View Poll Results: Which best describes your oil when you wipe the dipstick on a napkin?
It's dark after less than 1000 miles and it smells like fuel.
119
56.13%
It's maybe a little dark, but I don't really smell fuel.
65
30.66%
Clean as a whistle
28
13.21%
Voters: 212. You may not vote on this poll
Fuel dilution in oil problem
Evolving Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 182
Likes: 8
From: Seattle
Here is an example of how your UOA fuel data can be altered by the driving conditions that were observed just before you take your sample.
...The last few trips were all less than 1 - 3 miles, the store, out to eat next door and to friends homes within the neighborhood. Half a dozen short trips from a cold start = fuel dilution.
...........I did another UOA after finally doing a drive to International Mall in Tampa, a total of around 3 hours on I-75.
The fuel dropped to <1.0 instead of the previous 3.0.
The viscosity is now 10.9 - previously 11.1 with the fuel at 3.0............"
So after sitting for 4-5 days, fuel is at 3.4% in cold oil. He does some errands that entail short trips totaling 20 miles, takes a hot sample, and fuel is down slightly to 3.0%. He then takes a 3 hour round trip on the freeway, and takes another oil sample, and his fuel is less than 1%.
...The last few trips were all less than 1 - 3 miles, the store, out to eat next door and to friends homes within the neighborhood. Half a dozen short trips from a cold start = fuel dilution.
...........I did another UOA after finally doing a drive to International Mall in Tampa, a total of around 3 hours on I-75.
The fuel dropped to <1.0 instead of the previous 3.0.
The viscosity is now 10.9 - previously 11.1 with the fuel at 3.0............"
So after sitting for 4-5 days, fuel is at 3.4% in cold oil. He does some errands that entail short trips totaling 20 miles, takes a hot sample, and fuel is down slightly to 3.0%. He then takes a 3 hour round trip on the freeway, and takes another oil sample, and his fuel is less than 1%.
Evolved Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
So after sitting for 4-5 days, fuel is at 3.4% in cold oil. He does some errands that entail short trips totaling 20 miles, takes a hot sample, and fuel is down slightly to 3.0%. He then takes a 3 hour round trip on the freeway, and takes another oil sample, and his fuel is less than 1%.
That said and again repeating myself, I think this issue vis., high concentrations of wear metals, is associated with "early" miles (<10-12K mi) on the 4B11T engine; higher mileage engines appear to be ok. One of our highest mileage (>30K mi ) EVOM members (628) is having his oil checked again soon and I am taking mine in tomorrow (13K mi) and will take a sample for analysis.
Later, Ken
Last edited by KPerez; Apr 20, 2009 at 07:08 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Hampstead, NH
Changed my oil myself for the 1st time with 2,600 miles.. PITCH BLACK and stunk of oil. Put in Mobil 1 Extended Life Synthetic and took it to the dealer with 5,300 miles for my first service appointment.
The mechanic pulled me aside and asked what kind of oil was in my engine since he saw it wasn't a factory filter. I told him and he said he had never seen oil that diluted and damaged before.. especially on a new car with only a few thousand miles on it.
He updated my ECU to the newest reflash and changed it out with fresh Mobil 1. He told me to smell my dipstick after 1,000 miles and call him if I smell gas like that again.
I think I found my new favorite mechanic....
-Tim
The mechanic pulled me aside and asked what kind of oil was in my engine since he saw it wasn't a factory filter. I told him and he said he had never seen oil that diluted and damaged before.. especially on a new car with only a few thousand miles on it.
He updated my ECU to the newest reflash and changed it out with fresh Mobil 1. He told me to smell my dipstick after 1,000 miles and call him if I smell gas like that again.
I think I found my new favorite mechanic....
-Tim
Evolving Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Overland Park, KS
I'm considering purchasing an Evo X but after reading this about the dilution issue I'm a little more hesitant. Plus there are not many Mitsubishi dealers in my area and I live in a Kansas City suburb. The dealership that I'm considering buying the Evo from looks a little questionable, I am not even sure what their service department looks like, however, it is a Subaru, Izuzu<sp>, Mitsubishi so maybe that is a good thing? They have a ton of Mitsubishi's on their lot it's almost impossible to get around the lot, they have to constantly shuffle cars around to get in and out of the dealership.
Last edited by koolzero; Apr 22, 2009 at 05:27 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: USA
I got the results from my second oil analysis.
http://www.codexpirata.com/resource/oilanalysis.pdf
My only mod is a conservative Ecutek tune. The sample for this analysis was used 3 months for 3,000 miles over the heart of winter (mid-Jan. - mid-April, average temp. 25 f). Five to six 15 minute drives a day with longer drives on the weekend. The car now has approximately 15,500 miles on it.
Some other variables: my first sample (previously posted) was from Sept. to Jan. (average temp in the 40s) and for 3300 miles. This sample was from Jan. to April for 3000 miles. Also, the old oil was completely flushed out at my last change, so this sample should not have old oil mixed in it.
Good: all wear metals were down (Iron from 35 to 19, Alum. from 7 to 4). All contaminant metals were also down. Nitrates dropped from 25 to 23.
Bad: Fuel dilution increased from 4.7 to 5% (perhaps due to colder weather?). Viscosity dropped from 8.1 to 7.9.
My tune does not seem to have much of an impact on the dilution. I'm hoping that my 5% dilution is due, at least in part, to the colder weather and frequent short trips.
What do you guys think?
http://www.codexpirata.com/resource/oilanalysis.pdf
My only mod is a conservative Ecutek tune. The sample for this analysis was used 3 months for 3,000 miles over the heart of winter (mid-Jan. - mid-April, average temp. 25 f). Five to six 15 minute drives a day with longer drives on the weekend. The car now has approximately 15,500 miles on it.
Some other variables: my first sample (previously posted) was from Sept. to Jan. (average temp in the 40s) and for 3300 miles. This sample was from Jan. to April for 3000 miles. Also, the old oil was completely flushed out at my last change, so this sample should not have old oil mixed in it.
Good: all wear metals were down (Iron from 35 to 19, Alum. from 7 to 4). All contaminant metals were also down. Nitrates dropped from 25 to 23.
Bad: Fuel dilution increased from 4.7 to 5% (perhaps due to colder weather?). Viscosity dropped from 8.1 to 7.9.
My tune does not seem to have much of an impact on the dilution. I'm hoping that my 5% dilution is due, at least in part, to the colder weather and frequent short trips.
What do you guys think?
Evolved Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
I got the results from my second oil analysis.
http://www.codexpirata.com/resource/oilanalysis.pdf
My only mod is a conservative Ecutek tune. The sample for this analysis was used 3 months for 3,000 miles over the heart of winter (mid-Jan. - mid-April, average temp. 25 f). Five to six 15 minute drives a day with longer drives on the weekend. The car now has approximately 15,500 miles on it.
Some other variables: my first sample (previously posted) was from Sept. to Jan. (average temp in the 40s) and for 3300 miles. This sample was from Jan. to April for 3000 miles. Also, the old oil was completely flushed out at my last change, so this sample should not have old oil mixed in it.
Good: all wear metals were down (Iron from 35 to 19, Alum. from 7 to 4). All contaminant metals were also down. Nitrates dropped from 25 to 23.
Bad: Fuel dilution increased from 4.7 to 5% (perhaps due to colder weather?). Viscosity dropped from 8.1 to 7.9.
My tune does not seem to have much of an impact on the dilution. I'm hoping that my 5% dilution is due, at least in part, to the colder weather and frequent short trips.
What do you guys think?
http://www.codexpirata.com/resource/oilanalysis.pdf
My only mod is a conservative Ecutek tune. The sample for this analysis was used 3 months for 3,000 miles over the heart of winter (mid-Jan. - mid-April, average temp. 25 f). Five to six 15 minute drives a day with longer drives on the weekend. The car now has approximately 15,500 miles on it.
Some other variables: my first sample (previously posted) was from Sept. to Jan. (average temp in the 40s) and for 3300 miles. This sample was from Jan. to April for 3000 miles. Also, the old oil was completely flushed out at my last change, so this sample should not have old oil mixed in it.
Good: all wear metals were down (Iron from 35 to 19, Alum. from 7 to 4). All contaminant metals were also down. Nitrates dropped from 25 to 23.
Bad: Fuel dilution increased from 4.7 to 5% (perhaps due to colder weather?). Viscosity dropped from 8.1 to 7.9.
My tune does not seem to have much of an impact on the dilution. I'm hoping that my 5% dilution is due, at least in part, to the colder weather and frequent short trips.
What do you guys think?
Thanks for presenting your results; we all appreciate it. For me, the angst on this issue is going down.
Later, Ken
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Hampstead, NH
It's been about 1,200 miles since my last oil change at the dealer and he told me to call him if it smelled like gas. Of course it REEKS of gas so I have an appointment for next wednesday to drop the car off and have it checked out in detail while they work on the hood latch recall..
This oil problem is really becoming an issue with my satisfaction level of the EVO X... It has intimidated me into NOT modding the car for fear of factory tuning causing premature engine failure. I'll probably sell the car now before my warranty runs out in the next few years.
Hoping there's a fix,
-Tim
This oil problem is really becoming an issue with my satisfaction level of the EVO X... It has intimidated me into NOT modding the car for fear of factory tuning causing premature engine failure. I'll probably sell the car now before my warranty runs out in the next few years.
Hoping there's a fix,
-Tim
