2002 Cavalier; Pennzoil 5W-30; 9096 miles on oil

[addyguy]

Got my first UOA report!

Bought the 'cheap' kit, so didn't get as much information as I wanted, but here goes:

2002 Chevrolet Cavalier 4-door;
2.2 OHV 4-cylinder;
107,122 miles on car (171,395km)

Pennzoil 5W-30 (3.8L) + 0.5L PP 5W-30 (Initial Fill)
1L top-up; Havoline 10W-30, 'SJ vintage'
9096 miles (14,553 km) on oil fill

Iron 76
Chrome 2
Moly 168
Alum. 8
Copper 4
Lead 74
Tin 4
Titan. 0
Nickel 2
Silver 0
Silicon 21
Sodium 60
Potass. 2
Zinc 800
Mag. 88
Phos. 765
Barium 0

Soot 0
Sulf 30
Oxid 23
Nitr 16

Anti-freeze, Fuel, Water all 0

Lab Comments: Elevated levels detected. Silicon , aluminum, lead and sodium readings appear slightly high. Nitration readings appears slightly high. All other readings are acceptable. Silicon/aluminum may be due to a small amount of dirt entry or contamination. Check/change air filter. Elevated nitration readings may be due to high/low operating temperatures or extended oil service intervals. Recommend slightly shorter oil change intervals due to high nitration readings. Resample at the next sample interval to monitor. More data and samples are needed to establish the normal wear trend for this component.

My comments: I know I pushed this interval too long and it shows. I put this fill in in September, and ran it all winter. I also put in a brand-new air filter at that time. Driving consisted of about 50-50 city/hwy driving, with a LOT of idling and short trips. I had a CEL on the whole time, and a rough idle. This got worse gradually, until late February, when the car stopped starting altogether. Made 'dozens' of atteptemt to start/diagnose it on my own, before a shop discovered a loose security system wire, and a bad plug. One good thing is that in October, this car got some of the LOWEST readings I have EVER seen on an emissions test!

Once the car had been running for week or so, and I was sure it was good, one of the last things I had done was have the oil changed. Replacement oil was Petro-Canada 'Maximum' 5W-30. I'll run it to about 5k miles and re-sample to see how we are doing.

Would love to hear all comments/critiques/outright abuse...

 

[kd5byb]

I'd love to have seen viscosity, % fuel, or flashpoint of the oil.

I'd bet with a cylinder not firing (bad plug and CEL) you had fuel in the oil leading to dilution and the higher than normal lead/iron readings.

If it were my car, I might go 3k and pull a sample to test that theory. I'd also get the viscosity and fuel % looked at on the next analysis. If that analysis is okay, I'd then think about going further.

Just my thoughts...

thanks,
ben

 

[addyguy]

I phoned the lab after posting this, and asked about the TBN and visc. Its a no-cost option (for now) that you just have to 'ask for'. So they are going to re-run the sample and provide me with this data. I'll post as soon as get it....

 

[Drew99GT]

I'd keep an eye on that sodium. Although with potassium being low, the sodium is likely from road salt.

 

[addyguy]

Heard back from the lab:

Visc. CST 9.0

TBN 1.0

So technically, this oil wasn't 'completely' spent, just really close, and it did thin quite a bit (considering the 10W-30 top-up).

As for the sodium, yes, some of it could be road salt, but could some also be from a bottle of 'DuraLube' UCL I ran in the tank of fuel during the 'hard starting' issue...I wonder if it has sodium in it...

 

[pickled]

I would say you got your money's worth out of the yellow bottle. After you get your repairs lined out I bet your optimized drain interval will be between 5 and 7k miles if you use the yellow bottle,and don't change driving conditions.

 

[FZ1]

Yeah,but you topped up which replenished some of the TBN. Maybe you should just try 6k next time. .02.

 

[OriginHacker21]

Definitely an interesting UOA. I'd be unhappy with the IRON and Lead but amazing considering the miles and engine work. I have a hard enough time doing 7000 miles on Synthetic (Amsoil) so props to you

.

Interesting UA!

 

[addyguy]

Just for the record, I didn't deliberatly go this long on the oil to prove something....just time, money, and other problems conspired to the oil not getting changed until the car was fixed and back on the road...will not be going this long on future drains, unless it is with a synthetic...

 

[Patman]

They said a nitration of 16 is slightly high? That's odd, I've never had Wearcheck say my nitration levels were high even when it's been in 80s and 90s!

 

[addyguy]

I have to admit I don't know what nitration numbers mean...I know it related to how 'spent/contaminated' the oil is, but I don't know how to 'read' the numbers....this oil is very spent/worn out from the long interval and possibly fuel contamination (even though the report says fuel neg.), so I'm not suprised this is bad...

 

[Cutehumor]

It was run too long like you said, mixed in with a foul plug. 5k miles and a resample just to check if the repair worked. With potassium being low, Sodium is probably winter road salt. Look forward to your next UOA, Thanks for posting

 

[addyguy]

I've done some research, and in PM'ing with bruce381 he has confirmed that Sodium is used in some UCL formulations, and just before this car 'quit', I filled the tank, and added 5.25 oz. of DuraLube UCL. While the car wasn't running, I made a lot of 'attmpts' to start it, and dumped a lot of fuel into the oil. I'm pretty confident thats where the sodium came from, as well as road salt.

Not using any fuel adds in this run, and as I said, I will run it 4-5k miles and re-sample to see where I'm at. I'd like to get into longer changes on synthetics, but I have to make sure my engine isn't destroying oil in 3-4k miles first....

 

[Buffman]

If you do a search for 01 cavalier, you'll find the results I had with two UOAs using Mobil clean 5000 10w30 (doesn't have high sodium as the other grades). You can get it pretty darn cheap on sale

if the gf didn't change her driving habbits I was going to stretch the OCI to at least 8K. I'm going to run another UOA again soon.

 

[addyguy]

Buffman,

I have actually had a good look at your UOA results on M5000! I think they were pretty good, considering the mileage involved!

Up until recently, we didn't have M5000 in Canada, but I now I belive we do w/ Mobil 'Super' 1000 oil. Other say i is jusr re-badged Esso Extra, but I think it is re-badged M5000. Might try it at some point!

Shortening my intervals should help 'most' of the issues here...