Castrol EDGE 5W30 -- 6K Miles -- 08 Nissan QR25DE

[barlowc]

This is the first UOA I've had done for my 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S. It has the 4-cylinder QR25DE engine and a CVT transmission. This car is my daily driver, driven about 70% highway and 30% city. This was my second straight fill of Castrol EDGE 5W-30, so there shouldn't be any mixing or cross-contamination issues affecting the results.

RE: the viscosity being a little low, do you think that's just because EDGE is on the thinner side of things for a 5W-30 to begin with?

RE: TBN still being high, I imagine that's because EDGE is suitable for extended drain intervals and I only ran it 6K miles.

My current fill is Pennzoil Ultra 5W-30 and my next will be the same. At the end of that second fill, I'll get another UOA done. I'm undecided whether I'll run it 7,500 miles or stay with 6,000 so that I can do an apples-to-apples comparison in which only the oil used and total miles on the engine will differ.

Note: For comparison purposes, a VOA of Castrol EDGE 5W-30 is available here.

 

[shpankey]

I wouldn't sweat the little bit of shearing. Looks like a great UOA all around other than that.

 

[The motor guy]

You would think the zinc and phosphorus would be higher considering they market this oil to provide 8x the wear protection of mobil one.

 

[Carzzz]

SN dino should serve you well enough for 7500 miles...

 

[REDDOG]

Looks great barlowc. These are great wearing units. My QR25DE in the Rogue has always put up nice numbers as well. I'm very happy with the QR/CVT combo.

 

[chubbs1]

Wow that is beautiful! I hope mine wears as good as yours!

 

[Ayrton]

VERY nice report.

Sometimes I think it looks like the Nissan engines wear a bit more than average.

NOT this one. Awesome.

I say the Edge is working.

 

[Pesca]

Nice report, the oil served you well.

For how long did you run it?

What is your butt impression on this oil? Start up noise when it is cold outside?
Improved fuel economy compare to previous oils?

As for your questions, I would go for 7500 miles for now on (you still be within warranty limits), you have plenty of safe margin with synthetic oils in this engine, it is not a VQ engine.
I did 7500 miles OCIs when I racked up miles on my car with no problem.

 

[Scienceman]

Nice!

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: Pesca
For how long did you run it?

That particular fill of EDGE was in there 182 days, from 04/03/10 to 10/02/10, almost exactly 6 months.

Originally Posted By: Pesca
What is your butt impression on this oil?

It was good going in, but my butt-dyno always likes new stuff. It liked it when the factory fill came out and SynPower went in. It liked it when SynPower came out and EDGE went in. And just recently it liked it when the EDGE came out and Ultra went in. My butt-dyno also likes it when the car is washed/waxed.

Originally Posted By: Pesca
Start up noise when it is cold outside?

Seemed fine. While that particular fill was in there during warm months, the previous fill of EDGE was in there during the cold winter months. Honestly, it didn't seem any different than the previous fills of Valvoline SynPower 5W-30 that I'd run.

Originally Posted By: Pesca
Improved fuel economy compare to previous oils?

According to data I collected from the car's Vehicle Information Display (which I jot down every three months on the day), over the course of two EDGE fills and 12K miles compared to two SynPower fills and 12K miles, MPG on the EDGE was 0.3 higher. (i.e. 31.0 vs. 30.7)

 

[shpankey]

Originally Posted By: barlowc
My butt-dyno also likes it when the car is washed/waxed.

lol, I thought I was the only one!!

 

[Pesca]

Thanks Barlowc for all the information.

A big LOL at you butt dyno analysis.