14100 km blotter spot at 72 hrs, Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 (bought from Giant).

Absence of centre zone perimeter ring, and going ......




This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 8 2019, 11:15 PM

Thanks, BZT.
This is probably SN only.
Magnatec 10W40 with SL and A3B4 used to be available from Tesco/Aeon Big, but no more now.

BZT,

Firstly, I would speculate your 1999 Wira manual calls for API SJ or SH/SG and these are difficult to get in the market today.

In itself , SL spec is inferior than SN which supercedes SM and SL etc.
However, an API SL with ACEA say, A3B4 specification is stronger or better than a sole rated API SL specification in respect of :
a) Better base oil quality is required to pass the more stringent A3B4 spcifications, and
b) Better or higher quality additive package is required to pass the more stringent A3B4 specs, among others.

Is API SL with A3B4 specification exceeds or surpass an API SN specification in (a) and (b) above ?
This answer is not straight forward in general terms as there are different test sequences for each of them above.

Having said this an API SN with A3B4 specification is stronger than sole rated API SN specification in (a) and/or (b) above.

But please bear in mind that when it comes to specific or individual products , I wouldn't say for certainty every single SN/A3B4 product in our market is surpassing or superior than ALL SN products, if you understand what I mean.

As oil companies are withholding 'proprietary' performance parameters from consumers,IMHO it's prudent and proper to make purchase decisions base on API/ACEA specifications and standards, whilst allowing for unknowns in individual variations between products.

In gist , my oil selection methodology follows a certain sequence like;
1) First, look for OEM approvals in VW, MB , BMW, Porsche etc then, >>>>>>
2) ACEA specifications like C3,C2, A3B4, A5B5 etc then lastly , >>>>>>
3) API SN/SM/SL etc , whilst taking note of price/ value for money and whether it's fully synthetic or semi synthetics or minerals.
Note:In practice, I ignored totally API SN/SM/SL ratings for its irrelevance in my oil selection.

In other words, I would pick a mineral SM/A3B4 over another semi synthetic SN for its technical specifications.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 9 2019, 10:54 PM

Aeon Big Subang Jaya:
Magnatec SN 10W40 (Made in Thailand/Malaysia) , 4L for RM159 list price.


Total Quartz 7000 Energy SN A3B4 10W40 (Made in EU/France) , 5L for RM129 list price.
Note:In post #1,I used SL version.


This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 13 2019, 02:10 PM

In your case , follow mileage will do , not time as we always heard as Malaysia never had winter or for that matter spring/autumn where cold temperature promotes corrosion.

You may consider using a cheaper semi synthetic for 2 years of 10,000 km usage, IMO.

Note: Our minimum ambient temperature is 24*C, vs gwailous winter temperature up to -40*C or lower , go figure.

Note2: I had seen a few UOA's of 4-7 year old used engine oils on Bitog that demonstrates tip top condition.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 14 2019, 03:24 PM

Tesco sold me Total SL A3B4 10W40 in 2015 .
For past 2 years or so, I couldn't get from Tesco /Aeon Big and Giant.
Surprised that Total SN A3B4 10W40 5L pack could be found today in Aeon Big (Subang Jaya) for RM 129 list.
Btw, Giant has promotion for fully synthetic Helix Ultra 5W40 SN A3B4 vw ,MB for RM 99 often times.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 14 2019, 03:22 PM

17138 km blotter at 50 hrs.

Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 (from Giant)




Still absence of centre zone perimeter ring .

Oil changed for CNY.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 15 2019, 01:46 PM

Remember both SHU 5W40 and 5W30 have powerful OEM approvals in MB 229.5; BMW LL01; Porsche A40; VW 502 505; A3B4 etc.

VOA Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 (Russia)

This VOA is for current generation of SHU 5W40 'Activ Cleansing' with Pure Plus Technology.
Pure Plus Technology is a GTL Gas-To-Liquid technology intro somewhere in 2014 , IIRC.
It has a voa Noack of 6.8%.

Current SHU 5W30, being a MB 229.5 spec would have a Noack of < 10 % .
I would speculate a SHU 5W30 is likely to have even lower Noack than a SHU 5W40 meaning < 6.8 %.

Note:My blotter spot is for SHU 5W40 with Pure Plus Technology, i.e with 'Actic Cleansing' logo on the bottle.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 16 2019, 10:17 PM

Toyota Type IV ATF
32138 km in Avanza 1.3 automatic transmissions.
50 hour blotter spot.

Hi Wkc,
Wow , a very clean and clear 7400 km blotter spot from Helix H7 5W30.
There is absence of perimeter ring center zone.
Generally not much of contaminants and combustion by products in 7400 km usage as dispersion zone is not greyish , indicating engine is in tip top condition.
At outermost zone, there is an indication of fuel dilution either caused by cold sample or injection system. I suppose Mazda3 (Is it 2.0L ?) comes with direct injection, I would attribute this as the main cause.
Having said this, in contrary to popular belief UOA's of say, <20/30000 km have shown that most fuel dilution incidences do not cause increase in metal wear (in ppm) though there is obvious drop in viscosity.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 24 2019, 10:35 AM

Short trips is not favourable for long OCI, especially in countries with cold winters.
Now for our hot climate , the 'negative' is marginal IMHO.
For those of you not comfortable with (Euro) semi synthetic OCI > 10,000 km in normal circumstances, may be you can consider 8000 km or 2 years.
As I'd done > 16000 km OCI with Total Euro Qaurtz Energy 10W40 semi synthetic in Avanza before , I would be comfortable with 10000 km or 2 years with short trips.
15,000 km ? .... I'm not comfortable , for now.
Anyway, in lieu of exorbitantly expensive and time consuming UOA, a simple and cost free blotter spot test would be my option to push the limits beyond 10,000 km.

Hi Sean77,
My oil selection approach for Asian engines is :
a )OEM specs approvals like MB 229.5; MB 229.51; VW 50400; VW 505.01;....... , then
b )ACEA C3, A5B5, A3B4 etc with lower MB 229.3 , VW 50200 specifications .... and lastly,
c )SN,SM,SL .....which I kind of ignore as these are always part of (a) and (b) above.
No semisyn/mineral oils can meet (a) specs as almost all of them are fully synthetic.
Most (b) are semi synthetics and balance goes to minerals.
Note: For Euro engines, stick to OEM factory specs please .

Alternatively, comparing blotter spot tests images of various fully synthetic/ semi synthetic/mineral oils on Post #1 here may be a supplementary approach for a kind of performance evaluation, bearing in mind there exists differences in engine conditions and driving styles etc.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 28 2019, 09:11 AM

Are you using RON 95 or RON 97 ?
Have a read on Mazda3.

The perimeter ring of centre zone disappears in later blotter spot sample, which is good news indicating detergency/dispersancy properties of this Honda oil is still strong.
Unable to figure out why do earlier 3222 km sample demonstrates some signs of perimeter ring that disappers in longer use ?
Generally later 4622 km sample is more grayish, indicating higher amount of combustion by-products and that's normal for an oil in use longer, IMHO.
Looks like this used Honda 0W30 is good to go for another 2000-4000 km and then see how the blotter spot develops.

Ok , got it as that circular motion helps to spread out the contaminant particulates (of varying mass/weights) away from the centre zone .

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 10 2019, 01:42 PM

Concur with your position as I have not read of such 'procedures' being recommended in limited number of webpages online .

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 10 2019, 01:45 PM

Hi Fenix98,
Just any A4 letterhead from says bills/statements of TM, banks etc will do .
I've tried A4 with 70gm/80gm printing papers and see no difference.
So called chromatographic paper is difficult to source and may not be necessary, IMO for our purpose.

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 10 2019, 09:35 PM

Hi Jamespaul,
During 1970/80's , local OEM SC's had been recommending oil filter life of 10,000 km (i.e 2 oil changes @ 5000 km) till todate with use of API SE/SF oils and obsolete manufacturing technology such as 'metal finishing' on contacting components like crankshafts, camshafts, piston rings and piston liners.

As I understand it some (not sure if it's all) Europe VW and MB recommends 30,000 km oil change with Long Life oils like VW 50400 50700, MB 229.5, MB 229.51 etc but not sure about filter change intervals unless some readers can confirm it.

There maybe a 'progressive' OEM SC in KL recommending 15,000 km filter change coinciding with oil change,I don't know and I would like to know if there is any local OEM SC recommending 2X10,000 km or 2X15,000 km filter change.

I'd personally extended filter change to 17,138 km as per my blotter spot tests here with 280k ODO and I strongly believe my blotter is 'clean' enough for extending further filter change interval.

Instead of theorising and speculating on this one may spend chunks of money on UOA and Particle Counts or a cheapo blotter spot test for better 'feel' .

Edit:With my limited knowledge on how oil filter works in our cars, I don't buy the concept of extending oil change interval by replacing oil filter mid way of OCI.
I wouldn't be surprised if 30,000 km filter change interval is recommended in Europe, IDK.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 5 2019, 12:58 PM