PP 5W-30, 5500 mi. in '03 Buick PA

[Benzadmiral]

I just received my first UOA, and I'm a tiny bit worried, as you'll see (kind of like getting your blood work from your doctor):

Iron 11
Lead 17
Aluminum 2
Copper 21
Chromium 1
Nickel 1
Titanium 0
Tin 1
Silver 0

Silicon 14
Potassium 3
Sodium 50
Boron 37
Barium 0
Calcium 2582
Magnesium 12
Manganese 1

Moly 64
Phosphorus 615
Zinc 793

SUS Viscosity @ 210 F. 59.3
Viscosity @ 100 C. 10.2
Flashpoint in F. 365
Fuel % TR
Antifreeze % ?
Water 0
TBN 3.4

Mine is the normally-aspirated 3.8 L engine, with 57,100 miles on it. The 5500 miles was done over 6 months.

Blackstone's notes indicate that lead is "at a higher-than-average level. . . . Lead isn't high enough to denote a problem, but is high enough to watch -- keep an eye on oil pressure. . . . Monitor the coolant level. . . . The TBN read 3.4, still good."

The coolant level hasn't dropped that I can tell, and I check it frequently. Is this UOA indicating I should have the infamous intake manifold gaskets replaced soon, or should I just keep an eye on the coolant and have another UOA done in 5000 miles?

 

[wavinwayne]

Others may disagree, but wear metals at those levels would not worry me.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Forgot to add that my driving style is about 75% city (pretty obvious w/ only 900 miles a month). Oil filter was a Wix. I did an Auto-Rx clean and rinse earlier in 2008, and the oil here had 3 oz. of maintenance dose in it. During the OCI I needed to add 1.5 quarts of make-up oil, 1 qt. of SuperTech 5W-30 and .5 of Formula Shell.

 

[Bill in Utah]

If the one quart of Supertech 5w-30 was made by Mobil, that could be the sodium.

Other that that, not too bad.

Bill

 

[Drew99GT]

If you haven't had the intake gaskets changed as well as the primary leak point in the Series II 3.8L, the EGR stove pipe water jacket, you're going to have to have them changed sooner or later.

From what I've read, the best fix for the EGR stove pipe is to install a Series III upper intake manifold, as it is aluminum. No plastic to melt. Then, get a Fel Pro problem solver intake manifold gasket kit in there. That will make this engine capable of 300K+ miles.

 

[lght1]

Hi

Most likely a coolant leak.

For the repair, use the GM aluminum framed LIM gaskets. Use lock tite on the bolts and torque with the proper sequence and in two phases.

Use the APN UIM manifold and its reduced diameter EGR chimney.

Replace both of the external plastic coolant elbows found at the belt tensioner.

Finish the job with G-05 coolant.

BTW, if you use the L26 Alum UIM, which I have before, you will need to tune the car's PCM .bin for it as the L6 TB doesnt match and there is a great deal ofd turbulance around the MAF post.

The APN UIM with reduced diameter EGR chimney is a better solution I feel.

 

[Benzadmiral]

So it sounds like a job for the GM dealer's service department -- or could my regular mechanic, given these directions, find and do everything he needed?

In any case I can't do it right away. I'll have another UOA done in April/May, when I change again after ~5500 miles. If it still looks bad or even worse, then I'll grit my teeth and plunge in.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

I took lght1's advice back in the spring on my Grand Prix. My local mechanic did the work. I ordered the APN UIM myself and made sure the mechanic used the GM aluminum framed gaskets since the plastic ones are still available. So far so good. He had no trouble doing the job since he's done it MANY times before.

If your coolant level isn't dropping I'd seriously consider waiting another OCI and checking again. I've heard the Super Tech has Sodium in it which could give you the high reading for Sodium. Are you still using Dexcool? If you are and the coolant is getting into your oil then your Potassium should have read high as well and it did not. Perhaps you don't yet have a leak. There is a good chance you will someday however.

Look under your radiator cap. Do you see any oil contamination? Brown gunk? That would be another clue to look for if you suspect a leak.

 

[FZ1]

Not too bad. 5k oci and save your uoa money.

 

[lght1]

Hi

I did my Regal's LIM gaskets a month after buying it last year.

For several oil changes, I used Mobil 7500 and 5000 off and on.

At every time I did a UOA, Blackstone would still flag the sodium and would be suspicious of another leak. I knew where this was coming from so wasn't bothered by it.

This last test was after 3 straight PP fills. The result: the "leak" is miraculously cured .

 

[Steve S]

I wouldn't use PP for your oil change intervals.Use regular dino oil .

 

[Benzadmiral]

Hey, Steve,

Yeah, I'm going to Castrol GTX 5W-30 in April, as per the recent AutoZone special of 5 qts. and a Bosch filter. PP has been a good oil, but if I can save a little dough for the same quality at this OCI, I'll do it.

(I always say, "If I can eat Dollar Tree people food, why can't my cat eat Dollar Tree cat food?") (No, I'm not *that* cheap.)

Wish, I'll have a look under the radiator cap this Saturday morning when the engine is stone cold. Yeah, I'm still with the Dex-Cool, a fresh fill about a year ago, so your news about potassium is a good thing!

 

[lght1]

Hi

Do another UOA at 3-4000 and see what you have. If your sodium remains high, do a pressure check.

LIM jobs are super easy on these engines. Use the GM alu LIM gasket and thread loc on bolts. Then use the APN UIM (with the LIM reduced diameter EGR chimney included in APN kit) and torque in sequence to proper torque using the two step process.

Don't forget to replace the two plastic coolant elbows.