Black oil

[JWR]

Black oil may be normal, but I wonder if it is necessary?

Would a good bypass lubrication system remove the soot particles? Bypass systems filter particles some 10x smaller than standard filters.
rScotty

Necessary? It has never caused a problem yet since old Herr Rudolph Diesel invented this type of internal combustion engine and patented it in 1892. Who wants (or needs) to remove soot particles? Priorities , priorities ... sure is pretty fall weather this year !

 

[Bob Rooks]

Black oil may be normal, but I wonder if it is necessary?

Would a good bypass lubrication system remove the soot particles? Bypass systems filter particles some 10x smaller than standard filters.
rScotty

Black oil isn't really necessary, I'd call it almost unavoidable. It's a residual effect of incomplete combustion, which can be from many variables, such as fuel quality, combustion chamber design, engine condition, etc. There used to be some very good aftermarket bypass lube oil filter systems (remember the big chrome Luberfiners?) but none of them ever got the soot out. The Frantz "toilet paper" bypass filters are still sold, albeit without TP filter media, and at best are only good down to .01µ. Upon entering the engine oil sump, soot is rapidly mixed in with the bulk oil and circulates throughout the engine. As oil passes through the engine gears (the oil pump is great for this), the soot particles are ground into extremely fine particles, nominally 1000 Angstroms (10‾10 nm), and are maintained in suspension by the lubricant dispersants. This is pretty close to rocket science, actually, because lubrication engineers base entire careers on it. There are many SAE, ASTM, and ISO white papers on the subject if you need to know more.

 

[Buggs67]

Reading about this and other threads about oil and analysis have made me decide to get my tractor and car oils checked.

NAPA/Wix has a kit and it is $16-19. Any experience with them? It appears they test TBN. And the price is very reasonable.

 

[Buggs67]

FYI just found this

https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_us/modals/isoclean-free-oil-analysis-offer.html

 

[5030]

Try getting an oil analysis from an outfit like Blackstone Labs. What I do. Don't pay any mind to the color of it. I go by the TBN number from Blackstone.

On my M's it takes about 50 hours to even start coloring at all. I use Shell T5 5-40 in both.

 

[newbury]

Try getting an oil analysis from an outfit like Blackstone Labs. What I do. Don't pay any mind to the color of it. I go by the TBN number from Blackstone.
<snip>

Tractor By Net number?
Or
Total Base Number

 

[Bob Rooks]

Tractor By Net number?
Or
Total Base Number

I have always used the Tractor By Net number. Never been wrong.

 

[5030]

Tractor By Net number?
Or
Total Base Number

You already know the answer.

 

[Boss 302]

Nothing wrong with black oil..... period!

 

[Bob Rooks]

You already know the answer.

Yes, and I swear by the Tractor By Net numbers. Why even bring it up in the first place?