Amsoil AME 15w40, 12k miles, 04 Duramax LLY

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The 9k and 12k miles are on the same fill of Amsoil AME. The previous 6k and 8k miles were with Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme.

I'm very puzzled by Blackstone's comments, and was wondering if I missing something. My Iron level is at 11ppm @ 12k miles, universal average for this engine is 13ppm @ 6.6k miles. The iron comment was the first thing that didn't seem right. Then looking at all my wear levels which are well below universal averages, good viscosity, low insolubles, low fuel, and high TBN...why only 2k more miles on this fill? I emailed them back asking the same questions, I'm still fairly new to UOA's so perhaps I'm just missing something here...

When I took the 12k sample, I did notice the engine was right at 1 quart low on oil. That was added after the sample was taken, and I did add that to the comments section for Blackstone. Maybe that is where the concern was?

Duramax.JPG
 
Yeah, I dont see what the problem is either. You are running right around 1ppm per 1k. I say at least another 10k. It looks perfect. Couldnt ask for a better report, IMO.
 
Hmm, the comments here seem very out of line from what the actual report is telling us...

But in regards to the report, it's looking quite good!! Seems you have a fine engine here. Oil seemed to do very well, and seems to be capable of much more.
 
The UOA looks great. How many QT sump?

Are people reading this UOA correctly?? The OCI was 12K and B/S said to go another 2K. Nothing wrong with that suggestion given the wear metals and TBN.
 
I got a bit more clarification from Blackstone this morning.

1) The iron high comments were specific to my engine, as the 11ppm is the highest levels it has seen. Not a concern, and they certainly agreed it's nothing to worry about being below universal averages at double the mileage. Wasn't meant to concern, just acknowledge. I think they could have worded the comments a bit better.

2) For liability reasons when extending oil change intervals they prefer to stick with smaller 2-3k mile increments. Allows for better tracking and to ensure you don't over extend your OCI to the point you could greatly damage your engine. I think in my case I can clearly push this fill well beyond another 2-3k mile, but I do understand their caution.
 
Very good UOA.

There are really two components to a UOA; the direct view of the lube health and the indirect view of the engine health. Here, you see both in great shape.

EXTEND the OCI; keep running that load of Amsoil. It's doing everything right and nothing wrong. Don't get "skeerd" and do an OCI. You paid a premium price for the Amsoil; get your value out of it!

I would ignore the "go another 2k miles" advice. That is a waste of money to UOA 2k miles from now. I'd go out to at last 20k miles on this load before I'd do another UOA. You have four successive UOAs showing the engine is in good shape mechanically. (I do understand that the four UOAs are not all the same oils.) But the UOAs are showing you four repeated story lines that indicate you don't have coolant ingress, you don't have silicon ingress, you don't have insoblues building up, and you don't have fuel issues. The engine itself is in great shape.

Amsoil recommends up to 3x the OEM OCI and will warrant that number. Your contamination is low (almost to the point of being non-existent), your wear metals are low, your wear rates are low, your supporting add pack is strong.

RUN IT!
 
dnewton, certainly agree. I've got a pattern developed on the 9-12k samples that I believe will safely extend up to 20k. I will not be checking back in another 2k miles to continue to see more of the same. Thanks everyone for the replies, I feel much better about pushing forward with this initial fill of Amsoil AME.
 
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