Mobil Drive Clean 5w-30 (GF4) 2998 miles 2004 Chevy Colorado

[carpy]

Tester: Ed Bozarth Chevrolet
Lonetree, Colorado

Date: 12/02/2004
Vehicle: 2004 Chevy Colorado ext. cab 4X4
Engine: 2.8L 4 cyl. gasoline
Sump Capacity 5.0 quarts (no make up added)
Miles on sample: 2998
Miles on unit: 10991
Oil Brand: Mobil Drive Clean 5w-30
Oil Filter: SuperTech ST3506

Aluminum: 2
Chromium: Copper: 8
Iron: 2
Lead: Tin: 5
Silicon: 11*
Potassium: Sodium: 9
Moly: 23
Phosphorus: 780
Zinc: 890
Calcium: 2080
Water: Oxidation: Visc@100: 9.6 30wt.
Glycol: Not Detected
Fuel: 2.2
TBN: 9.8
Nitration:
All engine wear metals normal. Silicon most likely from source other than dirt, Possibly engine gasket sealant.
High fuel most likely fron multiple short trips.

Fire Away!!!

 

[buster]

The fuel thinned the oil out but the wear metals are great. TBN is 9? You could waaaay longer on that oil but be glad you didn't due to the possible coolant leak.

 

[Al]

Promising, but the tin is pretty high. I was waiting for a test on this oil..I have it in right now and I'm hoping it turns out to be an O.K. oil. Thanks for posting.

 

[Al]

Is this the vehicle with the possible coolant leak???

 

[Patman]

Is that correct, this engine has a 2.8L 4 cylinder in it? That is one big 4 cylinder!

 

[carpy]

Yes, 2.8L 4 cyl. Also, this was the vehicle with the possible coolant leak, but the service writter had orginally mis-calibrated the analyzer. After a trained tech did it the results changed. Chevy Techinal service confirmed that it is normal to see the white milky condensation on this engine when making frequent short trips in freezing weather with this engine. See my post on the oil board where I recognized Terry Dyson who basically told me the same thing earlier. They even pressure tested the coolant system and found no leaks.

 

[Jay]

I'm suspicious of the fuel percentage. Can it really be that high? MDC 5w-30 starts out at 10.5cSt, so I think it would be thinner than this if the fuel percentage were 2.2%.

Nice report, otherwise.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jay:
I'm suspicious of the fuel percentage. Can it really be that high? MDC 5w-30 starts out at 10.5cSt, so I think it would be thinner than this if the fuel percentage were 2.2%.

Nice report, otherwise.

---

I agree..something is wrong the viscosity would be much thinner. And don't forget that coolant in the oil thickens oil. These two processes would (could)serve to cancel each other out. Yet the sodium doesn't seem high enough..but it is there. And forget tests for presence of coolant. If you see coolant in an oil analysis its major big-league leak.

I'm giving this analysis a "no confidence" vote.

 

[T-Keith]

I'd say it looks pretty good. Although there aren't a lot of UOAs posted from this engine line, most seem to have higher Iron and Copper then this sample. However the rest also have 0 tin. It would be nice to know what kind of bearings this engine has.

BTW for those wondering, this is GM's "Atlas" line. A 2.8L I4 and 3.5L I5 in the Colorado/Canyon and the 4.2 I6 from the Trailblazer/Envoy/Rainer/Bravada/9-7X.

-T

 

[carpy]

I will state this again...THERE IS NO COOLANT LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE!!!!! The cooling system was pressure tested, and no leak was found. Condensation from short trips causes the substance underneath the oil cap. It's a Saab deign. per chevy tech service and Terry Dyson!!!!!

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by carpy:
I will state this again...THERE IS NO COOLANT LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE!!!!! The cooling system was pressure tested, and no leak was found. Condensation from short trips causes the substance underneath the oil cap. It's a Saab deign. per chevy tech service and Terry Dyson!!!!!

---

Hahahahah..I have a lot of conficence in Terry. And Im just a piker. I also know that coolant leaks can exist yet be undetected with a pressure test. Joints open up depending on the temperature. But anyway..I look forward to seeing your next report. And again I'm excited about the Drive clean.

 

[carpy]

I'm starting to question the usefullness of these oil analysis's. I just spoke with one of our chemists, Steve Rossi, and he also feels that because of the test tolerances and margin of error of the analyzer,and asemytrical test techniques, trying to pinpoint a problem on 2,3,5 or even 10 ppm's when the measurement is in the statistical noise floor really doesn't tell you anything. Large numbers, such as that actually seen in a coolant leak with high coolant elements, like 50ppm might show you a problem. Otherwise all these other numbers are trends, Just like your blood pressure. The only usefullness I can see to any of this might be for fleet maintainance, where you would take a sample of the fleet. Just my educated $.02

[ December 02, 2004, 11:21 PM: Message edited by: carpy ]

 

[buster]

quote:

---

trying to pinpoint a problem on 2,3,5 or even 10 ppm's when the measurement is in the statistical noise floor really doesn't tell you anything. Large numbers, such as that actually seen in a coolant leak with high coolant elements, like 50ppm might show you a problem. Otherwise all these other numbers are trends, Just like your blood pressure. The only usefullness I can see to any of this might be for fleet maintainance, where you would take a sample of the fleet. Just my educated

---

Your 100% right. I actually agree with Redline Oil on this in that we are dealing with PPM and it's really tough to measure wear with these reports. I think ALL oils today, dino or synthetic, protect about the same.

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

---

Originally posted by carpy:
I will state this again...THERE IS NO COOLANT LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE!!!!! The cooling system was pressure tested, and no leak was found. Condensation from short trips causes the substance underneath the oil cap. It's a Saab deign. per chevy tech service and Terry Dyson!!!!!

---

I don't mean to say I know more then your tech service or Terry, but the Atlas engines are a ground up GM design. Saab hasn't designed any engines on their own for a while. The 9-3 uses an Ecotec and the 9-5 uses an Opel 54deg V6.

-T

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Al:
.I have a lot of conficence in Terry. And Im just a piker. I also know that coolant leaks can exist yet be undetected with a pressure test. Joints open up depending on the temperature.

---

I have been bit on the rear end by a couple of those myself. They can be a little difficult to run down.

Some experiance and ability to trouble shoot goes a lot further than tossing names around.

 

[JohnBrowning]

T-Keith, The Ecotech that Saab uses is not even in the same ball park with the USA built ecotec. The only part it has in common is the block casting,acces. and small items like pastners. The internals are all done buy Saab. The displacment of 2.0 is not about WRC either. Early on Saab had sent memo's to GM Powertrain about borepolishing when forcedinduction was used on the ecotech as sent to them. Saab got permission to rework the engine and they did. So you get piston oilers, different crank, different pistons, different cam etc........

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by carpy:
I'm starting to question the usefullness of these oil analysis's. I just spoke with one of our chemists and he also feels that because of the test tolerances and margin of error of the analyzer, trying to pinpoint a problem on 2,3,5 or even 10 ppm's when the measurement is in the statistical noise floor really doesn't tell you anything. Large numbers, such as that actually seen in a coolant leak with high coolant elements, like 50ppm might show you a problem. Otherwise all these other numbers are trends, Just like your blood pressure. The only usefullness I can see to any of this might be for fleet maintainance, where you would take a sample of the fleet. Just my educated $.02

---

Well I had an intermittant coolant leak in my Pontiac 3.4 and the Potassium was 22 ppm. (Terry did a great job for me). Had I been on my toes this leak was present 25K earlier with levels of 14-Sodium and 15-Potassium. But anyway..yes trends are really the key.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by carpy:

TBN: 9.8

---

Ummm...How in the world did an oil that doesn't start out with a high TBN end up with a TBN of 9.8???

 

[Bio-T]

Carpy,

What am I missing, a person who works for Mobil using a Wal-Mart filter. Not sure what this tells me about the Mobil Full Flow filter. I hope it is that you have stock in both companies and just trying to support both.

 

[Terry]

carpy stated;

quote:

---

I'm starting to question the usefullness of these oil analysis's.

---

Oh ye of little faith, especially chemists and mechanical engineers

.

Find a honest, accurate, and consistant lab, add a good interpretation and you get gold for pennies of information from UOA's.

Oil filters:Hey Vetteman ,hes been reading BITOG !!

carpy if that is a oil analysts contract lab test you posted on the new truck,the Glycol test is reagent tested and very sensitive and accurate in detecting coolant.