Oil Analysis problems

[Gros Ventre]

I have done my last sample with Blackstone. Their ability to get a sample analyzed and out the door is unsat. If you cannot get the results in a reasonable time to make a decision on changing oil, you might as well revert to just changing oil based on mileage alone. ...And to top it off I've been tracking ash content, an extra analysis, and they forgot to do it this last time (and when I asked them, they had tossed the sample). For the present I'm going to use WearCheck. Will let you know how it works out.

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[PB2021]

Anyone know of a similar service offered in Canada?

 

[Kodiak]

A Fumoto valve or a Valvomax valve will help with sample collection. You probably have something like this already but I did want to offer it up incase anyone else finds this in a search.

Sorry to hear about Blackstone. Good luck.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Added a sample valve in line with my bypass filter, so can sample while engine is running. Will post a pic. The WearCheck guys have advertised results within 1-3 days after receipt. Will see.

 

[Calson]

The test analysis is worthless with the new motor oils that arrived after 2017 with respect to gas engines. It may have some value for fleet operators with diesel engines and oil changes at intervals that exceed 25,000 miles but that is a different proposition altogether.

If I was doing primarily city driving I would change the oil at 5000 miles or with freeway driving I would change it every 10,000 miles as per Ford's recommendation.

 

[Gros Ventre]

The point of oil analysis is one lets the sample results determine change interval. To call it worthless is a bogus statement. You might have something crop up and the analysis tells you before it becomes significant... In my analysis I've found that the boron additive is the key to normal change intervals... Like any other component on your truck, it has a lifetime. Analysis measures that. Your comment about fleet analysis gives you away. In my case I kept a family Suburban ('92 bought new) for 30 years. Not having to replace it helped get 3 sons through college. Original engine. So was it a "fleet" vehicle? Well, yeah, it was My "fleet."

 

[fordtruckman2003]

You could just add to your other thread on this same subject. Sorry you have so many issues with Blackstone. They are fairly quick for me but I'm close enough to drive there.

 

[Gros Ventre]

You could just add to your other thread on this same subject. Sorry you have so many issues with Blackstone. They are fairly quick for me but I'm close enough to drive there.

They began taking longer and longer awhile ago. I've remarked about it to them. I said the things I mentioned above to them. Simply, if one cannot get the results in time to make a real world decision, doing the sample is meaningless and just records history. Somehow they just didn't get it. My most recent sample, the straw that broke the camel's back, they had in hand for 5 weeks before getting to it. 'Nuf said... Whether one drives up or they get it in the mail, their queue should respond the same.

 

[Buyer2021]

I'll admit I'm not an oil analysis guy, but I never even considered the service as a tool for making a decision about a 'current' oil change interval.

I figured the benefit, if any, was to compile trend data, contributing to decisions about future change intervals or as an indicator of potential issues unrelated to oil change interval. Yeah, there's value in that 'historic' data.

That notwithstanding, 5 weeks does seem a bit long.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I learned about oil analysis in my Navy time. There's a way they make ships last 50+ years.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Sample valve setup. Installed on the feed side of my bypass filter.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I decided awhile ago, on another vehicle, to let the sample results determine oil changes. On my F-150 and with AmsOil, I have observed that the Boron component of additives depletes with a fairly consistent slope. It generally seems as if it would deplete at around 14,000 miles. On a Polaris Ranger I discovered that an improperly seated air filter cover was allowing in a bunch of Silicon. So I fixed that and, of course, dumped that oil immediately. So saying that analysis won't tell you much is off the mark. If there is something wrong, such as an air filter problem, it'll show up in your oil and likely before extensive wear has set in.

 

[Natetroknot]

I like to think my time tinkering under the hood of anything I own with a motor would uncover an improperly seated air filter quicker than a motor oil sample taken, shipped, and hopefully analyzed correctly by a third party to indicate an abnormally high silicon content that tips me off to checking into it after the fact would but hey I know you like to keep it complicated Gros and I mean no disrespect and sorry for the run on sentence lol

 

[Gros Ventre]

I'd like to think I'd find something like that too... but ya know... sh-- happens... And have you ever looked into the engine compartment in trucks these days... You need a flexible camera unit to be able to see much of the engine... Not like my 92 Suburban where you could get in the compartment and crawl around...

 

[Gros Ventre]

Got my first sample results back... 3 days... the analysis looks quite good. I'm impressed with WearCheck.

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