(Update) Engine Oil Analysis: High Silicon

[Maximus Gladius]

If the level is abnormally high or does not decline, have the engine checked by a dealer while it is still under warranty

First suspect for continuously high silicon is: missing air filter, dirty air filter, being loyal to a crappy filter or O ring is missing on the fill cap or clamp connections on the filter box/throttle body aren’t secure, or maybe the “fresh air in” tube has unseated or cracked somehow or badly installed during manufacturing.

Continuous high silicon (dirt) is sucked into the crankcase through the places I mentioned. I’d say have a close look at all of these places or as was mentioned, it needs to go in for a look but chances are extreme that the dealership will not be motivated by an oil analysis report, they’re not trained to see lab data and respond. They want to “hear” a problem.

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[ShadowsPapa]

First suspect for continuously high silicon is: missing air filter, dirty air filter, being loyal to a crappy filter or O ring is missing on the fill cap or clamp connections on the filter box/throttle body aren’t secure, or maybe the “fresh air in” tube has unseated or cracked somehow or badly installed during manufacturing.

You touched on what so many miss - a single report of something isn't necessarily indicating anything. Continuously high numbers likely do.
I think you alluded to it before - too many look at their first report and have a panic attack.
People should look for trends, patterns, pieces of a puzzle, not look at a drop of blood and say "someone has been murdered" right away.

Depending on how many samples people shotgun in for analysis in really quick succession, a second one might not even be problematic. It's a puzzle to piece together.
Watch trends, not a single number in a single report. So what if it's high in the initial report. Save the wringing of hands for later high numbers.

(yours is stable, no reference to you or your reports or anything at all)

 

[Maximus Gladius]

You touched on what so many miss - a single report of something isn't necessarily indicating anything. Continuously high numbers likely do.
I think you alluded to it before - too many look at their first report and have a panic attack.
People should look for trends, patterns, pieces of a puzzle, not look at a drop of blood and say "someone has been murdered" right away.

Depending on how many samples people shotgun in for analysis in really quick succession, a second one might not even be problematic. It's a puzzle to piece together.
Watch trends, not a single number in a single report. So what if it's high in the initial report. Save the wringing of hands for later high numbers.

(yours is stable, no reference to you or your reports or anything at all)

Solid advice ^^^

 

[Rubicon6MT]

Update after the second oil change was completed:

Silicon level dropped from 114 to 41 (limit/base >30).

Base Number: 6.37 (previously 7.27).

First Oil Change: 4,000 miles (6,500 km)
Second Oil Change: 4,000 miles (6,500 km)

Interesting Note: I waited until the oil life monitor hit 50% for both oil changes. The first oil change (factory fill) lasted 5 months, the second oil change lasted 10 months.

 

[Hootbro]

Update after the second oil change was completed:

Silicon level dropped from 114 to 41 (limit/base >30).

Base Number: 6.37 (previously 7.27).

First Oil Change: 4,000 miles (6,500 km)
Second Oil Change: 4,000 miles (6,500 km)

Interesting Note: I waited until the oil life monitor hit 50% for both oil changes. The first oil change (factory fill) lasted 5 months, the second oil change lasted 10 months.

That silicon will continue to drop.

FWIW. The engine dry fill is 5.7 quarts. So there is roughly 0.7 quarts of old oil that never drains and is why it takes a few OCI'S for initial wear materials to drain out.

 

[Rubicon6MT]

FWIW. The engine dry fill is 5.7 quarts. So there is roughly 0.7 quarts of old oil that never drains and is why it takes a few OCI'S for initial wear materials to drain out.

Good point! I saw this video recently and thought it was a pretty cool experiment:

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Good point! I saw this video recently and through it was a pretty cool experiment:

If you follow Lake's videos, you know that he always does 2 full changes between different oils he's checking out. You can't go from oil A to oil B in a single change and test it - you'll still have bits of oil A left in there. Oil galleries and other places hold a lot of oil. Any mechanic who has built a lot of engines will tell you - put a pan under that engine when taking it apart - you'll get over 1/2 quart of oil on the floor as you rotate the engine on the engine stand for disassembly. (yeah, I still remember my first engine build and all of the cat litter it took to clean up the mess I made! But hey, I was 14 and didn't know any better)

 

[WhereInTarnation]

youtube guy..............

 

[Rubicon6MT]

YouTube guy no good?

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