I decided with this oil change to go ahead and have an oil analysis done on my old oil to see how everything was holding up. Overall it is doing well and there aren't any signs of excessive wear or internal parts. Keep in mind I only went the mileage recommended by the oil manufacturer which is 7000 miles. The 7000 miles brought my OLM to 38%, but the test results show that the additives were close to being gone. This made me think that if I went the life of the OLM that the oil additives would be used up before the oil would need to be changed. I just have a goal to find an oil that will last, while still being effective, in the time period of the OLM.

Anyways, on the oil change before last I had my oil filter collapsing a little and on this one nothing was collapsed. The analysis was done on Schaeffer 7000 series synthetic blend. I switched to Amsoil full synthetic on this oil change which is rated to 25,000 or when it is due by manufacturers specifications. I am going to run out the OLM and have this oil analyzed to see how it holds up.

According to the lab anything less than 1 on the TBN is too low and mine is at 1.4. Here is the link on how to read through it if anybody wants to http://www.blackstone-labs.com/report-explanation.php


MILES ON OIL 6800
MILES ON UNIT 66089
SAMPLE DATE 07/18/11
MAKE UP OIL 0 QTS


Unit Averages Universal Averages

ALUMINUM 6 4
CHROMIUM 1 1
IRON 12 12
COPPER 1 2
LEAD 0 0
TIN 1 1
MOLYBDENUM 220 57
NICKEL 0 0
MANGANESE 1 1
SILVER 0 0
TITANIUM 0 0
POTASSIUM 4 2
BORON 12 75
SILICON 9 11
SODIUM 104 34
CALCIUM 1805 1995
MAGNESIUM 15 30
PHOSPHORUS 645 610
ZINC 737 738
BARIUM 0 0


OIL Values Should Be

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 53.1 56-63
cSt Viscosity @ 100 C 8.22 9.1-11.3
Flashpoint in °F 370 >365
Fuel % <0.5 <1.0
Antifreeze % 0
Water % 0.0 <0.1
Insolubles % 0.2 <0.6
TBN 1.4

The 7000 miles brought my OLM to 38%, but the test results show that the additives were close to being gone.

This made me think that if I went the life of the OLM that the oil additives would be used up before the oil would need to be changed.

Thank you for your service !!

The results so far are about as I expected......and your conclusions are reasonable. Might not be totally right, but totally reasonable. :)

I suspect that it's gonna take a full, real synthetic to go the distance.
Amsoil is one and the recently re-introduced Mobil 1 Extended Performance is another. There aren't many other "true" synthetics widely available.

One of the main advantages of a true synthetic is its resistance to thrermal breakdown of the base stock. Dino oil tends to "char" and create carbon ash. A true synthetic doesn't do that hardly at all at normal engine temperatures. Result: less sludge, and less carbon buildup elsewhere. Those little carbon particles are abrasive.

I wonder if Mobil will bring back the "blowtorch under the spoon" commercial ?? :D

Another thing to consider is this:

Most engine damage occurs during cold starts. Full synthetic oil flows more easily and quickly to fill the oil galleries, providing more protection during that critical period than dino oil does.

Coupling that with what you said gives full syn a marked advantage over dino oil. Period. Even if I go back to 3000-mile OCIs I intend to stay with full syn.

Also, Amsoil offers a line of oils labeled "OE". They are designed to be changed at 10K or less (less zinc??) and cost quite a bit less than the 25K version. I got my first oil change through a distributor locally, then found that O'Reilly's sells it off the shelf for a reasonable price so I got my second oil change oil from there, and the filter, a Purolator LP12222, from Pep Boys.

Thank you for your service !!

The results so far are about as I expected......and your conclusions are reasonable. Might not be totally right, but totally reasonable. :)

I suspect that it's gonna take a full, real synthetic to go the distance.
Amsoil is one and the recently re-introduced Mobil 1 Extended Performance is another. There aren't many other "true" synthetics widely available.

One of the main advantages of a true synthetic is its resistance to thrermal breakdown of the base stock. Dino oil tends to "char" and create carbon ash. A true synthetic doesn't do that hardly at all at normal engine temperatures. Result: less sludge, and less carbon buildup elsewhere. Those little carbon particles are abrasive.

I wonder if Mobil will bring back the "blowtorch under the spoon" commercial ?? :D

I know my thoughts may not be totally correct, but they were theories just based off of the results. Overall I am happy with the results that I got, but the sodium is up high which was said could either be residual oil from before or coolant which I doubt.

I ran full synthetic all the time in the ram I had and loved how well it kept things clean. I was trying to go with a synthetic blend to help save some money, but if it won't hold up for the long run very well I'll spend the extra money and go full synthetic. In this case the amsoil full synthetic was a lot more per quart. I may go back to Schaeffer 900 series on the next oil change since it is a true full synthetic and it is $3 less per quart than amsoil, but is just as good.

The only reasons I run synthetics is for the better cold flow properties and the better resistance against breaking down prematurely. I don't believe there is any gain in gas mileage as advertised on many of the big name companies. I am going to have to look up the "blowtorch under the spoon commercial", it sounds kinda funny.


Another thing to consider is this:

Most engine damage occurs during cold starts. Full synthetic oil flows more easily and quickly to fill the oil galleries, providing more protection during that critical period than dino oil does.

Coupling that with what you said gives full syn a marked advantage over dino oil. Period. Even if I go back to 3000-mile OCIs I intend to stay with full syn.

Also, Amsoil offers a line of oils labeled "OE". They are designed to be changed at 10K or less (less zinc??) and cost quite a bit less than the 25K version. I got my first oil change through a distributor locally, then found that O'Reilly's sells it off the shelf for a reasonable price so I got my second oil change oil from there, and the filter, a Purolator LP12222, from Pep Boys.

After someone on here was talking about how amsoil was available at oriely's, I had to see if there was one in my area. Found out I drove past one a few times week and never noticed it:). Anyways, they had both of the amsoil you mentioned so I picked some up to give it a try. I went with the 25K oil since from everything I read over on BITOG said that it was a good oil. I did want to go with the Schaeffer 9000 series, but I wouldn't have been able to get it for two weeks since it had to be ordered.

This guy went 13K on the factory fill oil, would really liked to have seen that oil filter :eek:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-chevrolet-cruze-general-discussion-forum/3175-13-961-miles-factory-fill-oil.html

Also, Amsoil offers a line of oils labeled "OE". They are designed to be changed at 10K or less (less zinc??) and cost quite a bit less than the 25K version.

I suggest that you research that a little bit more.

My suspicion is that it is group 3 dino oil like the rest of the industry produces and calls "synthetic" (only because of shyster lawyers).

Getting a straight answer out of Amsoil might be a problem though. :rolleyes:

If you read the Cruze thread mentioned above, that group of guys have a good handle on things except the guy running 13 K, to me, he went way too far but maybe his mix of driving would allow something closer to 10K. No TBN reading in his analysis leaves a question to me. I'm all for saving resources and not wasting oil but I'm also for having an engine that gives me good service life and for that you reap what you sew. When you mention 'true' synthetic, I do believe you mean group 4 and/or group 5 base oil only, correct? If this would be correct, where is there some statement from an oil supplier stating their product, whatever it is, is ONLY group 4 or 5 base? Pennzoil Ultra is NOT, and I applaud them for their honesty. If M1EP is such an oil, where is there some reliable proof? Just curiosity killing me.

When you mention 'true' synthetic, I do believe you mean group 4 and/or group 5 base oil only, correct? If this would be correct, where is there some statement from an oil supplier stating their product, whatever it is, is ONLY group 4 or 5 base?

Yes. Made from a non-petroleum base stock.

All of Amsoil's product USED to be; have my doubts about their new cheaper stuff.

As for M1EP, something on the label led me to believe that......but it really was an ASSumption on my part. :rolleyes:

As a consumer, we need to be careful and read through the advertising hype most products, not just synthetic motor oil, have on their packaging. A lot of synthetic oils read 'full synthetic' on the label but really contain at least some amount of group 3 oil which leaves you in a gray area. Group 3 oil can be called synthetic when it's petroleum based oil that's just very highly refined. Up until getting this car a couple months ago, I was petroleum oil only, I saw no need for synthetic oil in my old truck. Now with a new motor and conventional oil going up and up in price, I looked at synthetic. In my research, I spent quite a bit of time reading the Motor Oil Bible and BITOG. I learned quite a bit and some of that learning was that oil companies weren't giving a lot of straight up answers about their product, usually falling back on good old proprietary information. Pennzoil is one of the few that gave what I believe to be a straight answer about what the base oil was in their product. Quite a few guys are making statements about their favorite oil in the forums I've visited, not just here, but very, very few have a straight up answer from the oil company itself concerning any aspect of their oil much less base stock. Additive package contents, okay, if you want to fall back on proprietary information to keep it a secret, I understand, but base oil, come on. In a street driven vehicle is it really advantageous to be all group 4 and 5 oil? Track use is different from daily driver. Based on what I've read, unless I interpreted it wrong, group 4 and 5 oils cannot on their own do a better all around job than a mix of group 3 with group 4 and or group 5 in a street driven vehicle. Another statement made by Pennzoil was that they used no ester based oil at all in any of their product and saw no need to do so. Ester is group 5 oil correct? If someone has some information that can be VERIFIED that contradicts what I just said, I'd love to read it. The lack of reliable information on the contents of synthetic oil bothers me. Feel free to chime in, I'm here to learn too.