OIL ANALYSIS
11-08-2023, 04:55 PM
#61
Rennlist Member
I switched to Mobil 5W-50 10 years ago immediately after buying my car. It's Porsche approved, it has the widest viscosity range, and no other oil company. has or had more knowledge and experience with petroleum-it's Standard Oil, they were already making synthetic oil and gasoline in the late 1920s and in fact that's the one of the technology exchanges they had with Germany in the late 1930s and into the war period-synthetic oil and gasoline in exchange for Germany synthetic rubber technology, one of many. Standard Oil also owned the patent on Tetraethyl lead, anti-knock for avgas (up to 150 octane). Anyone interested in this I can send links to the books-
There are many threads on oil for these cars-the puff of smoke at start up, the "death rattle" on some startups, and many other symptoms. The 5W-50 in my experience is better on cold starts than 0-W40, and for extreme summer the 50 is also much better. I don't get puff of smoke on startup, have rarely heard the death rattle, and suspect some people may have overfilled their oil which would also be a factor in the puff of smoke. On changes, I always fill 9.5 quarts, and it's always spot on, with few exceptions. And I've drained a bit right from the crank case, carefully, after loosening the drain plug you can hold it against the hole, with a cup under it you tilt the drain plug and allow a "dose" of oil into the cup, and then screw in the plug again. Done carefully, unless you drop the drain plug, it's possible. So one could get an oil sample like this between oil changes, after the engine cools down somewhat, because you want oil with particles in suspension after running. I wouldn't get a sample from a cold engine which hasn't been started. And a rag or paper towel to wipe the drain plug and surrounding area is also a good idea, they get road grime which could contaminate the oil sample.
Anyone contemplating the Mobil 5W-50, I suggest Napa. 5W-50 is not easily found, but they have it and usually there's a sale. It's $6.99 qt right now so you can have it ready when it's time for the oil change
BTW, the PIWIS 100%-200% scale is really strange. I've had PIWIS for quite some time but haven't used the oil function, but it's supposed to be the most accurate. After a change, the engine must be fully hot above 200 degrees for an accurate oil level reading, and if the person panics with a low level reading before it's hot, adds oil, will end up overfilling- so in my experience, 9.5 qts is usually perfect-
JB
There are many threads on oil for these cars-the puff of smoke at start up, the "death rattle" on some startups, and many other symptoms. The 5W-50 in my experience is better on cold starts than 0-W40, and for extreme summer the 50 is also much better. I don't get puff of smoke on startup, have rarely heard the death rattle, and suspect some people may have overfilled their oil which would also be a factor in the puff of smoke. On changes, I always fill 9.5 quarts, and it's always spot on, with few exceptions. And I've drained a bit right from the crank case, carefully, after loosening the drain plug you can hold it against the hole, with a cup under it you tilt the drain plug and allow a "dose" of oil into the cup, and then screw in the plug again. Done carefully, unless you drop the drain plug, it's possible. So one could get an oil sample like this between oil changes, after the engine cools down somewhat, because you want oil with particles in suspension after running. I wouldn't get a sample from a cold engine which hasn't been started. And a rag or paper towel to wipe the drain plug and surrounding area is also a good idea, they get road grime which could contaminate the oil sample.
Anyone contemplating the Mobil 5W-50, I suggest Napa. 5W-50 is not easily found, but they have it and usually there's a sale. It's $6.99 qt right now so you can have it ready when it's time for the oil change
BTW, the PIWIS 100%-200% scale is really strange. I've had PIWIS for quite some time but haven't used the oil function, but it's supposed to be the most accurate. After a change, the engine must be fully hot above 200 degrees for an accurate oil level reading, and if the person panics with a low level reading before it's hot, adds oil, will end up overfilling- so in my experience, 9.5 qts is usually perfect-
JB
01-09-2024, 08:16 PM
#62
Noticed some huge inconsistencies in magnesium levels on some of the reports posted above. Looks like we have ranges from the single digits up to several hundred. My most recent analysis shows magnesium at 805ppm, while all prior readings were in yen mid teens. I have not changed oil types. Always used LM 5w40 on all prior and current samples. Any idea why there would be such a spike? I know it’s not a wear metal, so is it plausible that LM changed their additive package so drastically?
Last edited by GlenGT3; 01-09-2024 at 08:17 PM.
01-11-2024, 11:25 AM
#63
Rennlist Member
Noticed some huge inconsistencies in magnesium levels on some of the reports posted above. Looks like we have ranges from the single digits up to several hundred. My most recent analysis shows magnesium at 805ppm, while all prior readings were in yen mid teens. I have not changed oil types. Always used LM 5w40 on all prior and current samples. Any idea why there would be such a spike? I know it’s not a wear metal, so is it plausible that LM changed their additive package so drastically?