Explorer PTU - Oil Analysis

[Lexingtonian]

Just for reference, my 60k mile original fluid had:
Aluminum: 4
Iron: 262
Insoluble: 0.2

Lexingtonian's report showed higher levels @ 16k miles than mine did at 60K miles.

Seems like fluid results are all over the place.

To your knowledge was yours changed at all before 60k? Assuming not, but simply curious. My analysis results are encouraging to me because of the drop in iron by half. It tells me that my PTU has essentially stopped shedding (whatever was in it at 16,000 miles). Unfortunately the way these are designed, you only get about 2/3's of the oil out when draining. I get around 12 ounces and it holds 18 as I recall.

Hard to know why the metals are the way they are, but from the analysis reports I'm seeing, it's very normal for these units. Care to post your whole report for posterity? Thanks!

Fortunately for me I have ESP till 150,000 miles or 8 years. I'm not going to worry about it and will keep a 30-40K'ish change regimen based on the data I'm seeing.

 

[thefranchise713]

^ For what it's worth all of my wear metals were WAY below average per Blackstone, and that was only with a single change at 50k.

 

[Lexingtonian]

^ For what it's worth all of my wear metals were WAY below average per Blackstone, and that was only with a single change at 50k.

Very interesting. Thanks for the info!

 

[Odrapnew]

I'll see about getting the report uploaded.

Yes, it was the first change. I've owned it since new.

I don't beat on it very often. I'll wind it out getting on freeways and jump on it at metered on-ramps, but don't do it all the time.

For about 40k miles I did a lot of highway driving. 70-80mph commute for 35 miles, and a 300 mile round trip once a month.

@KayGee , I don't expect the reports to be the same, but it's interesting that some people have fluid that is 'done'(sludge) at 30k miles and others, like myself, that put 60k on it and it's still fluid with decent fluid analysis. Some people may run their Ex harder than others, but from the sounds of it, that's not necessarily the driving factor in fluid life.