01 Buick LeSabre, unknown oil, 6150 mi

[TonyDee]

The oil was changed initally by my mechanic. I don't know what he used. Since then I've added a couple of quarts and don't have a record of what I used. It was probably Castrol 10W-30.

I originally posted a question about oil change intervals here http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3794840/Extend_oil_change_interval? I was asked to post a UOA. Got it back and here are the results.

I wanted to know if I need to change oil at the manufacture's recommended intervals even though I'm adding fresh oil every 1.500 miles.

I followed the instruction to use Code, but the columns are still not lining up. Don't know how to fix that. I could use some instruction on how to post in lined-up columns. Thanks
Code:


IRON 13

CHROMIUM 02

LEAD 014

COPPER 213

TIN 02

ALUMINUM 04

NICKEL
SILVER
SILICON 14

BORON 74

SODIUM 05

MAGNESIUM 14

CALCIUM 2403

BARIUM
PHOS 777

ZINC 892

MOLY 39

TITANIUM
VANADIUM
POTASSIUM 7

VIS 100 9.0

WATER
COOLANT No

 

[ExMachina]

Copper must be a misprint (??). Wow, 213 ppm is high Cu.
Viscosity sheared slightly down to 9.0, should be about 10.0, so plenty close enough. No other problems I can see.
Adding oil every 1,500 miles means you basically never need to change your oil (except once every 3 years a complete change). But, if you do that, use a Fram Ultra oil filter which has the best oil filtration efficiency (99.9%@20microns) and change your oil filter every 10,000 miles or so. Also, the MicroGreen oil filter scrubs out down to 3 microns pretty well, a special design oil filter for long oil change intervals, and microgreens need changing every 6,000 miles or so.

 

[TonyDee]

Thanks for your response.

Copper is actually 13, not 213.

 

[ecotourist]

If the ideal would be to change the oil at 3000 miles and you're adding a quart every 1500 miles why not forego adding the second quart and change it instead. That way you'd get a change using only 3 additional quarts (assuming a 4 quart fill).

I owned an oil burner at one point (used maybe a quart every 750 miles). When the oil was fresh it seemed to use less. There could have been other factors at play but that's how it seemed anyway.

On BITOG it seems that many would add a little oil whenever the oil is below the full line. That's a reasonable approach. I used to add a full quart when it got to a quart low, which in my case was the lower line on the dipstick. If you do that, you have to keep a close eye on the oil level to make sure you don't run it too low of course.

I'd be happier not changing the oil regularly if it was known to be leaking. That would be a sort of continuous change.

All in all I'd prefer to change the oil periodically. That engine should run for a very long time with basic attention. And using a quart every 1500 miles isn't even that bad.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
I'd be happier not changing the oil regularly if it was known to be leaking. That would be a sort of continuous change.

If only we had the Cummins CENTINEL ( https://quickserve.cummins.com/info/qsol/products/newparts/centinel.html ) which does what you say. Its on diesels, where a small flow of oil goes to the engine fuel lines to be burnt, purposely using oil so oil can be replenished. Learning from that experience, and with a good oil filter to filter the really tiny junk out, we could do it on high oil consumption engines.

 

[TonyDee]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
If the ideal would be to change the oil at 3000 miles and you're adding a quart every 1500 miles why not forego adding the second quart and change it instead. That way you'd get a change using only 3 additional quarts (assuming a 4 quart fill).
I hadn't looked at it that way. btw - an oil change = 5 quarts

 

[TonyDee]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
Adding oil every 1,500 miles means you basically never need to change your oil (except once every 3 years a complete change). But, if you do that, use a Fram Ultra oil filter which has the best oil filtration efficiency (99.9%@20microns) and change your oil filter every 10,000 miles or so. Also, the MicroGreen oil filter scrubs out down to 3 microns pretty well, a special design oil filter for long oil change intervals, and microgreens need changing every 6,000 miles or so.
Thanks, I didn't think I needed to change the oil so often considering that I add oil between changes.
Question: I've never changed just an oil filter. How is that done? Won't oil pour out when you remove the filter? Should I drain the oil, change the filter, and then fill the engine back with the original oil?

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: TonyDee
]Thanks, I didn't think I needed to change the oil so often considering that I add oil between changes.
Question: I've never changed just an oil filter. How is that done? Won't oil pour out when you remove the filter? Should I drain the oil, change the filter, and then fill the engine back with the original oil?

You can always change the oil filter by itself, in your driveway, sure. Some oil will be in the oil filter when you remove it, but just catch it in a bowl or something. Recommend to fill the new oil filter up with fresh oil before installing, at least as best you can (if its tilted, its a pain-in-the-tookus) because it helps avoid a dry-start. An oil filter that performs better than average is important if you're going to just add oil and go for 2 or 3 years between complete oil-drains. Fram Ultra, MicroGreen are the best for that. Also Royal Purple oil filters, Purolator Synthetic oil filters, and Amsoil oil filters come in a close 2nd if you can't find or don't want Fram Ultra or MicroGreen (microgreen is amazon.com or direct from their website I think).
I'd recommend a dexos1 synthetic 5w-30 like SuperTech in the 5-quart jugs, actually cheap at walmart, or spend more if you want to and go for Castrol Edge gold jug or M1 Extended Performance jugs at Walmart again. No requirement to use synthetic of course, and give that you're adding a lot oil you might want to just use SuperTech conventional dino 5w-30 all the time, its a decent oil too, from Warren Products, or sometimes Walmart gets it from Mobil.