Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: BeerCan
I have decided I want to test and compare 2 oils and have uoa done on them. What would be the best method to do this?
For example, I want to test PU and GT-1. Should I run PU test, run a GT-1 in between OC then run the GT-1 I am going to test? Does that even make sense?
Also this is a new engine, approximately how many miles should be on it before testing? I don't want any "break-in" wear to cloud the results.
I appreciate the help and hopefully my post makes sense.
You can't. That isn't what UOA's are designed to do.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/used-oil-analysis/
Please read.
If oil A consistently holds up better in use per UOA than does oil B, then I think we can say that oil A is the superior oil.
If we can't use UOAs as an oil comparison tool and we can't use them as a tool to measure wear, then what can we use them for?
I have used my first Polaris kit as a source of entertainment, and it provided that commensurate with its cost.
I have six more doses of this abstract entertainment available, and I'm sure that all will be fun, unless they prove to be alarming.
Define "holds up better".
If you mean that oil A shows better TBN retention, then yes, we can say oil A is a better long-drain oil.
It does't tell you that A is controlling wear any better than B however.
Now, including particle count data can start to give us a better picture here! But the real teller is tear-downs... which nobody here does.
The idea, as well documented in the article, of UOA's is to tell us of significant issues like coolant leaks, TBN depletion, air filtration problems, contamination and to warn of impending mechanical issues due to significant spikes in the levels of metals detected.
