14k OCI Microgard 51522, GM Vortec 4200 ~230K
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Now you have something to clean up.
Reduce your oil and filter change intervals to 3000 miles and watch things clean up.
You don't need expensive oil or filter for the cleanup.
Reduce your oil and filter change intervals to 3000 miles and watch things clean up.
You don't need expensive oil or filter for the cleanup.
Sounds like a plan to me. The synthetic will speed the process and the filter will have better capacity and durability. Expect the oil to darken up quickly.
Also as an aid to how things are progressing, I use a full open drain pan so I can decant the oil and see how much junk is coming out of the sump. I cut the filters and see what's there also.
Good luck.
Also as an aid to how things are progressing, I use a full open drain pan so I can decant the oil and see how much junk is coming out of the sump. I cut the filters and see what's there also.
Good luck.
Oh dear, I'm actually surprised that the MicroGard (made by Wix) tore at 15k.
Agree with the OP first sentence and the Grit in the can dome would confirm that. Engine likely looks similar. Neither oil nor filter intended for that oci/fci.
Wondering how long it took to complete the 14-15k? Moisture condensation cycles can/will take their toll on cellulose media especially so pushed to this length. This result an example of an oil/filter combination generally intended 5-6k miles, going well beyond that. I'm not shocked by the results.
Thanks for c&p.
Wondering how long it took to complete the 14-15k? Moisture condensation cycles can/will take their toll on cellulose media especially so pushed to this length. This result an example of an oil/filter combination generally intended 5-6k miles, going well beyond that. I'm not shocked by the results.
Thanks for c&p.
dnewton3
Staff member
I would ask why the Wix XP? Their own data shows it's not a really efficient filter. It's good for long OCIs, but it's not anything to get excited about, at least in terms of their claimed beta data. Consider at Fram TG. High efficiency, decent capacity, and a reasonable value.
And as to the syn ... why? It's not going to clean up much of anything more than any decently dosed dino lube. Ca is Ca, Mg is Mg, overall. The detergents in quality dino lubes is every bit as capable as a syn, especially for a 5k mile OCI.
And as to the syn ... why? It's not going to clean up much of anything more than any decently dosed dino lube. Ca is Ca, Mg is Mg, overall. The detergents in quality dino lubes is every bit as capable as a syn, especially for a 5k mile OCI.
Just to satisfy my own curiosity I put the table below together from the VOAs provided by Petroleum Quality Institute. These are all commonly stocked at my local Walmart. Hopefully, I did not make a typo.
Code:
SuperTech Pennzoil Valvoline Mobil
PYB Premium Super 5000
Conventional Conventional Conventional Conventional
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 7.8 8.3 6.1 7.3
Ca 2289 2408 1571 1952
Mg 15 7 8 14
Na
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
SuperTech Pennzoil Valvoline Mobil 1
MAX Life
High Mileage High Mileage High Mileage High Mileage Synthetic
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 6.94 9.72 8.51 9.14
Ca 1563 2475 2016 1116
Mg 9 10 8 766
Na 439
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
SuperTech Pennzoil Plat Valvoline Mobil 1
Platinum SynPower
Synthetic Synthetic Synthetic Synthetic
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 8.0 9.02 8.4 9.7
Ca 2367 2517 2125 1161
Mg 9 10 7 772
Na
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
If I were to make a choice from the conventional list, it would be based on price and availability. The SuperTech Conventional is the price leader followed by Mobil MS5K. Since Ca and Na are synergistic, I would likely choose the MS5K. Pennzoil and Valvoline have been on the pricey side lately.
The Champion PH820 were maybe $1.50 each plus shipping. IIRC Champion Customer Service told me the filtration efficiency was 90% @ 20 micron. Not bad for an entry level filter. The Walmart Supertech filter would do just as well.
I put on 3000 miles in 2 months. When I started a cleanup on the Ranger, the dipstick was very readable at 500 miles. The dipstick is getting hard to read at 3000 miles. I'm still getting 1 or 2 agglomerations of dirt on the order of 0.050" in diameter from the sump. Filters look pristine. Maybe getting time to extend to 5K / 6K.
Code:
SuperTech Pennzoil Valvoline Mobil
PYB Premium Super 5000
Conventional Conventional Conventional Conventional
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 7.8 8.3 6.1 7.3
Ca 2289 2408 1571 1952
Mg 15 7 8 14
Na
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
SuperTech Pennzoil Valvoline Mobil 1
MAX Life
High Mileage High Mileage High Mileage High Mileage Synthetic
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 6.94 9.72 8.51 9.14
Ca 1563 2475 2016 1116
Mg 9 10 8 766
Na 439
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
SuperTech Pennzoil Plat Valvoline Mobil 1
Platinum SynPower
Synthetic Synthetic Synthetic Synthetic
SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30
TBN 8.0 9.02 8.4 9.7
Ca 2367 2517 2125 1161
Mg 9 10 7 772
Na
Source: Petroleum Quality Institute of America.
If I were to make a choice from the conventional list, it would be based on price and availability. The SuperTech Conventional is the price leader followed by Mobil MS5K. Since Ca and Na are synergistic, I would likely choose the MS5K. Pennzoil and Valvoline have been on the pricey side lately.
The Champion PH820 were maybe $1.50 each plus shipping. IIRC Champion Customer Service told me the filtration efficiency was 90% @ 20 micron. Not bad for an entry level filter. The Walmart Supertech filter would do just as well.
I put on 3000 miles in 2 months. When I started a cleanup on the Ranger, the dipstick was very readable at 500 miles. The dipstick is getting hard to read at 3000 miles. I'm still getting 1 or 2 agglomerations of dirt on the order of 0.050" in diameter from the sump. Filters look pristine. Maybe getting time to extend to 5K / 6K.
A value filter run way past its rated life has failed? Shocking I say!
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Originally Posted By: Triton_330
Oh dear, I'm actually surprised that the MicroGard (made by Wix) tore at 15k.
I'm not that surprised. It is 2-3 time it's designed interval.
It's still not good to see is torn that badly, as well as not knowing when it failed.
This is why I am sticking with ~5000 mile intervals with the Microgard/Supertech/Pro-Select filters.
For sure not a filter for 2 changes.
Oh dear, I'm actually surprised that the MicroGard (made by Wix) tore at 15k.
I'm not that surprised. It is 2-3 time it's designed interval.
It's still not good to see is torn that badly, as well as not knowing when it failed.
This is why I am sticking with ~5000 mile intervals with the Microgard/Supertech/Pro-Select filters.
For sure not a filter for 2 changes.
Aren't filters warrantied to last the interval as set in the owner's manual? Many vehicles on the road today call for a 15,000 mile filter change interval. This filter should not have failed but business is all about the bottom line.
Originally Posted By: Sayjac
Agree with the OP first sentence and the Grit in the can dome would confirm that. Engine likely looks similar. Neither oil nor filter intended for that oci/fci.
Wondering how long it took to complete the 14-15k? Moisture condensation cycles can/will take their toll on cellulose media especially so pushed to this length. This result an example of an oil/filter combination generally intended 5-6k miles, going well beyond that. I'm not shocked by the results.
Thanks for c&p.
This was about a year. A majority of this OCI was my ex doing a 35mi (each way) commute.
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
I would ask why the Wix XP? Their own data shows it's not a really efficient filter. It's good for long OCIs, but it's not anything to get excited about, at least in terms of their claimed beta data. Consider at Fram TG. High efficiency, decent capacity, and a reasonable value.
And as to the syn ... why? It's not going to clean up much of anything more than any decently dosed dino lube. Ca is Ca, Mg is Mg, overall. The detergents in quality dino lubes is every bit as capable as a syn, especially for a 5k mile OCI.
I work at an auto parts store, and employee price of Wix and Wix XP was less than $1 difference if I remember right, and I figured the extra capacity might be helpful. I'll be using a regular Wix in the future. As for the oil, it's just had what I had bought on clearance, sure, it's "overkill" and "wasteful" but I don't really care since it didn't cost me any more than conventional would have.
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Aren't filters warrantied to last the interval as set in the owner's manual? Many vehicles on the road today call for a 15,000 mile filter change interval. This filter should not have failed but business is all about the bottom line.
Sure, MicroGard filters have a one year warranty, but the filter being used outside the "factory" OCI would surely void that warranty. There is nothing wrong with MicroGard filters for a traditional OCI, not 15K. This GMC does have a "Change Engine Oil" light, which I'm sure has been on for over 10k miles at the point I got the vehicle back. If the oil/filter would have been changed at the point that light came on it would have been totally fine. Besides, if you look at the other applications for a 51522 filter, all of those applications probably have 3-7k factory OCI recommendations.
Agree with the OP first sentence and the Grit in the can dome would confirm that. Engine likely looks similar. Neither oil nor filter intended for that oci/fci.
Wondering how long it took to complete the 14-15k? Moisture condensation cycles can/will take their toll on cellulose media especially so pushed to this length. This result an example of an oil/filter combination generally intended 5-6k miles, going well beyond that. I'm not shocked by the results.
Thanks for c&p.
This was about a year. A majority of this OCI was my ex doing a 35mi (each way) commute.
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
I would ask why the Wix XP? Their own data shows it's not a really efficient filter. It's good for long OCIs, but it's not anything to get excited about, at least in terms of their claimed beta data. Consider at Fram TG. High efficiency, decent capacity, and a reasonable value.
And as to the syn ... why? It's not going to clean up much of anything more than any decently dosed dino lube. Ca is Ca, Mg is Mg, overall. The detergents in quality dino lubes is every bit as capable as a syn, especially for a 5k mile OCI.
I work at an auto parts store, and employee price of Wix and Wix XP was less than $1 difference if I remember right, and I figured the extra capacity might be helpful. I'll be using a regular Wix in the future. As for the oil, it's just had what I had bought on clearance, sure, it's "overkill" and "wasteful" but I don't really care since it didn't cost me any more than conventional would have.
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Aren't filters warrantied to last the interval as set in the owner's manual? Many vehicles on the road today call for a 15,000 mile filter change interval. This filter should not have failed but business is all about the bottom line.
Sure, MicroGard filters have a one year warranty, but the filter being used outside the "factory" OCI would surely void that warranty. There is nothing wrong with MicroGard filters for a traditional OCI, not 15K. This GMC does have a "Change Engine Oil" light, which I'm sure has been on for over 10k miles at the point I got the vehicle back. If the oil/filter would have been changed at the point that light came on it would have been totally fine. Besides, if you look at the other applications for a 51522 filter, all of those applications probably have 3-7k factory OCI recommendations.
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