.

A personal butt feel review on Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5w40 synthetic blend:

- Oil goes dark after 4 months of use and 5k km mileage
- Engine significantly consume more fuel onward
- Engine noise during cold start is significantly louder and a slightly rougher drive onward

OC done to mobil 1 0w40 after 6 months at 7k km mileage.

Using on 2GR-FE engine.

Just can't bring myself to let it slide on to 10k km lol.

Previously was on Motul H-Tech 100 plus 5w30, also done the OC around 6k km mileage. Same occurrence.

maybe off-topic..... i think you cant blame the liqui moly tt4100 as its literature clearly states that "Use only in conjunction with sulfur-free diesel fuel!".... and our euro2m has 500ppm sulphur, no way can be termed as sulphur-free.

maybe you should pick a more robust mid-sap engine oil rather than a low-sap oil.

Hi, seems like different sampling method results in different appearance . On toilet paper it ended up as clear brown circle, but on printing paper it came out as dark circle (not dark spot btw). Not sure if this is final appearance, or Will it change again after 48hrs?
Anyway, feel free to comment. Thanks everyone.

Car make: Nissan AD Resort 1.6L
Engine: GA16 carburetted
Odometer: 281912km
EO: Duron XL 0w30
Clocked mileage: 10912km

This post has been edited by chemistry: Feb 18 2017, 03:32 PM


Attached thumbnail(s)

So... I just pull out the dip stick, and let it drop onto paper? I've got some, mh, 150-200 mg higher quality printing paper that I'm going to use.

Thank you Chemistry for the preliminary pictures.
It debunks nonsense like:
a) ...your oil is clear, it isn't doing its job in suspending contaminants;
b).... after 48 hours the contaminants in the oil sink to the bottom and stay suspended there leaving a cleaner oil as shown;
c) ...Your eyes definitely cannot see metal particles etc etc .....
spewing unsubstantiated rubbish here while we are on another type(or method) of oil analysis among the many currently being practised in the industry!

Just as variations in UOA titration methodology, vigorousness, temperature , time duration etc in better regulated laboratory practices can affect and influence negatively on results and/or conclusions ...... hence the need for consisstency in paper medium (as printer/ letter head papers etc) and pictures after 24/48 hours etc is equally helpful in consistency .....
Yes, it changes in the first 48 hours or so......
Awaiting the 48 hour picture .

Yes, let it drop onto the paper or let it touches the paper whichever you feel comfortable and consistent.
150-200 mg paper would be good.
Try observe how the blots changes during the first 48 hours, and upload pictures for comment, meanwhile noting down OLM percentage left at OCI.

OLM?

Oops ..... GM's terminology of Oil Life Monitor (given in percentage), VW calls it some other name ...... that indicates the time by the car engine when oil change is due.
This enables a comparison of OLM reading against Blotter Spot Test picture/condition or physical visual inspection.

48hrs done.

Thanks, Chemistry.

My quick amateurish guess, subject to challenge by the experienced, hands-on AND learned members........
and being overthrown ..... hehehe

a1)The Centre Zone (assuming 8 mm diameter at centre/point of blot deposit ) is transparent/translucent meaning not opaque and slightly grayish indicating deposits of (heaviest portion of) high molecular weight rubbish like combustion carbonaceous byproducts/insolubles/wear metals Fe Cu /resins etc etc .

a2)Good news is..... this 8 mm Centre Zone is not sharp and clear;it's not opaque; and colour is not very dark carbon black (hitam manis) and 8 mm perimeter line is not clear and sharp and shining yet.

b1)The Diffusion Zone of ( Outer Diameter max at say, 30 mm ) AND (Inner Diameter of 8 mm) .......
actually it is an annulus enclosing the Centre Zone ......
is generally lighter colour than Centre Zone .....
because the dispersants in oils take lighter weight rubbish like combustion byproducts/resins etc (of lower molecular weight) in an outward direction as the oil is travelling/seeping away from the Centre Zone.

b2)Good news is this Diffusion Zone is not darkish and its expanded Outer Diameter OD the bigger the better (in relation to the size of Centre Zone ), assuming a known quantity (in drops?) is constant.

c) Refering to postings in my Bitog thread, your 48 hour Blot Spot is what they call 'there is no structures' or 'the structures are very light and mild' ...........
meaning the used oil sample had been holding up well, whatever its mileage of xx km, and is still in continuing serviceable condition.

d) SonofJoe would call it in the midst of Phase 1, whereby he too commented (in primary/secondary stages of ... i.e in my classification )Phase 2 is deemed good.

e) I would 'speculate' that after you add another few thousand kilometres of use in this 10,912 km sample , 'some' members from Bitog might still classify it as Phase 1, though another may say it's Phase 2.

f) Several purely 'technical' and 'physics' commmentaries by several experienced members from Bitog (who had actually personnally do and evaluate the 'job' by their own physical 'hands and fingers' whilst referencing materials in the web .......
may form a solid basis for you to consider and making assessments and finally making your own call.
Do consider and just take comments from 'arm chair' commentators carefully (to avoid being confused) , and in certain cases, with a pinch of salt....... typically in www ....

g) One thing is certain, your engine has no glycol contamination problem and no severe fuel dilution problem, as yet.

So, should you replace this 10912 km used fullsyn Duron XL 0W30 immediately ????
Well , that's your call ..... adopting/abandoning certain 'opinions' and 'suggestions' along the way.

I had been keeping going ... on and on ....
until a day/mileage where I'm not comfortable with the onset and appearance of a 'very sharp and dark black hitam manis and opaque' Centre Zone ......
which I believe I had yet to see it in my 12238 km sample of semisyn Quartz 7000 Energy 10W40.

To each his own !!

Just my 2 sen

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 19 2017, 06:28 PM

Many thanks for taking time to comment here.
Although it's kinda too technical for me to understand, it's good to hear u said “no glycol contamination & no severe fuel dilution”, I believe many would not want this to happen.

On another note, Duron XL 0w30 is actually a synthetic blend HDEO. And yes, before posting here I already planned next change when this oil completed 12000km. My friends asked me don't be too stingy with EO, you know what, this Duron XL has been in service since December 2015.

Sorry for misrepresenting XL 0W30 as fullsyn oils.
Generally dual rated HDEO oils is more stout than PCMO oils, I believe.

Hahaha ......> 14 months usage ........
so much for the myth here that engine oil must be replaced at not more than 12 months.

At 12000 km OCI, appreciate if you could upload here its Blotter Spot Tests pictures for comparisons.

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 21 2017, 12:23 PM

Semi Synthetic Total Quartz 7000 Energy 10W40 A3B4 SL,
in 2007 Toyota Avanza 1.3L K3VE,
13,000 km..... and going .......

2 hour blot attached.

This post has been edited by zeng: Feb 23 2017, 10:00 PM

Passsing 13,000 km ...... and soldiering on .... towards 8500 miles (13,600 km) OCI.
Quartz Energy 10W40 semi synthetics in Avanza K3VE 1.3L engine..
48 hour blot spot.

Update: 13673 km and going..
Total Quartz Energy 10W40.
72 hour Blot Spot.

Update: 14218 km (8886 miles) ...... and going.
Semi synthetic Total Quartz 7000 Energy 10W40 in service .
66 hour Blotter Spot.

Looks healthy .....

Do you still remember when you did the oil change?

Yes, this Quartz semisyn was replaced in week 1 of August 2016 .... so till date is about 7.5 months.
I earlier mistook it as Apr 2016, which was for 1994 Wira 1.5 using HDEO 15W40.

For those vehicle that can do ODI up to 20,000 KM,The engine is EURO 3,4 or 5 spec, using Fully synthetic oil and some with 'Long life specification" and original oil filter.

As mostly oem recommended maximun 10K for oil drain interval because of oil filter,engine oil additive lifespan and depend on the engine design.

The engine oil contain engine oil additive which will ageing over the time,your oil may look clean but the engine oil additive that add in the engine oil will had rapid additive depletion due to our petrol sulfur contain,hot weather in malaysia, always having short distance driving,dirty or blocked air cleaner ,stuck in traffic jam and so on.

Just my 2 cent about engine oil ODI information.

ISUZU MUX oil drain interval is 20K based on OEM.

Maybe other got better idea why some vehicle had longer oil drain interval?

This post has been edited by devildevil87: Mar 25 2017, 09:42 AM

I had been monitoring UOA's of fully synthetic ; semi synthetic and mineral oils in America ......
and read-up on Blotter Spot tests method online .....
and hence pushing for longer OCI's which may be deemed as 'uncharted waters' .....
as a contribution to lowyat forum.

Edit:As of today, touching 14900 km ...... and going.

This post has been edited by zeng: Mar 26 2017, 07:45 PM