

But thanks for posting it's interesting still.
 
I've been thinking about 5w-30 but the hemi's MDS requires 5w-20. The truck is under warranty (power and lifetime service contract) so I'm reluctant. My regular OCI is 6 months, also due to the warranty. I dont drive much, hence the low mileage.
I'll definitely do a UOA after a full 6 months and see what happens.
 
Originally Posted By: BigD7
I've been thinking about 5w-30 but the hemi's MDS requires 5w-20. The truck is under warranty (power and lifetime service contract) so I'm reluctant. My regular OCI is 6 months, also due to the warranty. I dont drive much, hence the low mileage.
I'll definitely do a UOA after a full 6 months and see what happens.


Don't do 5w-30 for the driving conditions you described. If engine is rarely fully warmed up, stick with the 5w-20.

Switch to 5w-30 for a long trip towing.
 
21 PPM iron really doesn't seem high for an iron-block engine still at relatively low mileage if you ask me. Neither of my Jeep 4-leakers ever returned lower than 18 PPM iron, and the best my SRT has done so far is 23 PPM (granted, its under 20k miles but the jeeps are both over 100k).

I wouldn't worry- sounds like the whole thing was a non-event.
 
Its silicon, not silicone. Copper is very high and should be < 5. Its possible you had some large of silicon that get filtered out prior to testing and they caused wear. You might want to ask for a particle count.
 
not a dusty environment at all - Long Island, New York.
So do you guys think I should continue with my 6-month OCIs or shorten, at least for now? I'll ask for particle count. That will show how dirty the oil is, correct?
 
Originally Posted By: BigD7
not a dusty environment at all - Long Island, New York.
So do you guys think I should continue with my 6-month OCIs or shorten, at least for now? I'll ask for particle count. That will show how dirty the oil is, correct?


You have corrected the issue. I would not make any exception to shortening the OCI. In fact, due to your low mileage of only 1500 miles every six months, I would go to a yearly OCI and still sleep well at night.
 
Originally Posted By: BigD7
not a dusty environment at all - Long Island, New York.
So do you guys think I should continue with my 6-month OCIs or shorten, at least for now? I'll ask for particle count. That will show how dirty the oil is, correct?


You are fine. I would go 5000 miles or one year on the PP 5w20.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: BigD7
not a dusty environment at all - Long Island, New York.
So do you guys think I should continue with my 6-month OCIs or shorten, at least for now? I'll ask for particle count. That will show how dirty the oil is, correct?


You are fine. I would go 5000 miles or one year on the PP 5w20.


Hey stated he can't due to lifetime warranty.....MUST be changed or voids warranty.
 
The reason the silicon is low is because the engine was ingesting dirt on Intake and puffing it out the tailpipe on exhaust.

The damage to the cylinder walls depends on how dirty the air is.

If you followed a dump truck down a dusty road for 15 miles I'd imagine the damage to be significant.

Any dirt that migrates from the combustion chamber has to get past the rings. Once in the sump the oil filter gets it's chance.

This is the reason many people on this site shy away from "lifetime" air filters.
 
Silicon would be indicative of silica sand. In NY, you may have other minerals, or even silt and just organics that come in. What's to say that there is a big silica load in the dirts by you?
 
Maybe these $20 UOAs aren't all that telling?
wink.gif
 
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