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L3B 2.7L 2022 LTD oil analysis

customboss

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Used to do this for a living so here's a reference early sample for others interested. Key areas are that wear is in check as it seats up. Most of the values that are higher than a seasoned engine are RTV and sealants. Lead is not an alloy in our engines of any size so its a gasket making residual most likely. Turbo bearing showing some wear-in. Ring inserts showing too.
Low water content shows a good well seated engine. Fuels dilution is too high but not uncommon for a DI engine. Target fuels dilute with gas chromatograpy = 0.5% or less. The dealer allowed it to idle for probably 2 hours and that tends to washout into oil on a fresh engine thus the fuels dilute is at least 0.3% too high from idle.
Nitration key to good IC engine operation lower better. This is perfect. I drove it up and down La Veta pass in CO to get low rpm hard pulls in high gear for better ring seating so next analysis should be even better. One note is that GM ACDELCO Dexos1 gen 2 or 3 5w-30 looked very robust and well done by contract maker ExxonMobil. Barium is dye from assembly.
If you choose to get oil analysis find a lab that does at least what is shown below or you are not getting enough!
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4 different oils to study. I am going to Amsoil 5w30 ASL Signature Series. The L3B likes Amsoil. Even OE Amsoil 5w30 blasted the others. I have about 1000 miles on my last free dealer Mobil 1 5w30 Advanced formula and I can hear the difference. MPG improved 4.4% with a full driveline change @Almost 14,000 miles to Amsoil Severe Gear and Amsoil ATL in 8 speed and Transfer case. Its so much smoother than the OEM products.


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Custom, it’s definitely pop up free over here. I’m going to test a couple oils including super tech full synthetic which I’ve used in other cars with great results. I used it in my kids 2002 Corolla after the first 100k miles and ended up with just shy of 300k when it was totaled, still ran like a top too. Right now a gallon is within a couple dollar of Mobil one so it’s hard to justify it. I do worry more about oil when it comes to turbo engines also fuel management engines which are more prone to failure with long oil change intervals or low quality oil, so it’s pretty important with our engines I think. I change the oil every 3500 miles for my 2 turbo vehicles and 4-5k for the other naturally aspirated vehicles.
 

Texcl2,​

The key to using a good quality engine oil of any type and having it last is clean air filter, good fuels, KEEPING the engine in optimum tune, not GM recommended BS.

Having said that the engine oil like a Super Tech made by a contractor that is GRP III highly refined oil, not a real synthetic ( majority GRP IV or higher) will work fine as you've experienced if it's not stressed.

Redline, Renewable Lubricants inc., Amsoil, maybe MPT, higher end Mobil1, BIOSYNTHETIC are exceptional and will solve for inadequacies for a long time when the items I mentioned are run as factory recommended maintenance or totally ignored all together.

Early or short oil drains can mask issues too.

Enjoy!!
 
Sharing probably my last test, #6 and surprise, Havoline ( Chevron bought Texaco and that brand years ago) Pro-Rs 25% estolide based oil and it did well compared to the other 5 oils tested. Note the 6 qt box dispenser listed it as Dexos1 GEN2, I suspicioned it was a backdoor way to get GEN3 because of the base oils in use and I was correct. Walmart now sells the same 6qt box and its markings show licensed GEN3. A lower cost way to get a good oil via walmart online delivered.
Amsoil signature series ( ASL) was great for best in class wear control but unless its Amsoil OE its not gonna meet the lower sulfated ash content required and that ash content may determine oil consumption issues in the L3B engines.

The turbo is in pretty elevated boost all the time thus it cooks out organometallic additives in the host engine oil. Amsoil uses an infineum overbase of additives in the ASL thus it may have caused more oil consumption vs Havoline Pro-Rs. I am using Maverik E15 exclusively ,Amsoil PI and UCL every 4000 miles and every other tank respectively. That fuel blend and additives MIGHT have assisted the Havoline but I don't think so based on the analysis results listed below. I allowed the air filter to go too long in this interval and I suspect thats the 0.2% increase in fuels dilution of the Havoline.

Havoline was consumed at near 3/4 qt in 6800 miles. You can see the engine oil " break" in a sense at 5000 miles on all the oils tested at that mileage or higher. I whip this baby in the mountains of southern CO and we operate in snow, ice, rock, sand in Auto,4WDhi,4WDlo because we have to. I also have driven in 24" snows for VA hospital appointments I cannot miss or die waiting....thanks for your service my ass.
I love this engine and setup. In 2WD getting 26 mpg in normal winds is easy at 65 mph.

Hope this helps anyone with any engine guide their service decisions.



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After all this oil analysis, what's everyone's top 3 oil options? I just use whatever the dealer says to use. The only thing I add that isn't required is I only run premium gas 93+ or 92 if I'm out in the boonies - and on occasion, I'll add some Lucas Fuel System Cleaner (old habit)
 
After all this oil analysis, what's everyone's top 3 oil options? I just use whatever the dealer says to use. The only thing I add that isn't required is I only run premium gas 93+ or 92 if I'm out in the boonies - and on occasion, I'll add some Lucas Fuel System Cleaner (old habit)
Mobil 1 ( just regular old M1) of appropriate grade for your engine. Amsoil and Redline are good but the ones DEXOS approved are made to a minimum spec.

Specifically for the 2.7L L3B which is consuming some oil ( about .75 qt in 4000 miles) I have been testing an interesting oil THAT IS NOT APPROVED but working really well. I get the shit kicked outta me at GM-trucks so may share more here. I am a disabled veteran and have beginnings of dementia and 90% disabled from my service. I worked for over 40 years formulating and testing so I knew alot and am forgetting my science fast.

CHEVRON DELO 600 10w30 has my 2.7 running about as clean as it can. Here's the clean reference test.

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My recent results @3073 miles, BEST EVER OIL ANALYSIS :
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