Motorcraft 5w20 - 6000 mi - 07 Civic 1.8

[rationull]

This is for my 07 Civic.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the aluminum and silicon. About 2500 miles before the oil drain (at approx 21.5k miles) I changed out the stock air filter for a Wix/Napa Gold. I'm in somewhat dusty conditions, so it's possible that has something to do with it but I wouldn't think the filter would let more dirt through as it ages, would it? I was under the impression that as air filters got dirty they just became more restrictive.

It's possible it's related to this (embarassing) thread but I kind of doubt it.

The only other thing I can think of is that I do a fair amount of high RPM (3500 RPM or so) high load driving going up hills but I'd think that would cause ring and bore wear, and neither of those are made of aluminum, right?

Any comments? I'm kind of wishing I'd done a UOA before this but too late for that. Anything I should do besides wait until next time and see if the silicon/aluminum go down while the new filter has < 15,000 miles on it?

 

[ChiTDI]

Your numbers match the average exactly, and you went 1500 more. Says a lot for the mc oil to me.

 

[rationull]

Oh, yeah I'm pretty pleased w/ the MC oil. I'm anxious to see how my current fill of yellow bottle Pennzoil does. Numbers are good on average except for the silicon and aluminum, and I don't think an extra 1500 miles should've quadrupled the aluminum, esp with the oil having so much life left (3.1 TBN).

EDIT: For more background, the 6000 mile OCI was based on the OLM. Drained at 15%.

 

[rationull]

Hmm, I just found this UOA posted by Bulli last month for the same engine, close to the same engine miles and close to the same same miles on the oil.

Eerily similar UOA right down to the similar aluminum/silicon number and identical TBN. Maybe the high aluminum/silicon is normal at this mileage on this engine, and with Honda's stock air filter.

On another note, looks like the MC was just as good as Mobil 1 at this OCI!

EDIT: As to my above post, clearly I can't multiply. The aluminum tripled, not quadrupled!

 

[Bulli]

yes i was just going to compare it to the old Uoa i had. It was actually my friends.
Wear looks similar, but i believe your oil was better, and cheaper.

Both of you guys pretty much used a new air filter so maybe the engine takes a while to break in.

I have a 07 civic and i am on M1 and in 6k miles i will be sending my own sample in.

 

[MolaKule]

If this engine has an aluminum head, then the aluminum could have come from the cam bearings and head shavings; stay with this oil and hopefully the aluminum will trend downward - it is still a new engine.

 

[rationull]

Interesting possibility, sounds plausible. (The engine does indeed have an aluminum head.)

I would be perfectly happy to stay with the MC after this UOA but I decided to go with YB Pennzoil this time to try something thinner with higher moly content (I could be mistaken but I thought YB had fairly high moly) to see how it looks at the end, and to see what kind of oil usage I get with a thinner oil. I had originally wanted to try Havoline because IIRC it's even thinner but all my local auto parts stores suddenly stopped carrying it for some reason...

If I'm happy with the usage this time around and the next UOA comes back fine (which I'm sure it will) I may stick w/ the Pennzoil for a while. If I'm not I may give something thicker like GTX a try or I may go back to MC.

 

[Steelhead]

i would switch to an Amsoil EAO filter which is far more efficient at removing fine dirt particles in your dusty conditions.

also check the air intake box and tube with a can of spray carb cleaner. rpm increase = leak

http://www.amsoil.com/scripts/runisa.dll?amsoiloaf:index

 

[buster]

Other than the Al, this is a great report.