Oil sampling and analysis

Pacman. · Oct 22, 2024

Just been thinking about doing an oil sample and analysis of my engine oil in the RS Megane.

We used to do this on aircraft where I used to work and it was a good way to tell if there was anything that shouldn’t be in your engine oil such as water and metal particles.

Has anyone ever tried it on cars? And what is the best kit.

Advikaz · Oct 22, 2024

Pacman. said:
Just been thinking about doing an oil sample and analysis of my engine oil in the RS Megane.

We used to do this on aircraft where I used to work and it was a good way to tell if there was anything that shouldn’t be in your engine oil such as water and metal particles.

Has anyone ever tried it on cars? And what is the best kit.

Blackstone Laboratories Blackstone Laboratories

Learn what's going on in your engine with oil analysis. Our free kits are easy to use and we explain the results in plain English!

www.blackstone-labs.com

McGherkin · Oct 22, 2024

Opie do this but I haven’t used it personally.

reCAPTCHA Verification

EDIT:lolwut Captcha?

Mr Underhill · Oct 23, 2024

I think @SharpyClio recently did this.

SharpyClio · Oct 23, 2024

Mr Underhill said:
I think @SharpyClio recently did this.

I did, i used Millers. really easy to do and cost £40. You get a nice report, i found it useful just to check for issues like bearing wear etc as mine just living life at the redline these days.

“Charlotte” The 182 FF

100% not my fault… Should have got a Bridgecraft kit

cliosport.net

post 376 has the report.

SharpyClio · Oct 23, 2024

meant to say, if you send a sample of your new oil off first you can find out how its degrading as well as they can compare the two but that does cost more

MLB · Oct 23, 2024

I've used Millers for the Clio, M140i and M2, excellent service and they're always available for a bit of a chat if you have any questions.

Prices have doubled since Covid but sill worth it I'd say, especially if you do testing of consecutive batches of oil on the same vehicle.

-Jamie- · Oct 23, 2024

The miller's test is a decent one

Pacman. · Oct 23, 2024

Yeah I think I’m going to do the engine oil and gearbox. Maybe every MOT time.

On aircraft it was great to see how well the aircraft gearboxes and turbine engines are doing. Especially on aircraft from 80 years ago.

Advikaz · Oct 23, 2024

Pacman. said:
Yeah I think I’m going to do the engine oil and gearbox. Maybe every MOT time.

On aircraft it was great to see how well the aircraft gearboxes and turbine engines are doing. Especially on aircraft from 80 years ago.

I’ve done it on my race engines tbf. As you say, can indicate a problem before it becomes a bigger problem

LawrenceR · Oct 26, 2024

We do this in the marine industry also. Sometimes as often as every 250hours on generators. It really does give a great insight into what is going on inside the engine and creates a trend analysis. I saw that Opie offer it and thought about it doing it on a couple of my cars on the last oil change, but I ran out of time to be able to get it done.

I also spend my watches underway looking at every running aspect of the Main engines, from oil temps and pressures, to fuel pressures, intake and exhaust temps and individual cylinder head temps, that I feel somewhat uneasy in my cars with little to no information in comparison! But alas it is like that!

.Joe · Oct 27, 2024

I've used the millers kit a couple of time's
quite an impressive turn around time on getting the report back to you, calmed a few nerves after getting it back

Pynerd · Nov 1, 2024

LawrenceR said:
We do this in the marine industry also. Sometimes as often as every 250hours on generators. It really does give a great insight into what is going on inside the engine and creates a trend analysis. I saw that Opie offer it and thought about it doing it on a couple of my cars on the last oil change, but I ran out of time to be able to get it done.

I also spend my watches underway looking at every running aspect of the Main engines, from oil temps and pressures, to fuel pressures, intake and exhaust temps and individual cylinder head temps, that I feel somewhat uneasy in my cars with little to no information in comparison! But alas it is like that!

Out of curiosity, what equipment do you use for this?

LawrenceR · Nov 1, 2024

Pynerd said:
Out of curiosity, what equipment do you use for this?

We have a kit from Spectro. This consists of a little hand-held suction pump that we draw the oil up through a tube into a sample bottle. The sample then gets sent shoreside, where they have unused oil for each piece of our machinery to compare against, and produce a full analysis with traffic light colour coding for early and critical warnings.

Based on this information, we will change the oil, or as is often the case, the sample was taken at an oil change, we will then plan maintenance on the findings.

Pynerd · Nov 3, 2024

LawrenceR said:
We have a kit from Spectro. This consists of a little hand-held suction pump that we draw the oil up through a tube into a sample bottle. The sample then gets sent shoreside, where they have unused oil for each piece of our machinery to compare against, and produce a full analysis with traffic light colour coding for early and critical warnings.

Based on this information, we will change the oil, or as is often the case, the sample was taken at an oil change, we will then plan maintenance on the findings.

What size engines? I work making all sorts of condition monitoring equipment for a lot of industries, including marine. For my car I usually just use a ferrous wear meter to check the oil when I change it, although I've never really had above 10ppm from engine oil (Had around 220ppm from my gearbox which isn't ideal).

Sash · Nov 3, 2024

lol I think I should do this just for Lolz

Although I run Lucas oil stabiliser in mine so would that affect it?

Search

Search

Oil sampling and analysis

Pacman.

Advikaz

Blackstone Laboratories Blackstone Laboratories

McGherkin

Macca fan boiiiii

Mr Underhill

SharpyClio

“Charlotte” The 182 FF

SharpyClio

MLB

-Jamie-

Pacman.

Advikaz

LawrenceR

.Joe

Pynerd

LawrenceR

Pynerd

Sash

Similar threads