Home | Mailing List | Specifications | Care and Feeding | Modifications | Vendors | Literature
06/24/2004
| Indicator | Acceptable Levels | Engine Problem | What to Check | |||
| Silicon (Si) and | 10 to 30 ppm | Dirt ingestion | Air intake system, oil filter plugging, oil filler cap and breather, valve covers, oil supply | |||
| Aluminum (Al) | Blower, camshaft intermediate bearings, turbo bearings, crankshaft thrust bearings. | |||||
| Iron (Fe) | 100 to 200 ppm | Wear of cylinder liner, valve and gear train, oil pump, rust in system | Excessive oil consumption, abnormal engine noise,performance problems, oil pressure, abnormal operating temperatures, stuck/broken piston rings | |||
| Chromium (CR) | 10 to 30 ppm | Piston ring wear | Excessive oil blow-by and oil consumption, oil degradation | |||
| Copper (CU) | 10 to 50 ppm | Bearings and bushings wear, oil cooler passivating, radiator corrosion | Coolant in engine oil, abnormal noise when operating at near stall speed | |||
| Lead (Pb)* | 40 to 100 ppm | Bearing corrosion | Extended oil change intervals | |||
| Copper (CU) and | 10 to 50 ppm | Bearing lining wear | Oil pressure, abnormal engine noise, dirt being ingested in air intake, fuel dilution, extended oil drain intervals | |||
| Lead (Pb)* | 10 to 50 ppm | |||||
| Aluminum (Al) | 10 to 30 ppm | Piston and piston thrust bearing wear | Blow-by gases, oil consumption, power loss, abnormal engine noise | |||
| Silver and | 2 to 5 ppm | Wear of bearings | Excessive oil consumption, abnormal engine noise, loss in oil pressure | |||
| Tin | 10 to 30 ppm | |||||
| Viscosity Change | Lack of lubrication | Fuel dilution, blow-by gases, oil oxidation, carburetor choke, ignition timing, injectors, injector pump, oil pressure | ||||
| Water/Anti-freeze | Coolant leak or condensation | Coolant supply, gasket sealed, hose connection, oil filler cap and breather | ||||
| Possible Sources of Elements in Used Oils | ||||||
| Aluminum | (Al) | Blower, camshaft intermediate bearings, turbo bearings, crankshaft thrust bearings. | ||||
| Barium | (Ba) | Detergent additive, grease additive. | ||||
| Boron | (B) | Coolant additive, grease additive, EP additive (limited). | ||||
| Calcium | (Ca) | Hard water; detergent additive, oxidation inhibitor; road salt. | ||||
| Chlorine | (Cl) | Antiwear additive, EP additive. | ||||
| Chromium | (Cr) | Piston ring tace surface, coolant additive. May be found on some pump component surfaces. | ||||
| Copper | (Cu) | Slipper (wrist pin) bushings, connecting rod and crankshaft main bearing, cam follower roller bushings, rocker arm clevis pin bushings, connecting rod bushings, camshaft thrust washers, anti-corrosion additive (limited), copper-kote sealant. (Cu + Zn Brass. Cu + Sn = Bronze) | ||||
| Iron | (Fe) |
Grey iron cylinder liners, malleable iron
pistons, hardened steel camshafts, crankshafts, gears. Cast iron induction-hardened rocker arms, valve bridges, alloyed steel cam follower rollers, etc. |
||||
| Lead | (Pb) | Overlay on bearing surfaces, grease additive. Gasoline additive, EP additive, antiwear additive, detergent additive. (Limited use due to environmental concerns.) | ||||
| Magnesium | (Mg) | A constituent in some aluminum alloys, detergent additive, possible indication of "hard" water. | ||||
| Manganese | (Mn) | Detergent additive, unleaded gas additive. | ||||
| Molybdenum | (Mo) | Friction modifier, surface coating on some piston rings, anti-wear additive. | ||||
| Nickel | (Ni) | Bearing overlay, turbo charger blades, crude oil constituent, stainless steel components. | ||||
| Phosphorus | (P) | Antiwear additive, EP additive. | ||||
| Potassium | (K) | Coolant additive. | ||||
| Silicon | (Si) | Antifoam additive, dirt/dust, grease additive, coolant leak, gasket sealant. | ||||
| Silver | (Ag) | Bearings, solder. | ||||
| Sodium | (Na) | Road salt, coolant additive, detergent additive (limited), grease additive. | ||||
| Sulphur | (S) | Antiwear additive, EP additive, detergent additive. | ||||
| Tin | (Sn) | Overlay of some connecting rod and crank bearings. Surface coating on some components such as pistons. | ||||
| Vanadium | (V) | Surface coatings, turbine impeller blades, valves. | ||||
| Zinc | (Zn) | Antiwear additive, oxidation inhibitor, corrosion inhibitor. | ||||