Acronyms:
OCI = Oil Change Interval (mileage between changes)
OLM = Oil Life Monitor (in car oil change indicator)
UOA = Used Oil Analysis (analysis of used oil tested for oil performance, contaminants, wear particles etc.)
VOA = Virgin Oil Analysis (analysis of new un-used oil, gives a baseline for comparing to used samples)
BITOG = Bob Is The Oil Guy (forum for discussing lubricants of all types, lots of engine oil information there, lots of OPINIONS too, careful what you read... it's just another public forum)
Goal:
Since the Cruze 1.4T tends to be harder on oil than most, and with the confusion surrounding the OLM recalibration in '13 and newer Cruze 1.4s (reduced the OCI by ~30%) combined with the less than stellar performance of GM's Dexos1 Synthetic Blend dealership oil in the 1.4T (it's fine in the 1.8 and in most other non turbo cars), I thought it would be nice to have a thread dedicated to UOAs where Cruze 1.4 owners can see how different oils are performing.
Rules:
THIS THREAD WILL BE HEAVILY MODERATED. I do not want this to turn into a bunch of theoretical discussions about what your Pappy told you, what your neighbor does, why some oils/additives are
supposed to be better than others, etc. I want this to stay focused on REAL DATA, which are the lab numbers returned for real UOAs on the 1.4T, and the 1.4T ONLY.
To make this perfectly clear, we're not going to talk about a product until there's a lab generated UOA to discuss. We're not here to discuss what people THINK, we're going to discuss what lab reports SHOW. If that leads to a boring thread, so be it. I'd rather a boring factual thread than a dynamic one full of BS and hearsay.
Method:
I will update post #2 with UOA links and information as they become available. PLEASE: If you have a link to a UOA that hasn't been posted yet, or you have your own UOA done, post a link to the information and I'll include it in the list. I will also update my Acronyms list above if there's something I've missed.
If we end up with enough consistent data I may be able to start charting performance. This is a "nice to have" for the future if we get there.
I will start by posting links to some UOAs I've found on BITOG. Let's go!
Testing note from XtremeRevolution:
If you want to get your oil analyzed in the USA, I recommend Oil Analyzers Inc (a private label for Polaris Labs), as they will accurately test fuel dilution, oxidation, and nitration, include TBN free of charge, and will also include a prepaid return shipping label with the price of the kit. Link:
Oil Analyzers Inc Test Kit.
