Engine oil testing, Is there any value to doing it. Options

[malcolm2]

I know that ENGINE OIL on these forums can be a hot button, but I am not asking about DINO vs. SYN, or 30 vs. 50 weight, so let's here the opinions.

I am curious.... I just have a daily driver so let's talk about what I would gain. Not racing, or engine building, or trying to re-invent the wheel here.

Does anyone see any value in testing engine oil? What could I learn?

I just changed the break-in oil after about 500 miles. Just a guess, cause the ODO is not working. basically 2-1/2 full tanks of gas ran thru.

I found a send-off testing service for $25. So it is affordable for the curious. If I do it, should I wait for this or maybe even one more oil change? Then I figured do it again in a year or so and compare.

I used Brad Penn break-in and re-filled with Brad Penn 20W-50.

Thanks in advance for the input,

Clark

[Elliot Cannon]

I'm not so sure I would do it for a daily driver. It depends I guess on the value of the engine. I would think that regular oil and filter changes should be enough. Having said that, I will be sending the oil in my airplane off for analysis with every oil change. But the consequences of an engine failure at altitude are just a bit more serious. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[shoguneagle]

Being an old frustrated "Engineer" I like to know certain things which includes what the engine is burning and how it is burning. I would not take oil sampling every time but maybe initially after breakin as you have done; maybe somewhere around 3-5,000 miles and maybe something around 10,000 miles.

In aviation, we take oil sampling and testing on routine and special basis. It is usually where the engine(s) show certain characteristics, testing for byproducts, etc.

I believe you can tell a lot about an engine from the oil samples. With a trend line, you can be watching and learning about your engine while you drive it. Street driving is one thing and racing is another thing; racing I would be taking oil sampling/testing after every race for information concerning the engine.

Again, I am just an old frustrated engineer.

Steve Hurt

[Jake Raby]

The main thing you'll learn is exactly when the oil should be changed in your particular engine.

[r_towle]

I'm not so sure I would do it for a daily driver. It depends I guess on the value of the engine. I would think that regular oil and filter changes should be enough. Having said that, I will be sending the oil in my airplane off for analysis with every oil change. But the consequences of an engine failure at altitude are just a bit more serious. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

Says the man who is rebuilding his motor.......

[rick 918-S]

I had one time when I found real value in testing. I lost pressure. Not completely but enough that I stopped driving the car thinking I had a serious issue. The only other time I ever saw this type of thing happen I had a spun bearing.

The test was reassuring and showed no metals but my 20/50 WT oil los viscosity. The viscosity test showed the oil was around 20 WT. The oil got so hot it cooked the viscosity enhancers out of suspension and turned it into black flecks of what resembled coal slag. It would crumble when you rubbed it between your fingers and turn into a black paste.

That was the last time I ran Castrol GTX. After further research I discovered the motor cycle racers would get one race out of the oil and it was cooked. They branded it Castrol Brown because it stained the inside of your engine with a brown tint from thermal breakdown.

[r_towle]

I had one time when I found real value in testing. I lost pressure. Not completely but enough that I stopped driving the car thinking I had a serious issue. The only other time I ever saw this type of thing happen I had a spun bearing.

The test was reassuring and showed no metals but my 20/50 WT oil los viscosity. The viscosity test showed the oil was around 20 WT. The oil got so hot it cooked the viscosity enhancers out of suspension and turned it into black flecks of what resembled coal slag. It would crumble when you rubbed it between your fingers and turn into a black paste.

That was the last time I ran Castrol GTX. After further research I discovered the motor cycle racers would get one race out of the oil and it was cooked. They branded it Castrol Brown because it stained the inside of your engine with a brown tint from thermal breakdown.

I just did all the fluids on the new ranger with 100k on the clock.
It was never done.
Tranny fluid...cooked
Oil, cooked and smelled like fuel
Diffs, both foamy and crap
Transfer case smelled ok...

Unreal what happens to old lube.

[Elliot Cannon]

[quote name='r_towle' date='Dec 7 2013, 08:06 PM' post='1967665']
[quote name='Elliot Cannon' post='1967447' date='Dec 7 2013, 01:44 PM']
I'm not so sure I would do it for a daily driver. It depends I guess on the value of the engine. I would think that regular oil and filter changes should be enough. Having said that, I will be sending the oil in my airplane off for analysis with every oil change. But the consequences of an engine failure at altitude are just a bit more serious. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)
[/quote]
Says the man who is rebuilding his motor.......
[/quote
Says the man who is replacing one valve guide. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[walterolin]

I had one time when I found real value in testing. I lost pressure. Not completely but enough that I stopped driving the car thinking I had a serious issue. The only other time I ever saw this type of thing happen I had a spun bearing.

The test was reassuring and showed no metals but my 20/50 WT oil los viscosity. The viscosity test showed the oil was around 20 WT. The oil got so hot it cooked the viscosity enhancers out of suspension and turned it into black flecks of what resembled coal slag. It would crumble when you rubbed it between your fingers and turn into a black paste.

That was the last time I ran Castrol GTX. After further research I discovered the motor cycle racers would get one race out of the oil and it was cooked. They branded it Castrol Brown because it stained the inside of your engine with a brown tint from thermal breakdown.

I just did all the fluids on the new ranger with 100k on the clock.
It was never done.
Tranny fluid...cooked
Oil, cooked and smelled like fuel
Diffs, both foamy and crap
Transfer case smelled ok...

Unreal what happens to old lube.

I had an '02 Ranger, 4.0, manual transmission. About 70,000 miles it got to be almost impossible to shift. Being a typical male, I finally read the manual, and discovered that Ford had gone to ATF in a stick shift instead of dino oil, and that I was supposed to change it every 50,000 or so.

I didn't know about Castrol either. I don't use it. From another thread on oil filters, it seems that Castrol would pair up real well with Fram filters.