where did the oil go?

Passin Thru wrote:
I an Airplane mech and I highly recommend you get a sample kit from
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/what-is-oil-analysis.php or a sismilar one and check your oil through them. Use an independant lab, not one like AMmsoil etc as they just try to sell their product. My most recent one said, Wow, Quite a bit of metal in oil. Recommend you change it sooner, could be just breakin or beginning of a problem. Do'nt use additives or products that promise renewal. If they did what they promised, we would'nt wear out engines. If the products are so great, why are they not apprved by the FAA?

x2 on blackstone. after several consecutive analysis by blackstone I'm now convinced that the longer oil change intervals on newer vehicles are still VERY conservative, at least for our driving. Even at 10K miles on my duramax and mercedes (about when the change oil usually comes on), the analysis indicated that everything was still very good and the additives still strong and they indicated I could easily go at least another 5K before changing if desired. I'll stick with the 10K, nice number to remember. previously I was in the 3K for cars, 5K for my truck camp. Clearly that was vast overkill with likely no long term benefit.

to the OP if your concerned about oil consumption, send a sample to blackstone lab when you change oil and they will give you an analysis of the oil and highlight any concern areas and give you a good comparison of what typical number are for your particular engine. In most cases they have enough data on various engines to give a good comparison and they also often know what to look out for with various engines. They also offer the same service for transmission fluids.