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Engines are usefull. So keeping them running well is of high importance
to me. As a scientist I like to measure how things are operating
over time rather than wating for bad noises. A couple ways you can
test the operating condition of your engine is to measure
the vacuum or checking the compression
levels. A third way is to have the oil analyzed. I chose BlackStone
Labs to do my analysis. You send them a sample and they send
back a detailed report of its contents and a technical analysis
of what that means. And all this for only $18.50!
Test Results |
| |
132121
(May 2003) |
129077
(Dec 2002) |
126174
(Sep 2002) |
Normal |
| Aluminum |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
| Chromium |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
| Iron |
12 |
12 |
10 |
14 |
| Copper |
2 |
2 |
2 |
18 |
| Lead |
2 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
| Tin |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Molybdenum |
90 |
57 |
46 |
48 |
| Nickel |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Manganese |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Silver |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Titanium |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Potassium |
40 |
18 |
6 |
1 |
| Boron |
141 |
107 |
95 |
43 |
| Silicon |
9 |
13 |
13 |
16 |
| Sodium |
37 |
16 |
13 |
41 |
| Calcium |
3364 |
2692 |
1988 |
1435 |
| Magnesium |
35 |
67 |
325 |
493 |
| Phosphorus |
857 |
664 |
670 |
800 |
| Zinc |
997 |
762 |
839 |
950 |
| Barium |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Sus Viscosity 210ºF |
59.4 |
60.8 |
60.0 |
59-68 |
| Flashpoint(ºF) |
405 |
405 |
375 |
>365 |
| Fuel(%) |
<0.5 |
<0.5 |
<0.5 |
<2.0 |
| Antifreeze(%) |
? |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| Water(%) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
<0.05 |
| Insolubles(%) |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
<0.6 |
There is a lot of columns on that table. They have
a nice "what
does this mean" page.
Oil Report Blog
- Sep 2002: For my first report I had a small
concern on my report about rings, but I did a compression test and
they were all fine.
- Dec 2002: My second report those went away but now potassium
and sodium, in antifrezeze, were present so I will now be watching
those.
- May 2003: Again the levels of potassium
and sodium are present and now in greater numbers. I have a had a bit of waterfall noise for a couple 1000 miles but antifreze hasn't dropped and nothing else. There are some other elevated levels but I added a half of quart of fresh make-up oil close to changing time. I guess watch those on future reports, bleed the system of air then try a pressure and or compression test.
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