Sending Oil Samples For Analysis

[Beltzington]

I have used Blackstone for both my tractor and Diesel truck, interesting info but at the end of the day what are you going to do if analysis says possible wear? Very unlikely and not fiscally sound to rebuild an engine that is still performing fine. Maybe in fleet operations when extending time between oil changes or when rules such as TBO for aircraft it would be helpful but when you have a sample of one do the scheduled maintenance and drive it until it stops running.

 

[RoyKing]

I send a few samples in after break in to establish a level, then as I approach the end of warranty I sample again. Hoping if I see something going bad I will notify dealer an make claim for failing engine

 

[xcgreene]

I have used Blackstone for both my tractor and Diesel truck, interesting info but at the end of the day what are you going to do if analysis says possible wear? Very unlikely and not fiscally sound to rebuild an engine that is still performing fine. Maybe in fleet operations when extending time between oil changes or when rules such as TBO for aircraft it would be helpful but when you have a sample of one do the scheduled maintenance and drive it until it stops running.

If my sample trends tell me wear is increasing, I'll switch to a better grade oil, and change more often, with the intent of extending the engines life well beyond what it would have been if I kept using the same oil/change interval. Maintenance cost goes up a bit, but "it is what it is" as they say.

 

[NoPaint]

I send a few samples in after break in to establish a level, then as I approach the end of warranty I sample again. Hoping if I see something going bad I will notify dealer an make claim for failing engine

How receptive is the dealer and the manufacturers warranty program to an engine that is running but shows oil specs outside of parameter?

 

[DEWFPO]

How receptive is the dealer and the manufacturers warranty program to an engine that is running but shows oil specs outside of parameter?

Very Good Question.............

DEWFPO

 

[bdog]

I think it is a waste of time and money on smaller engines. A semi or piece of heavy machinery that holds ten gallons? Yeah maybe do the samples to make sure you aren’t dumping $200 of oil that is still good. On a small tractor or whatever that might hold $40 of oil why spend $25 to test it? Just replace it. I guess it would be good to know what the wear trends are but as someone else mentioned what are you really going to do with this info.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I think it is a waste of time and money on smaller engines. A semi or piece of heavy machinery that holds ten gallons? Yeah maybe do the samples to make sure you aren稚 dumping $200 of oil that is still good. On a small tractor or whatever that might hold $40 of oil why spend $25 to test it? Just replace it. I guess it would be good to know what the wear trends are but as someone else mentioned what are you really going to do with this info.

Since yopu don'y qualify what a "small engine is" I can only assume you mean car and pickup size engines. Common sense would make your statment false. Lets' take a diesel engine in a new Ford Truck for example.

Engine analysis give you advance notice of a pending engine failure - Please educate yourself here on the value of knowing what is going on with EVERY engine small of big.

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/7-18-Boxster-Report.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/7-18-Avalon.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-...as-Diesel-2018-02-01-Four-Problem-Reports.pdf

 

[bdog]

Since yopu don'y qualify what a "small engine is" I can only assume you mean car and pickup size engines. Common sense would make your statment false. Lets' take a diesel engine in a new Ford Truck for example.

Engine analysis give you advance notice of a pending engine failure - Please educate yourself here on the value of knowing what is going on with EVERY engine small of big.

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/7-18-Boxster-Report.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/7-18-Avalon.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-...as-Diesel-2018-02-01-Four-Problem-Reports.pdf

I thought I did specify as a small engine being something that holds around $40 of oil. I know that is not specific but as I said in my original post if the cost of changing the oil isn’t much more than the sample why not just change it? I also understand that the oil samples can give you wear trends and let you know something is wrong but again for me I just don’t see it being worthwhile. Others might.

I personally don’t have the time or the desire to keep up with it. I own around 25 things with engines. About 20 of them are diesel. Over the past twenty years I have had exactly one engine failure and that was on a used skid steer that I bought and the failure happened right after I bought it like in the first 100 hrs.I think the air filter was not installed properly and the engine sucked dirt in for who knows how long and the previous owner found the problem and sold it. Aside from that with 20+ things over 20 years and no engine failures. It just isn’t that big of a problem for me to want to bother with sending in samples on 20 things and trying to keep up with it all and worrying about what this number means and so on. I have enough stuff to worry about the last thing I want is to be up at night worrying about the xyz value is over spec on some engine I have. Again for others it might.

 

[masscity]

Don't assume that oil testing on a pickup engine is a waste of money. Back when I was working I had my Dodge Cummins test once a year. One report said dirt was getting past my air filter. Air filter wasn't tight enough and I changed to different filters.

Another report said that my oil filter went to bypass, I changed to a different oil filter. Blackstone saved me money.

 

[Mace Canute]

A UOA alerted me to the presence of coolant in the oil of my Chevy truck and I was able to remedy the problem before it damaged anything.