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Used oil analysis of MC 5w50 - shocking news - it's good!

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So in May 2019 I installed a batch of the new Motorcraft 5w50 that comes in the new bottles with the big screw tops. It pours a lot faster and I'm sure the dealerships love it. Anyway, I figured if the engine blew up during a driving event this summer, it was best to be on Motorcraft.

About the beginning of August, I decided to run this oil right to the end of the Oil Life Monitor. A small drip from the drain plug ended this dream at 11% left to go, but it was pretty much used up. The oil was dark and looked pretty nasty, although a bit of kitchen sink chromatography had indicated that all was well (a blotter test).

So here's the UOA result:

GT350 UOA with comments for online 2019 08 31.jpg

Motorcraft oil gets a lot of hate for being the OEM product, but frankly this oil is doing an excellent job in my GT350. It takes a huge online beating for shearing down to a 40 weight, but mine is just barely under the 16.3 limit for a 50 weight. TBN and nitration are excellent - Blackstone doesn't measure nitration, and that's one of the reasons I like CAT labs. Nitration is an important measure for a gas engine because it's an indication of combustion efficiency and the likelihood that the oil will form varnish. Under 10 is excellent. Wear metals, a highly over-rated indicator, are good too, although that doesn't mean much on a single analysis result.

The only question after a result like this "why would anyone use anything else?"
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,350
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20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Interesting data and would love to see what folks are showing with Mobil 1 5-50W, as I have used both. Mine always ( either product ) looks clean because I change it after two track weekends, but might want to send in for an analysis? Will look up the CAT Analysis Lab in the US , as like the idea of checking the nitration - appreciate you bringing up that ability with CAT Labs.
 
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It was a toss-up when I changed it on August 31st to go with Motorcraft or Mobil 1 - I have both on hand. There were enough track days left to go this year that I refilled with MC this time. I ran Mobil 1 last winter, and that's what I changed out last May when this batch went in. Mobil 1 has more phosphorus so I prefer to run it when the car's not in use as much - fewer miles in the winter means less oil consumed and less phosphorus through the cat converters.

What made this run different was that I actually drove the car enough that the OLM was going down from use and not just counting down the days to a one-year endpoint. I was curious to see how the oil would stand up to actually being used for a full count of the OLM, and this was my chance. The oil was getting pretty dark, but as I said, a blotter test showed no problems and now the UOA confirms that the oil, dark as it was, was still fine.
 
The oil did well and thanks for sharing your analysis.
 
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I thought zinc was more of an issue with cats rather than phosphorus. In any case, isn't that mitigated if you have an effective catch can?
Zinc and phosphorus are part of the same oil additive, but it's the phos that does the damage. As for a catch can, it's helpful, but the truth is that if don't have an oil leak and your oil level drops, all of the missing oil has to go through the exhaust pipe. My car uses about a quart in 1,500 to 2,000 miles, so if it's going to get a lot of driving, low phos oil goes in. If it's going to spend the winter sitting in the garage and getting a few laps around the block every week or two, then phosphorus isn't an issue.

The Lucas oil has low phosphorus and meets the Ford 931C specification. I'd use it too, but it's not so easy to get in Canada.
 
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maybe this can help..

Lucas Oil Products
2-4060B Sladeview Cr., Mississauga · 888-878-6973

Young St, Halifax · 902-452-0473

2820 Argentia Rd, Mississauga · 905-819-1882
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
JDM engineering uses Motorcraft GT500 oil exclusively. (Parasynthetic)
I used that for quite a while before going to Mobil one.
 
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maybe this can help..

Lucas Oil Products
2-4060B Sladeview Cr., Mississauga · 888-878-6973

Young St, Halifax · 902-452-0473

2820 Argentia Rd, Mississauga · 905-819-1882
Thanks for digging this up. I went and looked at their site and it seems from the online catalog that Lucas Canada doesn't import the 5w50. They've got everything else, but not that. It's easy enough for me to buy it in the USA and have it shipped to me in WA. I do a lot of that for auto parts, actually. The thing is, Lucas is well priced, but it's not less expensive than MC or M1 by the time it's arrived in my garage.
 
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Thanks for digging this up. I went and looked at their site and it seems from the online catalog that Lucas Canada doesn't import the 5w50. They've got everything else, but not that. It's easy enough for me to buy it in the USA and have it shipped to me in WA. I do a lot of that for auto parts, actually. The thing is, Lucas is well priced, but it's not less expensive than MC or M1 by the time it's arrived in my garage.

I wonder if they'd cut you a deal if you bought it in case lots, Lucas is usually pretty good to work with, they are basically a bunch of gear heads.
 
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I wonder if they'd cut you a deal if you bought it in case lots, Lucas is usually pretty good to work with, they are basically a bunch of gear heads.
My preference would actually be 5 gallon pails, priced in the USA at $6 per quart with free shipping if you buy enough of it. My experience over three decades of dealing with "Canadian offices" of US companies is that it's nearly always cheaper to buy a product in the US and bring it into Canada myself. The most you pay crossing the border with something made in the USA is the same sales tax that you pay when you buy something locally.
 
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I've crossed the border at Mosport and it was a PITA, we had to account for fuel, tires, everything, even the crews had to account for our wages.
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
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W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
I've crossed the border at Mosport and it was a PITA, we had to account for fuel, tires, everything, even the crews had to account for our wages.

Yes. PITA for sure. We go south to race, present a list of what we're taking out of the country on exit and get it stamped by customs. Come back, present stamped list, get sent to secondary and searched anyway. It's always so-o-o-o-o-o nice to come home like that.......that warm, fuzzy welcoming feeling. Not. Up here you're just a sponge to be squeezed for tax money.
 

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