72 hr blotter



Looks ok at 10,616 km ....... and going.

Mushigen, thanks for uploading the 7000 km blotter spot test.

The 2 hour blotter is real impressive, but I believe 48 or 72 hrs ones are more reliable and consistent.

The 48 hour blotter spot does not show any centre zone (normally about 6-8 mm size in diameter ) which is oil drop zone, indicating oil detergency and dispersancy is in tip-top condition.Absence of opaque center zone is a good indication of serviceable oil condition.

You may uploade another 72 or 96 hr Blotter spot to confirm the absence/presence of 'centre zone', if any.
If there is a centre zone, whether it is large size and is shrinking to smaller size, and whether is dark coloured or light coloured , and whether is transparent or opaque.
However , there is some dark coloured or light black scattered dots indicating carbon/combustion products or soot particles possibly caused by frequent cold running engine with 3 km (severe duty) which overall is considered very mild.

This oil is still serviceable and you may continue with this same oil , by 8500-9000 km take another blotter spot for assessment.
If you'd replace the oil, in future the OCI of similar oil brand may be extended to 10,000 km and evaluate further.

Note:If your oil has MB 229.5 and VW 50200 50500 approvals, then this is among one of the top oils in this region (though the brand is unknown for now), which I believe 10000-15000 km OCI is no sweat really. Unfortunately there is no further details from you.
If it has MB 229.3, it's as good though weaker than a MB 229.5 .

Btw, what's the car and model number, Model Year and km ?

JMHO.

This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 3 2017, 10:27 PM

Yep, your latest 72 hr Blotter Spot Test confirms the 'absence' of centre zone (which is good news) and hence the oil's capability is still good and intact.

It also indicates contaminants/insolubles( from some dark grey scattered spots) as mild and acceptable.
I consider this 7000 km used oil as fit for continuing service.

Taking blotter test in a cold engine tends to show up 'presence' of fuel dilution ( observe the outermost band of colourless light band surrounding the coloured zones) which may not be representative of the hot engine oil sample.

Your cold sample shows signs of fuel dilultion, which may not be valid with a hot sample in most cases.
But your hot sample also shows signs of fuel dilution which I consider as definitive, in relation to a cold sample,
that there is fuel dilution issue in the oil ...... as confirmed by the hot engine oil blotter spot test.

Of course some may argue that UOA is required for confirmation of fuel dilution.

Edit: Oops, by hot I meant the engine was operating for at least say, 20-30 minutes prior to taking blotter sample.

This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 5 2017, 09:36 AM

Nice to know there are fellow kakis pushing semisyn 10W40 to 15k km OCI.
Btw, may I know your engine oil specs/brand and car specs please ?

Wow, with 50k a year you are a good candidate for 400k-600k km mileage car in time.
Highway miles are in a way easy on oils, in particular when oil viscosity grade is thick enough as like a xW40 in our local ambients.
I believe 15k OCI for Euro oil in 2009 Hyundai Matrix should be ok, but I would exercise caution on non-Euro oil with close monitoring.
Lately 10W40 semisyn Euro oils in Castrol Magnatec and Total Quartz 7000 are hard to come by, but fortunately Helix 7 Euro oil is still easily available.

That's typical 'fear' of the unknown ...

That's real crazy pricings, but their target customers are industrial/fleet users by playing on their 'fears' as what gomen does to general citizens.

There is a member here Alcyon does it far cheaper incurring RM200+ by sending sample to Blackstone Lab usa.

I'd done UOA FOC from Petronas and Caltex for specific occassions and I don't subscribe to paid services by OEM's.

Hence my playing around with Blotter Spot Tests which costs me zero sen.

This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 9 2017, 10:33 AM

Tech Plus (Aeon Big) Full Synthetics 5W40
5200 km in 2007 Myvi 1.3L K3VE
48 hr Blotter
..frequent short trips <11 km

72 hr Blotter.
No centre zone observed.



This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 14 2017, 12:46 PM

Thanks for upload.
Though the image is blur'ish, it looks like to me there is no signs of presence of centre zone (oil drop size of about 6-8 mm diameter) and absence of greying/darkish coloured patches (meaning insolubles, oxidation contaminants, combustion byproducts etc), which is good news.
Can you upload a clearer image preferably 48/72 hours after drop to confirm presence/absence of centre zone and greyish/darkish patches inside and outside of centre zone ?

Unitron, I am of the opinion that this 11k+ Blotter shows absence of centre zone (of about 6-8 mm diameter) ...... and this is good news that oil detergency and dispersancy is still in tip top capacity without extensive agglomeration of oxidative/combustion products etc.

There is very mild 'greyish' patch indicating 'low' levels of oxidative/combustion products and insolubles.

I believe this used oil is still serviceable and would recommend taking another blotter spot in 1500-2000 km, if you haven't replaced the oil.

JMHO.

This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 21 2017, 12:17 AM

This spec of Magnatec Stop-Start fullsyn 5W30 of SN A3B4 is stronger than the previous Liqui Moly Special Tec AA 5W-30, in a way.
I believe it can easily deliver longer OCI than 11k+ km in this K20A of yours.

This post has been edited by zeng: Dec 22 2017, 04:09 PM

Agree with your statement above generally.

The A3B4 has a minimum TBN of 10.
Whereas a SN GF5 has TBN from 7.x to 9.x generally , though strong additive package SN GF5 may have TBN of 10 and above.
Without TBN values from their respective spec sheets, I would speculate Magnatec Stop-Start 5W30 A3B4 most likely has higher TBN with its stronger additive package.
Hence my belief Castrol can last longer, IDK.

Total Quartz 7000 Energy 10W40 SL A3B4 blend in Toyota K3VE 1.3L Multi Port Injection,
13478 km , 48 hr blotter ......



.... and going..

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 6 2018, 11:03 PM

Hi alphaz,
I don't see the presence of (dark coloured) centre zone (of about 8 mm diameter), which is good news as it indicates dispersancy of this Aisin 5W30 SN oil at 7400 km in Hyundai G4GB is still robust and not failing.

The grey coloured contaminants/by products is being spread out well indicating oil is performing.

There is also no signs of fuel dilution problem in this Hyundai engine.

I would speculate your intended 10,000 km OCI should not be a problem, IMHO.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 14 2018, 11:44 PM

This 48 hr Blotter confirms the absence of clear opaque centre zone, which is good news to you.
Carry on using this oil sample , if you so wish.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jan 17 2018, 02:27 PM

15000 km in Avanza K3VE, 24 hr blotter

It's about 12.5 km/ Litre RON 95.

Mind asking Mazda 6 diesel owner manual oil type recommendation ?
Asking for ACEA A3B4 ?
Helix Ultra is 5W40 ?
Btw, will wait for a 48 hr blotter spot to see how it's center zone develops ...... meanwhile this diesel engine doesn't appear very sooty, so I suppose it's age is quite new and low in mileage ?

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 11 2018, 08:47 PM

Is it

?
...which is VW approved Long Life oil,

or this

?
...which is NOT VW approved.

Btw you have 48 hrs or current blotter spot for clearer image on center zone for evaluation ?