Wonder what your oil or fluids are telling you about the internals ?

[teamzr1]

A good way to know how well your engine, tranny, rear end or even the power steering fluid is doing is to have used oil/fluid tested, analyzed and testlab sent you as results report
I have used the same testlab for about 20 year.
They keep on file all your past results which if you need later you can download it, and it helps so when they analyze they can compare with the past results
Here are 1 results of the lab testing the engine oil :



Here is some of what they do in testing :

Oil analysis is a quick way to gauge the health of an engine by looking at what’s in the oil.
What does a standard analysis include?
In our standard oil analysis, we perform four tests:

Spectral exam:
In the spectral exam, we take a portion of your oil sample and run it through a machine called a spectrometer, which tells us the levels of metals and additives that are present in the oil. To learn more about the elements we look at and where they come from in your oil, go to our Report Explanation page.
Insolubles test:
The insolubles test measures the solids present in the oil. The solids are formed by oil oxidation (when the oil breaks down due to the presence of oxygen, accelerated by heat) and blow-by past the rings. This tells you how good a job the oil filter is doing, and to what extent the oil has oxidized.
Viscosity test:
The viscosity measures the grade, or thickness, of the oil. Whether it’s supposed to be a 5W/30, 15W/40, or some other grade, we know (within a range) what the viscosity should be. If your viscosity falls outside that range, there’s probably a reason: the oil could have been overheated, or contaminated with fuel, moisture, or coolant.
Flash Point test:
The Flash Point test measures the temperature at which vapors from the oil ignite. We know what temperature the oil should flash at. If it flashes at or above that level, the oil is not contaminated. If the oil flashes lower than it should, then it’s probably been contaminated. Fuel is the most common contaminant in oil.

We can perform our standard oil analysis on any sample of oil, whether it’s engine oil, transmission oil, an oil-based additive, gear oil, hydraulic oil, power steering fluid, biodiesel, or another type of oil.
There are more specialized tests we can perform on an oil sample, depending on your needs. For a complete list of the tests we do and their cost, go to our Tests page.

Attached is a PDF that explains the test results

 

[teamzr1]

Here are more results from my 1999 C5 as to engine oil and M6 tranny fluids
waiting on newest results from Blackstone Testlabs as I sent them a sample last week when changing the engine oil

You can know the test order as the shown report dates on results & sample dates when history compares were done

 

[teamzr1]

Since 2001 I have had the used Mobil I oil of my highly modified 1999 Corvette LS1 engine

Results below cover 5 test sample periods since 2001 to just tested this winter of 2022

Keep in mind the engine has 35,500 miles, outputs 125 HP more than when stock and water/Methanol is injected via intake manifold
Always use non Ethanol gas
To understand what the results are, attached below is defined by the test lab that does the testing

You be a scientist, analyze the 5 test results over 20 years and tell me what you see ?



Here is PDF defining test parameters and results

 

[Stingray]

Darn, we've touched previously upon the difference between "data" and "information". I'm a simple guy, what's that lot actually saying?

In these matters I'm always intrigued that however the data converts into information there are only a limited number of possible outcomes,
1. Do nothing - $0
2. Change the oil - $100
3. Tear down the engine - $1,00,000,0000,00000.......

I'm showing my colours here but I've always been a student at the school of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

 

[Custom exotics]

Darn, we've touched previously upon the difference between "data" and "information". I'm a simple guy, what's that lot actually saying?

In these matters I'm always intrigued that however the data converts into information there are only a limited number of possible outcomes,
1. Do nothing - $0
2. Change the oil - $100
3. Tear down the engine - $1,00,000,0000,00000.......

I'm showing my colours here but I've always been a student at the school of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

Couldn't agree more especially as most vette engines are bullet proof and unless highly modified then simple oil changes should be fine without the added expense of getting ur oil checked on top

 

[teamzr1]

Oil analysis is a quick way to gauge the health of your engine by looking at what's in the oil.
People use oil analysis on cars, trucks, aircraft, marine engines, motorcycles, industrial equipment, and more.
It can help you see if there are any problems developing before a part degrades or fails, if your oil is working well, and if you can run the oil longer, among other things
There could be a small coolant leak you would not know about, but the oil testing would show that up and allow fixing the problem before it gets worse
Testing allows to see how the internal parts are wearing or ve know if parts you installed were made cheaply and degrading quicker by the types of metals found in the testing

What is a TBN, and who uses it?
In short, a TBN (Total Base Number) measures how much base (as in base vs. acid) additive is in the oil to offset the effects of acids coming into the oil from combustion and other sources. Scientifically speaking, the TBN is one of two “neutralization number” tests run on oils.
The TAN (Total Acid Number), which is used for hydraulic and gear oil, is the other. The TBN test is useful for anyone who wants to extend their oil use beyond the normal range.

The oil’s function is to lubricate, clean, and cool the engine. Additives are added to the oil to enhance those functions.
The TBN will start out reading in the 6.0 to 14.0 range (depending on the oil and whether it’s meant for gas or diesel engines).
When you first start using the oil, the TBN tends to drop sharply. Then it levels out and drops more slowly after that.
The lower the TBN reading, the less active additive the oil has left. A low TBN test result, meaning very little additive is left, is down around 1.0 or lower.

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

As in my case with lots of internal mods, a lot of racing that put a lot of stress on parts if any long term negative effects on health of engine
Also since I inject water/Methanol into the engine if long term negative in doing so

For $30 US, it is far cheaper than you're going to a doctor for a health checkup and report of findings

 

[Custom exotics]

Lol if you have a water leak normally means ur topping up water on regular basis plus oil will start looking chocolate in colour plus snotty mess in oil caps and catch can and if u drop oil and find a lot of swarf in oil then a fair sign of something failing internally I really don't see the likes of audi merc bmw or gm getting ur oil checked on every service so I say if dealers don't do it why would others yes checking has its place aviation marine engines etc but generally on cars is serious overkill in my book and regardless still doesn't stop a piston from exiting an engine if being abused you might as well say swap oil daily and never rev engine passed 2000rpm that way it won't blow up !!!

 

[Roscobbc]

I think all remarks are equally valid. My take? - if it ain't completely broke or gonna create other long term issues - don't fix it. If running an ultra low mileage, concours garage queen or more complex engine (like quad cam ZR1) I would like the additional information that an oil analysis could give and help give some pre-warning of potentially expensive problems ahead.

 

[teamzr1]

Lol if you have a water leak normally means ur topping up water on regular basis plus oil will start looking chocolate in colour plus snotty mess in oil caps and catch can and if u drop oil and find a lot of swarf in oil then a fair sign of something failing internally I really don't see the likes of audi merc bmw or gm getting ur oil checked on every service so I say if dealers don't do it why would others yes checking has its place aviation marine engines etc but generally on cars is serious overkill in my book and regardless still doesn't stop a piston from exiting an engine if being abused you might as well say swap oil daily and never rev engine passed 2000rpm that way it won't blow up !!!

Most products today do NOT have the claimed quality as they claim
We are not superman who has X-ray vision and have no clue if parts are shedding into the oil that is carried onto other internal parts
plus degrading the oil/fluids.

As example the DCT of the C8 has been plagued with failures, by analyzing the DCT fluid by the same test lab I use found the surface of the
dual clutches shedding material that is destroying internals and many DCTs have had to be replaced

Then there are the costs of replacing oils and fluids, if a $30 sample test shows that instead of replacing those at every 3,000 miles to 5,000 miles
long term is a good cost savings plus the labor and hassle costs

Going back to the DCT of C8, that fluid is around $50 per quart and dealers are charging around $700 ! to replace the fluid

Go look at the high cost of the new GM DexosR engine oil, and soon you see why having the oil/fluids analyzed can be a cost saver

ENGINE LT6 requires DexosR

Type:	LT6 5.5L DOHC V-8 Direct Injection
Bore & Stroke (in / mm):	4.104 x 3.150 / 104.25 x 80
Block Material:	A319-T7 sand-cast aluminum with pressed-in iron cylinder liners and four-bolt main bearing caps
Oiling System:	Six stage dry sump (8-qt. Capacity); includes oil-spray piston cooling
Oil Type:	DexosR synthetic 5W50
Cylinder Head Material:	A356 T6 cast aluminum
Combustion Chamber Volume:	58.8cc
Compression Ratio:	12.5:1
Valvetrain:	Dual overhead camshafts with mechanical finger follower valvetrain and dual-coil valve springs
Valve Size (in / mm):	1.654 / 42 titanium (intake) & 1.378 / 35 sodium filled (exhaust)
Fuel Delivery:	Exhaust side direct injection. Max pressure: 5,076 psi (35 Mpa / 350 bar)
Firing Order:	1-4-3-8-7-6-5-2
Throttle Body:	Twin 87mm single bore (electronic)
ECU:	GM E68 (32-bit processing)
Horsepower (hp):	670 @ 8400 rpm (GM tested per SAE J1349)
Torque (lb-ft/ Nm):	460 / 623 @ 6300 rpm (GM tested per SAE J1349)

 

[Roscobbc]

Wonder how many people would have wished for a scientific coolant analysis long before their exotic aluminium cylinder heads and other components degraded totally requiring expensive replacement.......

 

[Nassau65]

As the Corvettes motor has gotten more “exotic “ over the last 30 odd years it could be and probably is a good investment on those late cars. On an old C2 or C3 motors 327, 350 etc, I don’t think it’s needed.

 

[Roscobbc]

It would be interesting to do a 'before' and 'after' analysis of engine oil to compare (and confirm) manufacturers claims (for example ZZDP) and how constituents of the oi; deplete and are replaced by others from combustion and bearings etc.