Hi 90Boyz,

Whilst petrol fumes from exhaust may indicate 'rich' burning, this 400 km blotter doesn't indicate fuel dilution IMO.

As owner ,I would walk away to others if this 'MB specialist' recommends me fuel injectors replacement.

Btw, what was the basis/reasons for fuel pump replacement previously ? Difficult 'starting' after 1 year idle may be helped with injector service rather than fuel pump replacement , hence it should not be the reason leading to fuel pump replacement , IME.

Generally fumes could be caused by leaks at fuel tank accessories, fuel line joints , improper reassembly of joints during fuel pump replacement job , hardened injector seals (once it was 'touched by injector disassembly' during previous fuel pump job) etc.

Edit:Meanwhile consider temporary use of 'fuel injector cleaners' , and select BHP RON 95 petrol for its '800 ppm' fuel additives content.
No, this car doesn't need RON 97 whether or not it's a fuel guzzler but I suppose your friend could afford it.

This post has been edited by zeng: Aug 28 2019, 01:34 PM

Oops, may need to do some research on MB 229.3 that's suitable and relevant for a 1994 Mercedes-Benz S600 6.0L V12 petrol port injection engine whose Shell HX3 20W50 SL (without MB 229.1/229.3) blotter spot is as above.

It's M120 engine doesn't quite need the extended interval MB 229.5 oils.

noted on the comment, he will send his W140 to check on the injector seal's conditions and make sure all injector are in working conditions and meanwhile he is using 3M fuel injector cleaner combo with BHP Ron95 as per advise.

This post has been edited by 90Boyz: Aug 29 2019, 12:58 PM

Don't forget the petrol filter, look into the cheaper parts 1st before going into more expensive components.

It is a good idea to replace the cheapo fuel filter in such an old age car whose maintenance history may be quite 'unknown' to new owner.
Having said that, I believe a malfunction or blocked fuel filter should not cause petrol smells in exhaust fumes.

yup, the fuel filter are changed along with fuel pump.

Has come across an M1 EP 5W30 UOA at 12000 miles (not km) on Bitog and it performed very well.

Will see if I'm able to trace the UOA on Bitog and upload here accordingly for the benefit of readers .

Btw, MI EP 5W30 has 20-30 % Group IV Poly Alpha Olefins (PAO) base oil.



This post has been edited by zeng: Aug 31 2019, 11:58 AM

Wow, Quite a surprise it has PAO for the EP. Looks positive as I will look forward to continue using this engine oil in many oil change to come. I do have thought of switching to other oils but since this EP exceeds much. Will just use this oil instead.

Hi @zeng
Could you spare some time to evaluate this 48 hr blotter spot?
Thank you Sir.

EO: Mannol Diesel Extra 10W40 CH-4/SL
Engine: Nissan GA16 Carburetor
Odo: 305584 km
EO mileage: 8325 km
Usage condition: 95% stop/go traffic in town, 4-5 times start-stop daily


Attached thumbnail(s)

Hi Chemistry, thank you for sharing the blotter spot test of a HDEO Mannol Diesel Extra 10W40 CH-4/SL semi synthetic .

Usage condition of 95% stop/go in town and 4-5 times daily start-stop would be considered by all if not most vehicle OEM's as severe service, cutting its normal OCI to half typically.

What more we are talking about an oldie carburretter engine that typically calls for short OCI in the good old days.

Having said that this 8325 km oil is traditionally considered as 'too' long an OCI for a carburretter engine but you know what, this used oil is fit for continuing service basing on the following:

a) this oil is dispersing the soots/dirt/contaminates away from deposit spot very well, though it's graying/darkish colour indicates quite an amount of soot/dirt etc ;
b) there is absence of 'emergence' of centre zone;
c) there is absence of structures/rings/halos on blotter spot;
d) there is quite an indication of fuel dilution, probably inherent in a typical carburretter engine but , it's not a big deal really.



According to the following picture, I would rank or classify your blotter spot condition as good sitting in between Spot 1 and Spot 2.

These pictures advise only planning/scheduling an oil change AFTER this oil has further worsened/deteriorated to Spot 7 ......
it remains an advice though , as all of us would get freak-out here.




Source

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 1 2019, 12:16 PM

Thank you so much, @zeng , for sharing invaluable insights.
I think I'm going to stretch to 10,000km then only drain it out. 10k is enough already, considering the oil has been in service since 1-Sep-2018. Initially I planned to change oil in this week.

This blotter spot test of yours demonstrates engine oil life of today is quite independent of, or not quite influenced/dictated by :
a )fuel dilution, arising from carburretter engine , and
b )12 month usage limitation of engine oil, which does not lead to 'automatic' condemnation of oil.

The above 'conclusions' are also being backed up by numerous Used Oil Analyses.

IME, your suggested 10,000 km OCI is likely to be a non-issue in terms of used oil quality.

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 2 2019, 10:57 PM

so this is about a week plus after applying seafoam. i think its a 72 hours pic after taking sample


and this is after 2 days change out the seafoam, with giant shell helix hx8 5w30 SL.
changed the filter as well. i believe this is also 72 hours pic after taking sample



from pic, it seems like i dont need to change the oil again (sacrificial oil) after changing out seafoam, seems pretty clear to me.
but its weird that this sample oil is gray rather than usual brown color.

but this is also first time i use this oil.

all this while using 5w30, changed to 5w40 on jan, switched back to 5w30 now, feel back the smoothness. but...i do feel like its smoother from my feel using 5w30 previously.
so it could be seafoam is really working.

Hi Bro,

This a-week plus after seafoam blotter spot looks less grayish, hence cleaner than your previous two-day after seafoam blotter spot below,

.... this presents confusion as to 'why' the inconsistencies in blotter picture appearance/display that could be explained by variations in circumstantial factors , back lighting etc between the two occassions on blotter taking.

But, one thing remains valid is the supposed 'increase' in dirt/soot/contaminants or dispersancy breakdown after one-week plus seafoam usage has not caused rapid oil deterioration to 'destroy' this HGEO 0W30 to the extent that it warrants 'so soon' a removal or replacement as advised by seafoam factory/experts.


Comparing this 2-day usage blotter spot of yours against another HX8 5W30 SL 1069 km blotter of 90Boyz several posts above, the 2 day usage blotter (after changing out seafoam'ed HGEO 0W30) demonstrate observable graying dirt/soot etc . Would the blotter darkened further ? Possibly.
Btw, I'm equally surprised at absence of yellowish/brownish coloured blotter spot appearance , as normally observed.

But at this stage of blotter appearance, I'm of the opinion this HX8 doesn't warrant immediate replacement as 'sacrificial' oil , yet. Instead it may be construed as wasteful, as far as residual oil qualities is concerned.

As regards, attributing smoothness feel etc upon oil replacement to having seafoam'ed is , IMHO, a placebo effect I speculate , unless and until this seafoam left behind adequate amounts of Moly ,Titanium and/or Boron additives after oil change, which it did not purport to claim .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 5 2019, 02:10 PM

UOA M1 EP 5W30 7110 miles (11,400 km) in Mazda 2.3L with fuel dilution ,TBN 4.7 .
Unable to retrace 12,000 miles UOA for now.


Edit:As I understand it, M1 EP 5W30 has a virgin TBN of 9.48 .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 7 2019, 01:16 PM

Simple Oil Blotter Test


Source

Honda City Gm2 year 2009
Current Odo : 113,040km
Date: 20/09/2019
Blotter time : 11pm (picture after 48hrs)
oil age : 3,155km
Engine oil used :
Type: Shell Helix HX8 X 5w30

Hi Bro,
You have a very clean 3155 km blotter spot test here, free of centre zone and also free of gray colour zone that relates to contaminants/dirt/wear etc.

I would rank this oil as in Spot 1 with plenty of life in it.



How long you intend to go on this HX8?

Edit: Is your HX8 a SL or SN ?

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 23 2019, 11:42 AM

Hi Bro Zeng,

Again thanks for the detail explanation on my blotted spot test here, appreciate the effort.
The Shell Helix H8 X 5w30 was rate for API SN Plus/SN
For this oil i might try on hitting 10k KM and see how it goes.

Mobil 1 New Life 0W40 (from Tesco)
13021 km in 2005 Avanza 1.3 K3VE engine
ODO 292545 km
Blotter spot 72 hrs.


Absence of centre/deposit zone and its perimeter ring,
...... and going

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 27 2019, 06:25 PM