Used oil analysis good.

[skyship007]

USED OIL ANALYSIS FROM BLACKSTONE LABS.
LAB COMMENTS ON USED OIL SAMPLE:
It looks like you've got a nice diesel in your Volvo. Universal averages for Renault's 1.9L TDI are based on an oil run of about 7,700 km. You ran this oil 10,000 km but almost every wear metal read below average and in the proper balance. No fuel, coolant, or moisture was found in the used 5W/40 oil. The TBN read 4.7, so you still had lots of active additive left. 1.0 is a low TBN reading. The 0.4% insolubles should leave plenty of room to stretch oil filter changes out to 20K km if you like. Try up to 12K km on the next oil sample. Wear should still look good.

I can't seem to copy the main text of the report, but the important thing was that it contained no traces of coolant, water or fuel. The real good news considering the terrible stop start use of my car is the figures for the main metals in comparison with their average figures for the same type of Renault block:

ALUMINIUM: 5 Average (8)
CHROMIUM: 1 (4)
IRON: 24 (46)
LEAD: 2 (5)

I am very pleased with the result but will stick to oil and filter changes at 10,000km and change to a cheaper LM 5/40 synthetic oil to see if that is OK before checking out if it is reasonable to extend the service interval to 15,000 km or do oil only alternate changes to save money in the longer term.
I owe one of the chaps in the local bar a free beer because he is something of a diesel engine expert and did tell me that stop start driving was not such a killer of the engine oil as I thought it was, although part of the reason it is not too bad is the fact that using a 5/40 fully synthetic does offer much more cold start protection than 15/40 truck oil. One interesting comment from the chap who insisted I was changing the oil too often was that the turbo charger on nearly all modern diesels should last as long as the engine and that nearly all the premature failures are due to using poor quality oil or too long a service interval.
I will attach the actual report if I can figure out how to remove the contact data, but I can't seem to do that with the software on my old laptop.

[Spike1918]

This oil analysis, how much does it cost you?
Likely it`s the difference between a budget oil and a good quality brand name oil, and then some?
I simply buy oil that meets ALL the specifications I`m looking for and change it before the service interval / mileage arrives. There are no costs required in analysis, it`s always pretty clean looking and passes the magnetic sump plug and forefinger and thumb viscosity check.
Don`t get me wrong for a classic that you inted to keep for life a used engine oil analysis every couple of years might be a smart move to ascertain how internals are wearing etc, but for a modern car that you`re going to use daily what`s the point, you`re going to wear it out eventually anyway?

[stephend]

I do wonder if it isn't easier just to make sure you religiously change the oil and filter at the regular intervals, as spike says...

The first time I took my Mondeo to the garage I now use, which was for a cambelt renewal, they asked me if I changed my oil unusually frequently. No, I said, just at the recommended interval; why? Because it looked unusually clean when we took the rocker cover off, was the reply, and we thought you must be doing something unusual. Which I wasn't: normal driving, Halfrauds oil and filters, and an oil change every 12 k miles.

[skyship007]

The big problem with just changing the oil according to the manufacturers recommendations is that they are based on an average engine in average use. There is no way of knowing if the engine in my car is wearing in a normal manner and what the effect of all the stop start driving is until I get the figures. I also like to get a test done on the oil I am using to confirm it is a good one.

The manufacturers recommended change interval is 20,000 km for the phase 2 115 hp diesel and one interesting point the analysis chap made was that my initial change interval of 10,000 km is short as the oil was in good condition. The next oil analysis in a years time will be done to figure out if a cheaper 5/40 synthetic oil works just as well as the fairly expensive oil I am using at present. The other reason I will be getting an oil analysis done on an annual basis is as a warning for developing problems, like a tiny pinhole allowing anti freeze into the cylinders or a loose clip on the air filtration system.

The oil analysis was a more detailed one than normal as I paid to have the TBN (Remaining additives) checked to figure out if the service interval can be extended, the normal cost is 25 usd plus about 7 usd for the postage and I will save that amount by switching to a cheaper synthetic or extending the service interval to 15,000 km within a few years.

Most owners are happy to just stick to the recommendations of others or what they read in advertising or on the forums, but oil and filter change procedures have a huge impact on the long term life of a diesel and as I intend keeping my car for a very long time, used oil analysis is the only way to cross check my own guess work on how to service the engine. It is a normal method used to monitor engine condition for most engines used for marine or aviation applications and on condition oil changes are almost normal for big truck fleets, so it is not exactly a new idea.

Trying to check the condition of engine oil by rubbing it between your fingers does not work, as by the time you notice it is bad your turbo bearings in particular will have been damaged. You can use a simple Ph meter to check for anti freeze contamination but fuel contamination is not visible until it thins the oil in a serious way.