How to sample oil and what lab.

[xzostd1]

How do you take a oil sample if your not changing oil and what labs are you using??
When I did oil sampling for my plane I would drain the oil into 2 ice cream buckets and dip into the top of the second bucket for my sample.
Bill Menominee, MI 1 million mile Volvo

[Maniac]

I use http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ and have used them since I bought my truck in 1999.

I take the sample about 1/2 way thru the drain process, right out of the stream of oil going into the bucket, and I always drain the oil hot.

Blackstone will email you the report and you can print it out, nice people to deal with, and if there ever is a serious problem with your oil, they will call you on the phone.

Cost around $18.00

[allan5oh]

I use wearcheck canada, they seem pretty good. About the same price as blackstone. Unfortunately blackstone charges extra for TBN, I get TBN included for 20 bux. TBN is very important for our diesels.

[Kranky]

Bill Menominee, MI 1 million mile Volvo

Since you're located near WI, may I recommend US Oil, Combined Locks WI.(near Appleton) 1 - 800 - 490 - 4900

They have a complete oil analysis lab there.

Many of the fleets around here use them.

[number9]

I use Blackstone Labs as well and have been VERY happy with their service. I bought their oil pump kit and pull the sample myself so I know it is done right and not tainted. They send new (free) sample bottles in the mail to get your next sample in. I get my samples cold out of the dipstick tube since I have a driver in the truck and get the oil changed at a "local" place on the road.

I decided to do it myself after I paid for an oil sample at a lube change 6 months ago and STILL have never gotten it back :x

[NFRay]

Blackstone- - - I e-mailed them for info about oil sampling, and got no reply.

Question was; When buying a used truck from a dealer, you know they have changed the oil, so how many hours should the engine run before you can get a good representative oil sample for testing ? Would you be able to tell anything, about the oil, by taking a sample immediately following a pre-purchase dyno test ? Or would the traces still be too small to detect ?

Anyone ?

[bob h]

Blackstone- - - I e-mailed them for info about oil sampling, and got no reply.

Question was; When buying a used truck from a dealer, you know they have changed the oil, so how many hours should the engine run before you can get a good representative oil sample for testing ? Would you be able to tell anything, about the oil, by taking a sample immediately following a pre-purchase dyno test ? Or would the traces still be too small to detect ?

Anyone ?

oil sampling is a process. you should be monitoring a pattern in the results

ONE oil sample might only tell you what to watch for in the next sample

results can be VERY inconsistent, often based on the method of extracting the sample

...i bet allan's "high copper" sample (from an earlier post) comes back clean next time... at least, him and i are hoping it does ;0)

[xzostd1]

I checked out the Blackstone sight..and ordered a sample bottle.
Thanks for the info!
Bill

[serbie]

What does TBN stand for?

never mind found the awnser... Here it is

Do I Need a TBN?

What is a TBN, and who uses it? In short, a TBN (total base number) measures the amount of active additive left in a sample of oil. The TBN is useful for people who want to extend their oil usage far beyond the normal range.

By comparing the TBN of a used oil to the TBN of the same oil in virgin condition, the user can determine how much reserve additive the oil has left to neutralize acids. The lower the TBN reading, the less active additive the oil has left.
(Note: You only need to send in a sample of virgin oil if you want to know exactly where the TBN of your specific oil starts out. The TBN of most gasoline engine oil starts around 8 or 9. Diesel-use TBNs start around 11 or 12.)

An oil's function is to lubricate, clean, and cool the engine. Additives are added to the oil to enhance those functions. If the oil becomes too acidic, it will corrode the engine. A good TBN result, meaning plenty of active additive is left in the oil, is usually in the 6.0 to 14.0 range (depending on whether the oil is for gas or diesel engines). A low test result, meaning very little additive is left, is down around 2.

Scientifically speaking, the TBN is one of two "neutralization number" tests run on oils. The TAN (total acid number), which is used for hydraulic oils, is the other. The TBN measures the total basedity of an engine oil; that is, how much base (as in, a base vs. an acid) additive is in the oil to offset the deleterious effects of acids coming into the oil from combustion and other sources.

However, the TBN is not the only factor to consider when determining how long an oil can be used. If wear accumulations and insolubles in the oil build up and become abrasive, we would recommend changing out the oil, no matter how high the TBN reading.





Guess I should LOOK for anwsers first lol