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Blackstone Oil Analysis

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Keith Browning

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Is anyone familiar with The Blackstone Laboratories oil analysis and do you know anyone that uses this service? I have been reading a few sources about oil analysis and it looks to be a good way to track problems before they become catastrophic. At least it makes for interesting reading. Any opinions about this? Would we recommend regular oil analysis?

 

www.blackstone-labs.com

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I have no familiarity with oil analysis... other than seeing an oil sample sent to Cat and the report came back saying the brake-saver was gong out..... the only problem being that the sample was from a Cummins NTC350... a motor with no brake-saver.

 

Oil sampling likely works well in context.... locomotive, marine applications and such where samples ae taken regularly between oil changes or where oil changes are not regularly scheduled.

 

Two problems I see with oil sampling from our point of view... samples at 5000 mile intervals allow damage to progress too far for the samples to be useful in any diagnosis.

 

Looking at the usual forums, we see consumers agonizing over report findings. People are going on red alert for no reaso....

 

Done properly and in the right context, oil analysis is a valuable tool.... done the way I see it being done only generates revenue for Blackstone.

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Can I make this any clearer: Change your oil & filter every 3,000 miles, end of story!

1 hour of operation equals approx 30 miles driving, change your oil & filter every 100 or so hours, end of story!

To quote an old Ford service poster "This is not rocket science,but it's close"

Posted Image

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Blasphemy!!! blue.... I'm gonna slam dunk that bonus SPAmsoil stuff inta mah crankcase and fergit awl changes altogether.... Gonna add a bypass oil filter too so I can rob mah enjun by leechin' oil from the base oil system....

 

After that, a good ol' high flow air filter... just like the ones that put dust on the wrong side of the element.

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Posted Image Jim you're killin me! We must be reading some of the same stuff. In all of my sixteen years with Ford, the only customers that have had problems, or thought they had problems were the ones that had a better idea, special fluids and were always screwing with their trucks. Honest to God guys, the owners who come in every 5000 miles (approximately Posted Image ) and get their oil changed with good 'ol Motorcraft 15W40 and filters never seem to have no major problems.

 

Now I don't have anything against synthetic oils or playing with different weights but it should be done for the right reasons. If you live in the great freezing north and the temps never reach above zero for the winter I think it's wise. To extend your oil change intervals? Not worth it in my opinion.

 

 

Now, we have all seen that guy who has neglected his servicing to the point his engine has used about seven quarts of oil and won't stay running? I know you have. THAT'S the truck I would be interested in seeing an oil analysis on. In fact, I just might take a sample the next time I see that and also do a truck I know is regularly serviced to see the difference. $18 bucks a pop? Why not! I'll use the Diesel Stop discount! First I'll need to get my hands on two kits.

 

Sniff sniff...I smell another article! LOL!

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I have used Blackstone labs a couple of times in the past year just to get a base line on my oil and engine. I change it a 5000 miles and run Shell Rotella T 15W40. Blackstone says to push the oil changes up to 6500 to 7000 from the results of my tests but for $30 oil change I will keep it at the 5000 mile changes for now. My main reasoning for the samples was to check the silicon levels in the oil and to see what the stock air box vs the after market dry paper filter from a Cummins would do, aka Tymar air filter. The levels went down about 1/2 point but even with a good stock air filter that was changed just about every oil change the silicone levels were way below what most other PSDs with the same mileage and oil change intervals were at. I have spent more money on stupider things and will probably take a oil sample once a year from now on.

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  • 10 months later...

In my experience of working for just about each and every Class 8 truck manufacturer except Paccar, oil samples prove to be very informational.

 

The tests are ussually submitted by two types of people / customers. The first is the fleet customer and the second is the used truck department.

 

The fleet is trying to check out where they are (lifetime) with an engine. Example, a fleet has a furniture customer that wants new trucks in the summer, but the old trucks are questionable in the area of whether they will make it untill then or not. Then the fleet wil make the judgement call to overhaul the engine, leave it be, or sell and buy new trucks early. The time that the samople is taken is ussually dictated by a financial or mileage prospective.

 

The Used Truck departments use the samples to keep their profits up, customer satisfaction up and costs down. This keeps customers from claiming that they were sold a lemon etc. Why did the engine fail? Etc. It gives the Used truck department some ammo, b/c those trucks are rarely sold as is. There is always some work to be done on the truck before it is delivered. Protection is a must.

 

I have never seen where someone samples thier oil when ever they have thier oil changed. I would feel that this is a mutre point as the sample company is comparing your engines oil to many diffrent engine records vs you comparing to last oil change. Parts usually indicate wear (metallic deposits) way before they fail.

 

As far as extended oil chage intervals, I am not a big fan of them. The newer class 8 engines ISX, ISM, C-15, etc. all have filter systems from the engine OEM that allow for extended service intervals. In differentials and manual transmissions they are almost doubling the miles to around 250,000 - 300,000 mile if synthetic is used. 150,000 if mineral oil is used. Engines for me are different b/c there is such a likley hood that your oil can be contaminated easily. Intake air leak, oil cap fell off and stuff like that. Waht makes me question extended rain intervals the most is that when you are talking light duty trucks like the F250 / 350 the owners have ussually modded thier trucks and are pushing oil towards its limits in a normal situation. Then they want to extend the abuse. As emmisions dates go by (2007, 2010) the oil in the crankcase will have to absorb more soot. The most that should be is 2% - 3%. They can not afford to have it dmage the high dollar exhaust treatment filters. PC-10 oils will do the job but engine manufacturers are requesting an oil that will hold more soot.

 

When ultra low sulfur diesel gets mandatred across the contry you will see extended drain intervals start to become more legitimate. The lower sulfur will help less sulfuric acid form in the crankcase.

 

When CJ-4 oil is introduced to the market it will be interesting. The CJ-4 is compatable back to approx 1994 engines. Do to the material that the seales were made of and the lax tolerances vs. today you will have oil leaks all over th pace on engines. Put the CH-4 back in it and it will be fine. Just one of the characterisics of the new oil.

 

Sorry for rambling on its just that one subject lead to another and to another.

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Quote:
Sorry for rambling on its just that one subject lead to another and to another.
Don't apologize! We all have our moments around here and the more you share, the more everyone benefits. You seem to have a lot of knowledge so please, ramble on! :P

I just think that for the light duty personal use truck the oil analysis is not worth the money. But, some guys gain a little piece of mind from doing it and that's okay. For others, it's something to talk about with their buddies and on line. That's fine too. Like you mentioned, fleets and large expensive equipment owner operators definitely need such analysis because in the long run it will save them money and possible down time.
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I just replied to a post on one of the public places in response to an owner that wants to know "what he should have the dealership (that means you and me, guys) look at...." since his last BS report shows 3%fuel after 8800 miles.

 

This could get interesting...

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Jim,

 

I read the same post and I even typed out a reply which I lost. (Intermittent glitch with the ie-spell) I essentially eluded to "tell the dealer tech to look for his service reminder decals and fill it out for a 5,000 mile oil change interval." I never did retype the message, wife had to go out and left me holding our 4-month old baby that cried the whole time she was gone! Posted Image Probably just as well. At least when my daughter cries it's for a valid reason.

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Engine failures due to lubrication(when properly maintained) concerns are very rare.

I agree. Even the 7.3L was a stout engine and I don't think I have ever seen an oil related or mechanical failure due to "wear." The failures I have seen were almost always because something broke and the resulting debris took out the engine. I did have one customer bury the nose in a flooded street hydrolocking the engine. I still have the piston and L-shaped connecting rod! Posted Image
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