oil sample

Oil filtration addresses the issue of particulate contamination.

Does nothing for the additive levels. Typically which are destroyed over time by heat.

 

I calculated 49,348 before it was changed, based on the document.

*edit - my mistake, it reads right to left - must be Japanese.

 

Ok... here we go. Your oil is way out of viscosity. It was on the last oil sample. They cautioned you about that, but you still didn't change it. Also, there is no test for TBN (total base number), oxidation, and nitration. These are critical if one is going for extended drains. You need to have your samples tested by another lab, because this one is not giving you the information you need. Another test is TAN (total acid number), but that is not quite so critical. Usually one can determine oil quality from TBN. If TBN drops down to 3 or at the very least 2, you need to dump the oil. We have know way of knowing now, do we, from your sample report since they are not testing for it.

Ok. Based and the spike in copper, and a slight spike in iron also, you got on the sample, along with the viscosity being out of range on the latest two samples, the reason that copper is starting to spike is that it is being leached out of the oil cooler because the oil is now beyond useful life. Get it out of there, replace all filters, and find yourself a new lab to start analyzing your oil samples.

This lab is not warning you about oil thickening (viscosity) in their comments. Typical HEDO engine oil comes out of the jug at around 14.8 viscosity. Rotella Synthetic you are using should not be experiencing this oil thickening like the report shows. When you are getting to the levels you are showing in the report, the oil is heavier than a 50 weight motor oil. And it spiked on the last sample, so something is causing that oil to thicken up and move more towards being grease. Something strange is definitely going on with the Rotella synthetic thickening up like that.

Also, your reporting the time on oil is wrong. The time on oil should be the miles from the last complete oil change, not from the time of the last sample. Any lab needs the total time on the oil to give better advisory summary on the condition of the oil.

 

I wouldn't use lucas. It's just a waste of money. All it does is thicken up your oil. That's not a good thing. Basically you're cancelling the benefits of the synthetic, which is it doesn't thicken up as much as 15w40 when its cold.

Cowpie has it on the money. Although TBN is way less important than it used to be due to ULSD fuel. For extended drains you need an oxidation reading, because oxidation can cause thickening.

I wouldn't be too worried about the copper. I had one reading of 200+ PPM for copper on my Volvo engine. I did about 10+ samples after that and copper was never above 5. I also did yearly oil changes wether it needed it or not.

 

Hey, cowpie what is good lab to check all that data?

 

For a quick check, believe it or not, the Speedco truck lube places can do a pretty good job on their oil analysis machine. I have used them for a sample occasionally and compared them to samples sent in to a lab and they do pretty good. It will check and show all the things we are discussing. You can either take a sample to them or have them pull a sample for you and test.

Now, for a lab to send samples, over the years I have either used or heard good things about.. Oil Analyzers, Inc, Blackstone, Stavely, and Polaris. I have a preference for Oil Analyzers in that their online reporting and charting and alerts seem to be better. They are all online and you can order sample kits from them. There are others, but these are the bigger names and have been at this for a long time.

 

Thanks, for the info