Blackstone Oil Analysis worthwhile??

Personal choice and up to what you need/want out of the test

Know my vehicles very well and don't wish to spend that $28 bucks (last time checked) on a test and just apply it to synthetic oil and best filter

Now, do consider it every once in a while for older vehicles to look see how it is doing...but haven't done that on my Suburban (+168K HARD miles). Did on my old K5 and it showed no appreciable issues

Ditto hate spending money and keep my vehicles a looooong time and what they can tell on wear n tear is not as good, IMHO, as a compression test...historical listing of my dash engine oil PSI, etc

Current Suburban 7.4L at 168K miles...dash oil PSI gauge says 75PSI on freeway, fully warmed up. Back a few years ago it was over 80PSI warmed highway (1,000 RPMs and up) and pegged when cold. Idle was 45PSI warm and 50 or so PSI cold...now down to 40PSI warmed and 45PSI cold. Synthetic (Mobil) 15-30 and even 0-30 but don't like any zero viscosity for my vehicles

Just my opinion on this matter

Lots of nice items on new trucks since 2002.

A one-time analysis won't tell you too much unless there are real problem areas, like antifreeze in the oil due to a leaking head gasket, or oil dilution due to excessive fuel in the oil. The best way to use them is as you would any diagnostic test: watch them over time and see how they change. I saw my numbers change when I went from Delvac 1300 to Rotella TTT and then back to Delvac 1300. It helped me decide to stick with Delvac 1300.

I tested twice after initial break-in (10k) it helped form a better air filter change schedule. I was picking up too much silicone. reduced the filter to 15k and the problem wen't away. it's a good deal every 15-25k miles but honestly, when was the last time a modern engine blew-up?

I've never run them on any gasser motor. Probably would not be something I would do.

I have run quite a few of them on the diesel, but I don't do it routinely. When I am comparing oils that I want to run, particularly synthetic versus traditional, or AR9100 additive versus without, or combinations of those, the tests are the only way to know the difference. And now and then it is good to know about fuel dilution, again, really only a diesel thing.

It would be interesting to see if you are running you oil too long or not long enough.

I have done one every change after initial drain on my 15 DRW RAM.

I do them on my farm tractors and my semi but not the pickup. I do them to track impending issues and see how the lube oil is holding up. You can get pre-paid Blackstone analysis packs for less than 20 bucks btw,

Cummins12V98 wrote:
It would be interesting to see if you are running you oil too long or not long enough.

Exactly. But once you get a few OCI into ownership, you've pretty much got the info and then you can back off on test frequency.

Until you change oil brand or weight. For example, I learned that Rotella 5W/40 synthetic was badly sheared down by the time 5k rolled around, and needed to be changed at about 3k. I was clued in by the injector noise too, but the tests told the whole story.

I don't run that oil anymore. It wasn't worthwhile.

if you want to see what condition your engine is in, or how well your oil change interval is compared to mfg recomended or piece of mind IMHO it's worthwhile.

I've done it on several vehicles to see how the results compare to mfg recomended oil change interval (results have been mfg service is conservative on 5 different vehicles). And to get an initial baseline on some used vehicles. And to get a baseline on my new truck at 25K miles.

Personally I don't see it of value to ME for every oil change. Two in a row to compare results and get data, yes, but every oil change nope.

Once I had a baseline, I did another check at 100K miles and 150K miles for comparison.

BTW I've also done a blackstone analysis on transmision fluid for the same reasons.

fj12ryder wrote:
A one-time analysis won't tell you too much unless there are real problem areas, like antifreeze in the oil due to a leaking head gasket, or oil dilution due to excessive fuel in the oil. The best way to use them is as you would any diagnostic test: watch them over time and see how they change. I saw my numbers change when I went from Delvac 1300 to Rotella TTT and then back to Delvac 1300. It helped me decide to stick with Delvac 1300.

Exactly true OA is all about trend analysis. It will give you a heads up on air filtration issues and impending failures in things like turbos, etc. I did them every oil change on my Van until around 60K miles and now about every third oil change. IMO for a diesel it's a great data base during a sale showing how one has watched over things with documented data. Over the last 17 years I've done close to 20 and even at $30 that's not much expense in the overall scheme of things.

Larry