changing oil
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Based on my oil analysis results with my C7 (as well as my C6 and C5 before that), the OLM is very conservative and if you test the oil after going right down to 0% oil life, you'll find that the oil tests to be still in great shape. I even went a few thousand miles more on my C5 after the OLM counted down to zero and the oil still tested well.
So in reality, anyone changing their oil at 50% oil life is just throwing money away
So in reality, anyone changing their oil at 50% oil life is just throwing money away
I suspect it makes the owner feel good that he is pampering the car that he imagines is feeling happy.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
IDK about the OLM. According to Blackstone, I can go 6000 when the OLM says 4500. That is a 33% increase. On reflection, I did shut the car down for 4 months which is 33% of oil life. Could the OLM be correct IF you don't shut down the car and just drive?
I suspect it makes the owner feel good that he is pampering the car that he imagines is feeling happy.
I suspect it makes the owner feel good that he is pampering the car that he imagines is feeling happy.
I actually trust the OLM more than I trust what Blackstone says in their reports sometimes. I have looked over a lot of their reports where they claimed the oil was pretty much done but all of the indicators showed that it had plenty of life left. Sometimes I think their junior techs are the ones writing the comments, but if you were to show that report to someone with a lot of experience who has seen a lot of UOAs, they could interpret the results much better. I trust the lab that I use (Wearcheck) much better than Blackstone, plus after doing oil analysis on my cars for 22+ years I feel like I've seen enough of my own reports to be able to reasonably decipher them without too much trouble.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
I actually trust the OLM more than I trust what Blackstone says in their reports sometimes. I have looked over a lot of their reports where they claimed the oil was pretty much done but all of the indicators showed that it had plenty of life left. Sometimes I think their junior techs are the ones writing the comments, but if you were to show that report to someone with a lot of experience who has seen a lot of UOAs, they could interpret the results much better.
I trust the lab that I use (Wearcheck) much better than Blackstone, plus after doing oil analysis on my cars for 22+ years I feel like I've seen enough of my own reports to be able to reasonably decipher them without too much trouble.
I trust the lab that I use (Wearcheck) much better than Blackstone, plus after doing oil analysis on my cars for 22+ years I feel like I've seen enough of my own reports to be able to reasonably decipher them without too much trouble.
I don't know the company. Will give them a look see next time.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
I look at things like the oxidation %, TBN, fuel %, viscosity (how does it compare to a new sample for instance) as well as the silicon level (indicator of dirt, although one also has to take into account that there is some silicon in the virgin oil when new as well) Plus I would also look at the overall wear metals to see if anything was too high compared to previous reports. The key is to establish a trend with a particular engine and then if you see something that shifts out of line then you know something may need more attention.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 1,049
From: North Texas
Oil análisis is great on jet engines but on a DD car its cheaper and faster to just change the oil early.
Its very cheap to change oil especially if you do it yourself.
These cars are not the space shuttle.
Its very cheap to change oil especially if you do it yourself.
These cars are not the space shuttle.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Is it cheaper and faster? How? Comparing one incident or over the life of any given car?
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
Oil analysis can be very useful for street going vehicles as well. You don't need to do it every oil change, but doing it periodically can give you a good idea of the engine's health as well as confirming that your oil change interval is safe.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly
mostly useless information to file away
nobody who wastes time on oil analysis also neglects maintenance to the point of possibly having totally used up oil
And if the piece of paper comes back saying something about this metal or that metal being in there and that somehow equates to a bearing issue or whatever. . . . .what are you going to do?
rebuild the engine based on that?
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
meh
mostly useless information to file away
nobody who wastes time on oil analysis also neglects maintenance to the point of possibly having totally used up oil
And if the piece of paper comes back saying something about this metal or that metal being in there and that somehow equates to a bearing issue or whatever. . . . .what are you going to do?
rebuild the engine based on that?
mostly useless information to file away
nobody who wastes time on oil analysis also neglects maintenance to the point of possibly having totally used up oil
And if the piece of paper comes back saying something about this metal or that metal being in there and that somehow equates to a bearing issue or whatever. . . . .what are you going to do?
rebuild the engine based on that?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly
Right next to the people who are targeting 700 whp on a dyno so they can see it on that piece of paper and bask in their glory.
Then I ask if the dyno had a calibration certificate that was up to date and done by an accredited calibration service and they say, "what's that?"
Those guys use the same filing system
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
meh
mostly useless information to file away
nobody who wastes time on oil analysis also neglects maintenance to the point of possibly having totally used up oil
And if the piece of paper comes back saying something about this metal or that metal being in there and that somehow equates to a bearing issue or whatever. . . . .what are you going to do?
rebuild the engine based on that?
mostly useless information to file away
nobody who wastes time on oil analysis also neglects maintenance to the point of possibly having totally used up oil
And if the piece of paper comes back saying something about this metal or that metal being in there and that somehow equates to a bearing issue or whatever. . . . .what are you going to do?
rebuild the engine based on that?
I'd need to, yes. Otherwise, sell or trade it in BEFORE it blows.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,475
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Fair point. Oil analysis is about $35. If instead of changing at 4500 I can change at 6000 and repeat over the life of the car, say twice a year, talk to me about the cost according to your equation.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
As I've mentioned before, you don't need to do a UOA every oil change, just do one every once in a while to check on things. But one thing that doing oil analysis can help, is to show people that the 3000 mile oil change is severely outdated. So think about it this way, if people start changing their oil every 6k, vs doing it every 3k, they will save a lot of money in the long run, even with the occasional oil analysis thrown into the mix.
Race Director
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From: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
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Just a reminder. GM revised the oil change interval, modified the notification frequency, and moved to thinner oil all as part of their response to the failing AFM lifter issue. Whether it actually helps or not, I don’t know. But I do know that any valvetrain claim will look at oil change frequency, type of oil, and who performed the service. Keep good records!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly
^ this guy actually gets it!
As I've mentioned before, you don't need to do a UOA every oil change, just do one every once in a while to check on things. But one thing that doing oil analysis can help, is to show people that the 3000 mile oil change is severely outdated. So think about it this way, if people start changing their oil every 6k, vs doing it every 3k, they will save a lot of money in the long run, even with the occasional oil analysis thrown into the mix.
As I've mentioned before, you don't need to do a UOA every oil change, just do one every once in a while to check on things. But one thing that doing oil analysis can help, is to show people that the 3000 mile oil change is severely outdated. So think about it this way, if people start changing their oil every 6k, vs doing it every 3k, they will save a lot of money in the long run, even with the occasional oil analysis thrown into the mix.
I do my daily every 6k because I don't waste oil.
You're supposed to do this annually anyway, which makes this totally moot.
Anybody who drives their vette more than 6k annually is in the 1% of owners most likely.
The part you are misinterpreting as "not understanding" is actually people simply recognizing this is totally out of context for a corvette owner and thus a waste of time.
Nobody needs that piece of paper to tell them that oil is fine at 3k miles. It's simply irrelevant.
You know who has a real world need for UOA's? God damn Amazon, or UPS or something where increasing the interval by just 10% probably saves 8 million dollars or something.
per MONTH.
We get it, you can maximize an interval for a 1% of guys who drive 10,000 miles a year in their corvette.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
yeah we get it dude, nobody doesn't understand this concept, you can get that piece of paper and bump to 6k, which for most people with this car would take 2 years minimum, if not 4 or 5
I do my daily every 6k because I don't waste oil.
You're supposed to do this annually anyway, which makes this totally moot.
Anybody who drives their vette more than 6k annually is in the 1% of owners most likely.
The part you are misinterpreting as "not understanding" is actually people simply recognizing this is totally out of context for a corvette owner and thus a waste of time.
Nobody needs that piece of paper to tell them that oil is fine at 3k miles. It's simply irrelevant.
You know who has a real world need for UOA's? God damn Amazon, or UPS or something where increasing the interval by just 10% probably saves 8 million dollars or something.
per MONTH.
We get it, you can maximize an interval for a 1% of guys who drive 10,000 miles a year in their corvette.
I do my daily every 6k because I don't waste oil.
You're supposed to do this annually anyway, which makes this totally moot.
Anybody who drives their vette more than 6k annually is in the 1% of owners most likely.
The part you are misinterpreting as "not understanding" is actually people simply recognizing this is totally out of context for a corvette owner and thus a waste of time.
Nobody needs that piece of paper to tell them that oil is fine at 3k miles. It's simply irrelevant.
You know who has a real world need for UOA's? God damn Amazon, or UPS or something where increasing the interval by just 10% probably saves 8 million dollars or something.
per MONTH.
We get it, you can maximize an interval for a 1% of guys who drive 10,000 miles a year in their corvette.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
Just a reminder. GM revised the oil change interval, modified the notification frequency, and moved to thinner oil all as part of their response to the failing AFM lifter issue. Whether it actually helps or not, I don’t know. But I do know that any valvetrain claim will look at oil change frequency, type of oil, and who performed the service. Keep good records!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly