Latest Oil Analysis

[ThomasLawrence]

Got my (third) oil analysis from Blackstone today:<TABLE width=100%><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH align=left>MI/HR ON OIL</TH><TH align=left>3,900</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2>UNIT/</FONT></TH><TH align=left>3,800</TH><TH align=left>7,450</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2>UNIVERSAL</FONT></TH></TR><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH align=left>MI/HR ON UNIT</TH><TH align=left>37,900</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2>LOCATION</FONT></TH><TH align=left>33,800</TH><TH align=left>29,950</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2>AVERAGES</FONT></TH></TR><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH align=left>SAMPLE DATE</TH><TH align=left>12/1/2004</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2>AVERAGES</FONT></TH><TH align=left>10/3/2004</TH><TH align=left>8/2/2004</TH><TH BGCOLOR="#000000" align=center><FONT COLOR=WHITE SIZE=2></TH></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD>ALUMINUM</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">4</TD></TR><TR><TD>CHROMIUM</TD><TD>1</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1</TD></TR><TR><TD>IRON</TD><TD>17</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">31</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>51</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">29</TD></TR><TR><TD>COPPER</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">3</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>5</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">5</TD></TR><TR><TD>LEAD</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">3</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">2</TD></TR><TR><TD>TIN</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD></TR><TR><TD>MOLYBDENUM</TD><TD>45</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">27</TD><TD>35</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">50</TD></TR><TR><TD>NICKEL</TD><TD>1</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD></TR><TR><TD>MANGANESE</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1</TD></TR><TR><TD>SILVER</TD><TD>1</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1</TD></TR><TR><TD>TITANIUM</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD></TR><TR><TD>POTASSIUM</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">6</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>14</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">21</TD></TR><TR><TD>BORON</TD><TD>48</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">28</TD><TD>37</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">71</TD></TR><TR><TD>SILICON</TD><TD>5</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">11</TD></TR><TR><TD>SODIUM</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">4</TD></TR><TR><TD>CALCIUM</TD><TD>3206</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">3123</TD><TD>2915</TD><TD>3249</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">3259</TD></TR><TR><TD>MAGNESIUM</TD><TD>588</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">333</TD><TD>403</TD><TD>7</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">179</TD></TR><TR><TD>PHOSPHORUS</TD><TD>1371</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1167</TD><TD>1121</TD><TD>1008</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1161</TD></TR><TR><TD>ZINC</TD><TD>1553</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1328</TD><TD>1289</TD><TD>1142</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">1364</TD></TR><TR><TD>BARIUM</TD><TD>0</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF">2</TD></TR>

</TABLE>

<TABLE><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH></TH><TH align=center>SUS</TH><TH align=center>FLASHPOINT</TH><TH align=center>FUEL</TH><TH align=center>ANTIFREEZE</TH><TH align=center>WATER</TH><TH align=center>INSOLUBLES</TH></TR><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH align=center>TEST</TH><TH align=center>VISCOSITY</TH><TH align=center>IN °F</TH><TH align=center>%</TH><TH align=center>%</TH><TH align=center>%</TH><TH align=center>%</TH></TR><TR BGCOLOR="#EFEFEF"><TH></TH><TH align=center>@ 210 °F</TH><TH></TH><TH></TH><TH></TH><TH></TH><TH></TH></TR><TR><TD>VALUES SHOULD BE</TD><TD align=center>68-78</TD><TD align=center>>415</TD><TD align=center><2. 0</TD><TD align=center>0</TD><TD align=center>0. 0</TD><TD align=center><0. 7</TD></TR><TR><TD>TESTED VALUES WERE</TD><TD align=center>76. 9</TD><TD align=center>455</TD><TD align=center><0. 5</TD><TD align=center>0. 0</TD><TD align=center>0. 0</TD><TD align=center>0. 3</TD></TR></TABLE>



Their comments:

TOM: You ran this oil just a little longer than the last sample, and wear actually improved. Overall, there were no significant changes since the last sample, though the drop in iron shows you're doing something right with this Cummins. We like everything about this analysis and are suggesting no changes to your program. Rings and bearings look good. This was 15W/40 diesel-use oil with no fuel, moisture or anti-freeze in it. Air and oil filtration looks good. Suggest using the same miles oil use for the next sample. This engine should last you a long time.

I had been maintaining 7,500mile oil changes since I got the truck, and that was the mileage on the first sample (was also using Rotella at the time). Due to the presence of soot in the oil (from fueling higher than stock levels) on the first analysis, I dropped the interval to 3,750 miles. At that time, I also switched to Delvac (local supply issue, and it doesn't stink as bad ). The results from the last two analyses show better numbers, and no soot detected.



Of particular interest was the silicon numbers. On the first analysis, I was running an AFE ProGuard7 cone filter, and was happy with the filtration, but performance was suffering somewhat. I switched back to a standard AFE (5-layer) filter, gained some performance, reduced smoke, dropped EGT's, and didn't suffer any increased silicon levels. Fine by me



Overall, I'm very happy with the results - Blackstone provides a great service. From the reports, it seems the engine is nicely broken in, and that the extra HP doesn't seem to be wearing it out (running 500+HP for all three analyses)



-Tom

 

[LightmanE300]

First of all, where are the TBN, nitration, or oxidation numbers?



Clearly from the numbers you could/should be going longer than 3900. Your numbers after 7450 miles are more along the lines of when you'd want to change it .



The extra HP is definitely taking its toll - although not too badly. Your wear metals are pretty high for the mileage, but not awful. To contrast - after 10,000 miles my truck had 15ppm iron, and that was the highest wear metal by far. Then again, I have a bypass system, delvac 1 synthetic, and a stock engine so I'm on the opposite end of the 'easy on oil' spectrum. I'm assuming you use delvac 1300 - although you just said 'delvac' . .

 

[ThomasLawrence]

First of all, where are the TBN, nitration, or oxidation numbers?

I don't care about extended drain intervals, so I don't have them done. The amount of soot found in the 7,500 mile sample indicated (to me) that I needed to reduce the amount of miles between changes - although that may have been alleviated with the air filter switch. Yes, the oil is Delvac 1300.



-Tom

 

[barbwire]

Tom, what kind of oil filtering system do you have? What filterbrand do you use? I am currently useing Amsoil dual bypass, and my #s are worse than yours. Granted I run extended drain intervals. BUT, I am looking to change, because I am not likeing the results.

Also, how do you take your sample? I cannot get the plastic tube down thru the dipstick tube. Something is in the way.

 

[ThomasLawrence]

I just run a normal Fleetguard Stratapore filter - completely stock filtration.

I take my sample when I change the oil - just put the bottle into the stream coming out of the oil pan.



-Tom