[johnk]

I just received my latest oil analysis report, and I finally have to admit that I probably have a slight coolant leak. This seems like it is getting to be somewhat common on this engine. Has anyone determined where it is, and if it can be dealt with easily?

Other than that, the report was
excellent.

Mileage 56,126      65,917      76,946      8,399       100345
Date    03/28/02    10/01/02    04/22/03    10/20/03    08/18/04
Oil Miles 8,274     9,791       10,929      11,453      11,946
Oil Brand M1 Tri    M1 Tri      M1 Tri      M1 Tri SL   M1 Tri SL
Oil Grade 10W30     10W30       10W30       10W30       10W30
Make-up 0           0           8 Oz.       .5 Qt.      0

Aluminum 2          3           4           3           3
Chromium 1          1           2           1           1
Iron     11         15          17          22          19
Copper   3          6           9           8           7
Lead     2          2           2           1           2
Tin      2          3           2           2           0
Molybdenum 2        1           1           71          55
Nickel  1           1           1           1           2
Manganese 0         1           1           1           1
Silver  0           0           0           0           0
Titanium 0          0           0           0           0
Potassium N/A       16          17          20          24
Boron   49          42          47          107         82
Silicon 4           7           7           6           9
Sodium  16          18          17          21          21
Calcium 917         880         962         2803        3449
Magnesium 1547      1528        1708        231         43
Phosphorus 671      628         657         769         735
Zinc    832         765         926         973         842
Barium  0           0           0           0           0

TBN     8.5         9.5         10.5        5.5         5.3

SUS Viscosity
@ 210 F 61.0        67.0        67.9        66.0        65.0

Flashpoint
In degrees F 420    420         425         410         430

Fuel %  <0.5        <0.5        <0.5        <0.5        <0.5

Antifreeze
 %      ?           0           ?           ?           ?

Water % <0.05       0           0           0           0

Insolubles
%       0.2         0.2         0.2         0.2         0.3

 

[adc100]

Yea definately a leak here. Not a real big one though. It might be worth while to use some stop leak-although I am not a fan of these things. Run it for a couple of K and then drain . I would then run a couple of 3K mile intervals. Depends what your future plans for the car. Probably talking like 500-800 for the head gasket. In any event I would back off of the extended drain intervals .

My son has a 3.4 GrandAm that is in the same boat. He is doing 3K oil changes for now.

 

[enyce07]

with the small coolant leak.. can you see physically the coolant on the ground? or wouldn't be able to see anything...

 

[david]

with the small coolant leak.. can you see physically the coolant on the ground? or wouldn't be able to see anything...

The coolant leak is within the engine block, most likely the headgasket. What will happen is the coolant will seap into the oil and mix together. When it gets really bad you will see white smoke out of the tailpipe and a loss of power at times. With something as small as what he haves the only way he knows for sure is getting the oil tested like he has.

 

[enyce07]

The coolant leak is within the engine block, most likely the headgasket. What will happen is the coolant will seap into the oil and mix together. When it gets really bad you will see white smoke out of the tailpipe and a loss of power at times. With something as small as what he haves the only way he knows for sure is getting the oil tested like he has.

hmmm. i'm getting that now.. but see smoke coming out of the dipstick...

 

[adc100]

hmmm. i'm getting that now.. but see smoke coming out of the dipstick...

If you are seeing smoke out of the tailpipe you are doing measurable damage to the engine. Guaranteed

 

[enyce07]

If you are seeing smoke out of the tailpipe you are doing measurable damage to the engine. Guaranteed

nope.. not one bit of smoke out of the tailpipe .. "phew"..

 

[johnk]

Thanks for the comments.

The universal average for Potassium that Blackstone Labs has for this engine is 15, But I am one of the biggest parts of that average, and there are a couple of RedLine people also, and that has Potassium in it.

Al, I may give some stop leak a try. I am due for a coolant change soon, so I will not run it too long. I usually don't like them either, but I would like to get this plugged easily if I can. I had been planning on keeping the car for 200,000 miles.

Except for the oil analysis, I would never have known there was a problem. I have not had to add any coolant. It is obviously getting worse though, but still not enough to notice any other way. I could probably make it to 200,000 miles before it got real bad even if I do nothing.

What bothers me more is that I suspect that this is why I am getting code 0420. I suspect my O2 sensors have been fouled by coolant also. I will see when I replace them soon.

I just put in a new batch of Mobil-1. I will probably run it for 7000 and see what happens. If I am still seeing the Potassium then after a stop leak treatment, I will probably go to Chevron Supreme with 4000 mile changes.

 

[adc100]

Thanks for the comments.

The universal average for Potassium that Blackstone Labs has for this engine is 15, But I am one of the biggest parts of that average, and there are a couple of RedLine people also, and that has Potassium in it.

Al, I may give some stop leak a try. I am due for a coolant change soon, so I will not run it too long. I usually don't like them either, but I would like to get this plugged easily if I can. I had been planning on keeping the car for 200,000 miles.

Except for the oil analysis, I would never have known there was a problem. I have not had to add any coolant. It is obviously getting worse though, but still not enough to notice any other way. I could probably make it to 200,000 miles before it got real bad even if I do nothing.

What bothers me more is that I suspect that this is why I am getting code 0420. I suspect my O2 sensors have been fouled by coolant also. I will see when I replace them soon.

I just put in a new batch of Mobil-1. I will probably run it for 7000 and see what happens. If I am still seeing the Potassium then after a stop leak treatment, I will probably go to Chevron Supreme with 4000 mile changes.

Yea John, its a tough decision. I have always been a synthetic oil person..but oils are getting so good that there is now really little differsnce. I was also a big fan of extended oil changes and I still am-but not to the extent that I once was. So if I were in your shoes-I would still change at well under 7K-say 5K. That way the filter could be changed out and a fresh fill of a good dino oil could be put in. But again-thats just what I would do.

And these oil analysis do show up things that can help you get a jump on the bad guys in your engine. Also if your first oil analysis would have been tested for Potassiumn you might have had an outside shot getting Nissan to spring for a couple of bucks to repair the gasket.

And on the subject of oil-I'm seeing (as I know you are) that lighter 20 wt. oils seem to be doing just as well as 30 wt. oils and even 40 wt. oils. So I did put 2 quarts of 20 wt. and 2 quarts of 30 wt. Redline and we'll see how that goes. I'm guessing my next change will be 2 quarts of the Redline 20 wt. and 2 quarts of the Schaeffer's 30wt. blend. I have too much time on my hands