Please help me evaluate Oil Analysis Results

[DW SD]

The analysis comes from ALS Tribology in Phoenix (I think they are also called Shaveley).

These are the results on about 2000 miles and two DE days, 1995 engine with solid lifter cams, 5k miles after rebuild.

The oil is Brad Penn 20W - 50.

thank you!

Doug

Metals (PPM)
Iron 4
Chromium <1
Lead 7
Copper 27
Tin <1
Aluminum 3
Nickel 4
Silver 1
titanium <1
Vanadium <1

Contaminants
Silicon 9
Sodium 96
Potassium <5
Water <.05
Coolant no

Additives (PPM)
Magnesium 462
Calcium 1278
Barium <1
Phosphorous 997
Zinc 1272
Molybdenum 31
Boron 12

Physical Tests
Viscosity (cSt 100C) 18.8
Fuel % <1

Diagnosis from ALS All wear levels appear within acceptable limits for first sample. Abrasive and other contaminants are acceptable.

Action: Resample next service interval to monitor.

[KNS]

Looks good. Copper is a little high (iron, tin and lead are OK which is good) but you have a couple track days thrown in. When it gets up around 50 or higher I might be concerned.

[lucittm]

I agree with the tester's advice to re-sample at the next service interval. Nothing too out of the ordinary. My sampler, Blackstone, gives me universal averages of all the elements tested and yours are in line with the "universal averages" except as follows, in PPM:

Sodium=6 Yours is higher.
Magnesium=137 Magnesium cases perhaps?
Calcium=2582 What does calcium do in our engines?
Molybdenum=89 Are you adding additives?
Boron=107 I thought this was soap, yours is higher.

Have Fun,
Mark

[grizzfan]

Interesting. We did this regularly on our Army tracked vehicles, howitzers and tanks.

What is the address of this place and how much does it cost?

Tom

[DW SD]

Originally Posted by KNS

Looks good. Copper is a little high (iron, tin and lead are OK which is good) but you have a couple track days thrown in. When it gets up around 50 or higher I might be concerned.

Thank you - from where does the copper come from? Bearings?

Doug

[DW SD]

Originally Posted by lucittm

I agree with the tester's advice to re-sample at the next service interval. Nothing too out of the ordinary. My sampler, Blackstone, gives me universal averages of all the elements tested and yours are in line with the "universal averages" except as follows, in PPM:

Sodium=6 Yours is higher.
Magnesium=137 Magnesium cases perhaps?
Calcium=2582 What does calcium do in our engines?
Molybdenum=89 Are you adding additives?
Boron=107 I thought this was soap, yours is higher.

Have Fun,
Mark

Mark,
Thank you for your comments.
Are you using Brad Penn, also? No additives. The 3.6 case is Aluminum.

Doug

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by lucittm

I agree with the tester's advice to re-sample at the next service interval. Nothing too out of the ordinary. My sampler, Blackstone, gives me universal averages of all the elements tested and yours are in line with the "universal averages" except as follows, in PPM:

Sodium=6 Yours is higher. Unique to Brad Penn
Magnesium=137 Magnesium cases perhaps? Part of detergent package
Calcium=2582 What does calcium do in our engines? Part of detergent package
Molybdenum=89 Are you adding additives? Part of antiwear additives
Boron=107 I thought this was soap, yours is higher. Part of antiwear additives

Have Fun,
Mark

See my notes above. Someone like Charles Navarone can be more accurate

[KNS]

Copper - usually from bearings.

[DW SD]

How many PPM Copper are others seeing in their oil, following some decent use?
BTW - the cost was $25.

Thank you,

Doug

[lucittm]

On my list of universal averages copper=22 (mine was 11), similar to your results. Because mine is a daily driver turbo, I elected to use synthetic oil; it works pretty well without so many additives, heck, I guess the whole bottle is an additive, right?

I had my Mobil-1 15w-50 tested at Blackstone Laboratories. I picked them because they do the testing in-house the day they receive it and FAX the results that day (unless you want special tests like sugar or chlorine, then it goes somewhere else). The sample kits are free and the cost for standard oil analysis is $25.00. Here is the link:
Blackstone Labs

Good Luck,
Mark

[gtc]

I am seeing under 10 ppm copper with Brad Penn 20/50 in my high mileage 3.2. That is changing the oil after at least 5000 miles. (5 ppm after 7800 miles for one test)

How many miles were on your oil?

The sodium is part of the additive pack.
My test of virgin Brad Penn gave a Boron reading of 3ppm.

Edit: I do not use blackstone. I do not know if that would explain the discrepancy in copper readings.

[DW SD]

[QUOTE=gtc;5489498]I am seeing under 10 ppm copper with Brad Penn 20/50 in my high mileage 3.2. That is changing the oil after at least 5000 miles. (5 ppm after 7800 miles for one test)

How many miles were on your oil?

QUOTE]

I had maybe 2k, but several days on track and I'm 5k or 6k following a rebuild, so I suspect things are still breaking in. Maybe I'm wrong.

Thank you,

Doug