Oil analysis

[Tony]

I knows theres several places to send oil samples to to have them tested, but has anyone every used one of the DIY type kits?

I was thumbing through an Applied Industial catalog this morning on the crapper and found this.

http://www.applied.com/apps/commerce/catalog/catalog.do

[Chris]

Oil analysis is only useful if you have a baseline of what you're looking for. You can guesstimate on some materials, but unless you know exact metallurgical makeup, it's just that- a guess. If you go into a CAT dealer, they have oil labs. They know the exact makeup of every component in their engine so they can find that "signature". Beyond that, you can find evidence of leaking coolant in trace amounts, but only if you're running closed cooling. Of course you can detect water but water will be present in anything without an oil thermostat and everything with will cook it off- unless it's alot. And then the best test kit is your dipstick. The only other thing you can see is fuel contamination, but again, you need a baseline to follow. And leakdown is a much more accurate test.

[eichhoma]

I have always had good luck with Blackstone Labs.... try them out... Here is a sample report that they have sent me on some oil I sent them when I first got my cig....

[07DominatorSS]

I knows theres several places to send oil samples to to have them tested, but has anyone every used one of the DIY type kits?

I was thumbing through an Applied Industial catalog this morning on the crapper and found this.

http://www.applied.com/apps/commerce/catalog/catalog.do

I always use Oil Analysis Lab in Spokane, Washington.