Factory Oil Analysis

[MrDouble]

****Updated with 4th UOA on post# 42.

****Updated with 3rd UOA on post# 40.

****Updated with 2nd UOA on post# 29.

Saw someone post oil analysis results and thought I'd post mine from 1st oil change I did couple of weeks ago which is the factory oil w/ 3195mi.

Interesting to note that as many have suspected, wt is 5w/20 even though Mazda recommends 5w/30. And no fuel in oil .

Put in Castrol syn blend 5w/30 and planning to run it for 5K. Then switch to full syn and run 8-9K intervals, depending on analysis.

 

[BillTheCat]

Thank you for sharing this. Safe to assume your engine is unmodified thus far?

 

[MrDouble]

Only mod is CAI installed at around 1200mi.

 

[gtlaw]

interesting. I'm glad I changed mine at 400 miles

 

[JamesCH]

I'd be very interested to see what the degradation is for synth oil. Very cool analysis!

 

[BlackCherry06]

Only mod is CAI installed at around 1200mi.

There's your high silicon count.

 

[MrDouble]

Yup, I thought hoses on CAI looked thinner.

 

[liquidflem]

There's your high silicon count.

Curious what makes this raise the silicate count

 

[BlackCherry06]

Silicon particles smaller than the filter's micron level pass through the media, enter the combustion chamber and end up in the oil. Have heard this same result from several folks on the Mazda 3 forum I used to frequent, as well as some guys on BITOG...all of whom have installed a low-restriction filter of some sort. K&N is the worst offender according to used oil analyses I've seen.

 

[JamesCH]

Couldn't also be because there are extra silicon fittings associated with a CAI that are flexing and abrading particles down-stream of the filter into the intake charge?

 

[///M Compact]

My copper number was 83 ppm at 10000 miles(5000 mile OCI). I have a MSCAI on my sled and at 45000 miles the copper number was 1 ppm and my Silicon number was 7 ppm- again with a 5000 mile OCI.

 

[JamesCH]

Seems like the Si is just from gasket material then...

 

[MrDouble]

Next interval results should be telling as to where silicon is coming from.

 

[BillTheCat]

Next interval results should be telling as to where silicon is coming from.

Indeed. Will be interested to see the results. Thanks for going to the trouble & for sharing with us.

 

[nhluhr]

Couldn't also be because there are extra silicon fittings associated with a CAI that are flexing and abrading particles down-stream of the filter into the intake charge?

No. The fittings on a CAI are made from silicone, which is a thermosetting polymer consisting largely of carbon. Yes, silicone does contain silicon, but it is in molecular form and the silicon is not going to escape the molecular bonds of the silicone polymer to contaminate your engine.

Silicon on the other hand, is an element that you often find in sand and other airborne dust, which is why a low-restriction filter increases silicon content.

 

[cucamelsmd15]

I had my factory fill analyzed at 7100mi. Ill see if I can dig the analysis out sometime tonight. I just sent off my second sample (PP 5w30) this week.

 

[nhluhr]

Here is a sheet showing several of my analysis numbers... newest on the left, oldest on the right. You can see that high silicon is typical for a first oil change and that it drops off dramatically afterwards.

 

[JamesCH]

No. The fittings on a CAI are made from silicone, which is a thermosetting polymer consisting largely of carbon. Yes, silicone does contain silicon, but it is in molecular form and the silicon is not going to escape the molecular bonds of the silicone polymer to contaminate your engine.

Silicon on the other hand, is an element that you often find in sand and other airborne dust, which is why a low-restriction filter increases silicon content.

Ok, I buy that for the most part. I'd still believe that small parts of silicone could register a higher-than-normal Si reading depending on how the oil is analyzed. A Si atom is always an Si atom after all, and will get similar readings from testing methods like XRF or mass spec even if they're bound up in carbon. It's possible to be a combination of both.

 

[cucamelsmd15]

Ok, I buy that for the most part. I'd still believe that small parts of silicone could register a higher-than-normal Si reading depending on how the oil is analyzed. A Si atom is always an Si atom after all, and will get similar readings from testing methods like XRF or mass spec even if they're bound up in carbon. It's possible to be a combination of both.

Huh? Silicon atoms dont just magically break free of a silicone fitting.

 

[JamesCH]

Huh? Silicon atoms dont just magically break free of a silicone fitting.

Couldn't also be because there are extra silicon fittings associated with a CAI that are flexing and abrading particles down-stream of the filter into the intake charge?