I didn't know there is imprecise lab analysis and I have no problem dealing with the cost and am looking for facts not opinions

 

You're right you said 'zoot', not ZDDP.

I'm giving you facts.

I had a 31+ year career in engineering and customer support at world's largest manufacturer of gas turbines. Part and parcel of overseeing large commercial fleets of aircraft is having a maintenance program in place that will snag an engine before bad things happen. An oil trend analysis program can do that if administered correctly. 99% of the samples I see here wouldn't pass the grade as being even worth sending to a lab. Garbage in, garbage out.

Even if a sample is acceptable for analysis, the results in isolation are virtually useless. A series of samples must be submitted to establish normal values for a given engine. Deviations from baseline values indicate a potential problem, not absolute values.

Using values from another engine on another aircraft as being normal is not acceptable under any circumstance due to the high probability of observing a false negative.

But carry on........

 

I also had a 31 year career in the Research Division with at the time the worlds leading utility (Ontario Hydro) that most likely used your engines in our generating station stand-by generators.
I was involved with vibration analysis for pumps and motors on the nuclear side and appreciate that each motor had it's own "normal" signature (vibration level).

That you can't necessarily compare levels from one motor / engine to the other but there must be a range that exists and motors keep operating normally.

I'm sure for automotive engines there must be an acceptable range of wear mat'l levels or else the motor is self destructing - I would think you can not have continuously high levels of any type of wear element without an impending failure of the "donor" component.

I take my samples immediately after engine shutdown - and in "mid pour" - I don't know have the sampling process could be improved.

I AM NOT DOING A TREND ANALYSIS - I just want to see what other people are finding ? very simple ?!
It appears every one has lots to say but that is as far as it goes - just a lot of talk !

 

The only results I have are from a 500+ hp hydraulic roller motor running synthetic. Not what your looking for. Sorry.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/used-o...hat-is-normal/

 

U.S. Military does oil analysis on EVERY engine. Over a time period. Every engine is different and will wear differently, even compared to similar engines.
I understand what you were getting at with the original post. I just don't think that oil analysis has any true merit unless it is conducted over time. A one shot analysis gives a photograph. Many samples over a time period will reflect better changes in driving conditions and driving styles. You get a movie instead. That's better.
Your motor wears the way it wears. Your bud's motor wears the way it wears. Even if they're built exactly the same.
No statistitian uses a single set of data. There's no information to be gleaned there. Multiple sets of data over time will reveal useful information, and that is what we need.
Carter

 

Thank You, thank you Mr Mako for the link !
That was excellent !

I was able to drill down and find UOA averaged data for over 500 test's of oil from 350 motors.

Bob site concludes that the 350 is a high wear engine - wears heavily compared to many other engines.
Yet many people feel it is a great engine - lasts forever ?!

My own VOA was almost in total agreement except for slightly higher Al level; most likely due to piston slap from intentionally using a worn (loose) original piston & bore combination.

My lead level was still quite high although it had come down to 1/5 of what it had been.
I will see if it continues to trend lower
I attribute that to lead contamination / build up from use of leaded fuel since I assembled the motor in 1978 to when the car was parked in 1995 (refired in 2010).

Beautiful ! - I will go on using my Case IH Tractor oil LOL LOL (Don't get in a lather again over that one Mr Mako LOL)

Maybe I'll step up to using 15W40 next year (instead of the 10W30 I tried out this year) to compensate for the loose pistons and for the intention of going on some prolonged road trips

And yes I found confirmation of my stated belief that different engine designs wear differently and you can not compare UOA's between different engines Ford 4.6 vs Chev 5.7 etc etc.

 

Use what you want. As always just trying to help and share what I have learned over many years of intensive research. Seems since you only change oil once a year and costs are your main priority your money might be better spent using the $25-30 extra you spend on oil analysis to purchase a known superior high ZDDP full synthetic oil with an additive package designed for a flat tappet gasoline engine vs International Harvester/ Case Conventional Diesel oil with an additive package deigned for a modern, low sulfer fuel diesel engine that redlines @ 3000 RPM.

 

No cost is not my main priority - simplicity (of life) is.
Up here we don't get to drive our "special" cars that often season is relatively short - rarely do we get more than 2K miles on them over the summer.

This motor started off and spent the majority of it's life running ESSO HDX (now obsolete) oil which was decribed in ESSO technical literature as a Premium quality heavy-duty engine oil suitable for severe gasoline and moderate diesel service.
This oil served me well for over 30 years of use - is a proven commodity to ME.

I can readily procure Case IH oil anywhere in North America - if I were to go on a cross country road trip and wanted to change the oil somewhere along the way I wouldn't be futilely trying to find a boutique oil in **** intercourse Arkansas or where ever I might be.

If it ain't broke I don't fix it (complicate my life unnecessarily).

I only spent the money on oil analysis ($40@) to confirm suitability for my application.

Like my farmer friend says : More manure spreader chains have failed from no oil than the wrong oil LOL

I spent $80 to test my ESSO Arctic 75W90 GL6 gear oil to confirm that it was ONLY moderately yellow metal corrosive.
Heaven forbid that I'm am using a 3B rated GL6 gear oil - it works well for all my cars as a open diff and std trans lube.
My history has been the every 10 years or so that I rebuild my tranny's the synchro's are still okay.

What makes a motor oil superior ? How do you quantify that ?
How does the additive package demonstrate itself as being suitable or not suitable ?

If "my motor don't blowed up" (after 35 years) I would think my goals are being met ?!

Car is a multi-purpose performance car : drag race , gymkhana (auto-cross) and road trip.
I even run a generator LOL

Mako : okay what were your results in your 500 HP roller motor ?
Should they be higher or lower than mine - roller tappets & superior synthetic motor oil ?
Just curious ?

Thank you Carter for comments.

 

Welcome aboard.
New man stumbles onto a dead thirteen year old thread and offers link for purchase of multi thousand dollar analytical lab instrumentation.

Mail in Blackstone Lab is both popular and reliable.
Your nearby CAT dealer probably fronts for an oil analysis service as well.
BITOG has lots of results for review. Same for PQIA.org