So, the car is a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis with 102K. Bought it a year ago at 99K. I did a lot of maintenance work to it, changed all fluids, and got it to where it needs to be. Now I'd say it's in great shape and runs like a top. So, per ChrisFix' recommendations, I went ahead and got this test. Note: I only drive 40-50 miles a week. 2 miles to work, 2 miles back, and wherever else I need to go on my days off. It's short trips of 10-15 minutes, engine not at operating temperature, although I will idle if for 10-15 minutes beforehand in winter to warm it up a bit.
As a result it gets poor gas mileage, about 7-9 MPG city. I don't do highway driving.
So there's the test. They don't give a precise percentage for fuel dilution, only that it's under 5%. I've heard that anything above 2 can be a critical problem, others say 5. What do you think? Also, ethylene glycol at 0.2% which is basically nothing, but it's in there. Is some amount considered normal or should it be zero without exception? I have no issues with my cooling system or leaks, so that's somewhat concerning. Lastly, is the amount of detergent levels (zinc, phosphorus, etc.) on par with what it should be in basic 5W-20 conventional oil?
I plan to do another one in the future to compare wear trends over time. Do you think I should do it in another thousand miles, two thousand, etc? Also, use Zengine again, or try Blackstone?
Any input is appreciated, thank you!
If it were up to me, I would change the oil at 5K miles, have that oil tested and then go another 5K miles on the new oil then have that tested and compare the two for percentages of contaminants and metals (bearings).
Good call. I usually change it every 3K, or once a year since I don’t drive it much, so at one year it usually works out to something like 2500 miles. So I’ll probably follow your idea and test it at +2500 miles, change it, then test that oil after a year/2500 miles.
it has me a bit concerned.
It's right there in the report. Your contamination score is in the green area. It's almost perfect. Stop worrying.
I would suggest that the really important information will be to compare the results of this analysis with your next oil change analysis to see what differences there are.
So when do you think the best time to take the next test would be? In 2000-3000 miles on this same oil, or 640 miles after my next oil change?
Just looking at the the Zengine and Blackstone reports, the Zengine looks fancier, cleaner, and more modern, but the Blackstone seems more informative. I personally would go with Blackstone after seeing both styles of report. Blackstone gives you average comparison of what is good/bad, whereas Zengine just gives you your data.
I will definitely get one of those too in addition to the ZEngine next time I test it, thanks.
it says you have a perfect score. Everything is in the green zone!
Stop worrying and just drive. Don't test for another 50k!
Recently made a post of my ZEngine oil analysis report, everyone said it’s good snd not to worry. However, the oil did contain 0.2% ethylene glycol, indicative of coolant contamination. I realize this figure is extremely low, but it has me a bit concerned.
Should oil typically ever have ANY ethylene glycol in it, even if it’s a fraction of a percent? Is this normal or something to look into?
I would appreciate some input.
Car is a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis GS with 102.3K on board. Here’s the results just for reference, but my question is solely related to the EG contamination. What would you do if you were me? Should I pursue it further before it becomes a large issue or ignore it since it’s driving fine?
This is really a continuation of your previous post and should have been placed there. Please take note of the following in the forum rules for the future. Thank you. (Topics merged.)
Thanks for merging. Any input on the ethylene glycol content?