Engine Oil Testing

[Bulbash]

Has anyone done engine oil testing? What was the format of the results? Just trying to see if it will be beneficial to check motor condition and prevent engine failure...

 

[alldodge]

Has anyone done engine oil testing? What was the format of the results? Just trying to see if it will be beneficial to check motor condition and prevent engine failure...

I use is every so often to check the status of my heavy equipment, but can be done for your motor just as easy. The report provides levels of all the different metals found in a motor. The spectrometer will provide listings for chrome, lead, iron, aluminum and many others, along with other things such as fuel. So as particles increase in the oil will give you notice that your gears, bearings and such are wearing out.

I don't do it with my boats or cars because I can hear them better, and can fell vibrations unlike heavy stuff. It would be better to do it also I just choose not to. Have a look here to provide further insight

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/report-explanation.php

 

[TexMonty]

We also do a lot of spectrographic oil testing on our customers equipment. It is mostly on "sealed systems" where the oil circuit is sealed and there is no combustion. This gives us the ability to "trend" the oil sample year after year since the oil is not changed unless there is a need (based on the oil sample test). On combustion engines it has always been iffy whether it tells you anything usefull since you change it so often.

 

[Bulbash]

So having one test result won't show much, right? What you looking is the changes to concentration of different materials in the oil...

 

[TexMonty]

Bullbash - yes I use it for increased wear metals year after year

 

[doyall]

So having one test result won't show much, right? ...

A single test will certainly not provide any useful data for a trend analysis which you probably don't need on a pleasure boat running only 50 or so hours a year anyway. But if it is an inboard or I/O, an analysis will tell you if you if there is fuel in the oil (which there probably will be if you do not consistently run the engine 20 - 30 minutes after reaching operating temps) which at an increased level may signify some other type of problem. An analysis will also tell you if there is water in the oil which may be indicative of yet a different problem. And if you have a closed cooling system it will tell you if there is coolant (antifreeze) in the oil which would suggest a most serious problem. It will also tell you if your engine chews oil up real bad indicating the need for maybe an earlier change, a thicker viscosity or even a "true" synthetic. And if you get a TBN reading it will also tell you if the oil has reached the end of its service life (depletion of beneficial additives).

Go to bobistheoilguy.com for hours of reading on the topic.