Yeah this is Mobil1 0W-40 with 2500 miles on it. I am actually disappointed about the fuel dilution since I specifically stopped warming my car up by idling and now I have more fuel in my oil. I will go back to warming up fully before leaving and then we will see next time.

But, the Mobil1 0W-40 did way better at 2500 miles than the highly acclaimed GC 0W-30 did at a measly 1500 miles.

Just email it to me dude and I will delete all of your personal data and post it up.

networkplus.scott@gmail.com

i didnt get an e mail notification from blackstone---got it in the regular mail.
ODiti

Oh, for mine they do both. I like the email version because you get it sooner and I am inpatient, haha.


What are your thoughts on the higher fuel percentage on this oil considering I stopped cold idling and started driving around the neighborhood slowly to warm her up?

This morning was the coldest day we have seen in San Antonio in years at 26F and it took over ten minutes for the oil to get to the 150F range. My car didn't move until then and the coolant was at about 165F at that point.

^Question about your new habits - would you say that your engine is running shorter, longer, or about the same period of time in your commute, when comparing your old vs. new habits? Include idle & drive time.

same every day--now i just keep my revs up a little more and the oil cooler blockers i have are finally getting my temps up.
i will bet my next uoa will be better and have less fuel.
with uoa it is also better to change just one thing at the time.

My engine would be running a little less because before i would let it sit and idle for 10 minutes or so until it warmed up fully. Now I drive around a little until its warmed up a bit and then hit the road. I'm back to just letting it idle until its warmed up fully.

I would stick with the strategy of warming up with a light load. It is more effective at warming up the engine.

I bet it is the way the apex seals are working (really how they are not going to perfectly seal the combustion area from the non-combustion area) that causes the problem. Then the question would be - during what mode does the most gas get thru? Idling, pig-rich full throttle, cruising at 3,000 rpm, cold weather. I am not knowledgeable enough to understand which of these would exacerbate the problem.

And since I am still in the honeymoon phase with my car, I am still enjoying its idiosyncrasies!

After the direct injection (reciprocating) engines came out, I know I saw something about gas dilution with them too. I think people were saying some oils could cope with it better than others.

Yes the Mobil1 0W-40 handles it well as the viscosity is in a very acceptable level after 2500 miles but I will not go over 3,000 on an oil change.

I will run a UOA on my current oil. I am borrowing OD's idea of Rotella, except that I found 10W30. I assume it still has a higher amount of zinc and phosphorus, but I won't know for a couple more months. I am doing an in-between start up procedure. For my cold start/commute, I do let it idle for a minute, then drive a few blocks slowly, then get on the freeway after 2 miles but don't rev beyond 4,000 for about 5 miles. At the end of my commute, I run it up to 7,000 a couple of times.

On Friday when i started my car at work (sitting at about 5 degrees all day) the engine cranked a tiny bit longer and when it started it went to 4,000 for a bit, then down to like 1300. Is that one of the oem starups or was something wrong?

The car has been pulsing more at idle lately - that had gone away after i started premixing and changed the plugs. It was worse right when i got the car at the end of Oct with 33k on it. I assume its missing.

Interesting. I wonder if it's simply a matter of how long the engine runs every time you start it. Makes sense, given the (low) oil temp data we have been seeing with these cars in a cold climate. At those lower temps, it just takes longer to thermally cleanse the oil.

Thats my point!
now that i can routinely get my temps to 190F i am seeing much less condensation on the dipstick---much less and sometimes totally gone.
Car runs better with oil temps 180 and above.
Hey Dude the 10w30 is not diesel oil --diesel will be a 15w/40.
OD

Diesel mo weights
 

Shell Roella T5 has 10w40 and 10w30 with most diesel manufactorers specs. With Rotella Triple T more engine builders approve 15w40 than 10w30.

Mobil 1 0w40 is also CF spec for diesel engines especially car diesels, but probably less of the good stuff, since trucks can run their oil 40,000 or 50,000 miles between changes.

Notice that the zinc phos on my uoa 0w40 is fairly low which should be fine since we don't have sliding cams to worry about, and it'll go easy on the cat. It does have a lot of moly and boron is also for anti-wear.

This forum gave me lots of simple tips like premix, dewall the air box, take out the left floor rest, magnets on oil filter, etc.

I bought some 1"x2" magnets at Lowes hardware and put on all my cars oil filters. I think you can lower iron particles, and it might help some.

Just got my shipment of 09' Filters from Paul today :)

My bottles do say Rotella T Triple Protection. Is T5 the synthetic version of Rotella?

Then I am out of luck - my car turns over slower just from switching from 5W30 to 10W30. My next choice would then need to be synthetic.

Shell Rotella T5 is synthetic blend diesel spec oil 10w30 and 10w40.

Shell Rotella T6 is full synthetic diesel spec oil 5w40.

Shell Rotella Triple T is dino diesel spec oil 15w40 and 10w30.

Seriously? The viscosity will not effect starting.

Of course it does.

Thats EXACTLY the point of having a lower COLD viscosity.

Doesn't make a difference in San Antonio, but shure as hell does in Montreal.

Diesel can be anything, we can get 0w-30 oil for diesels over here just the same as you can for a petrol engine...

Only in very, very, very cold climates I suppose. Let's find out where he is from.

Minnesnowta. Minne-below-ta as in below zero every morning the last week. We will have an above average 30 degree high on Tues!!!

well learn something everyday.
I did not know you could get a 10W 30 diesel oil. well- now i know you can--but it is not certified for all diesel use like the 15W/40 is. I will stick with the common vis.
I dont go into the synthetics-- i stick with petro since i change oil so often.

Just curious,

Has anyone sent their same sample to more than one oil analysis labs? It would be interesting to see the variation in testing methods. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a belief that the test results are rock solid and 100% accurate.

Redundant testing would show this. Just curious.

Eric--- agreed. But, to me it is sort of like dynoing a car. Stick with one dyno/lab as the results are unque (to a point) to your vechicle. So its really not a "finding/result" I am looking for, its a trend.
So many things can influence a uao.
But it does give me something to do while I making a mess.
OD

Actually I have read that there can be some discrepancies in the testing that make the results useless so I do plan on sending a sample to another lab I am trying to find another lab with reasonable prices. Any recommendations? I also plan on sending a virgin sample in for testing I am just wondering if I should tell Blackstone it is used oil just to see what results I get.