Best place to get oil analysis?

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Just checking to see what are the current favorites.

Pretty unhappy with my roommate's experience with Blackstone . . . took over 1 month and he had to call them to get them to send him the results. . . .

I see that Lube Control is also offering oil analysis services . . .

Where else should I look at?

Dave
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

For reference, this is a 2006 Audi A3 2.0t with 12000 miles on it. Factory OCI is 10k.

Oil change history on this vehicle was:
1500mi-GC 0w30 +LC
5000mi-M1 0w40 (dealer changed oil & filter) + LC
10000mi- GC 0w30 (+filter) + LC

.25qt-0 consumption between OCIs.

Next oil change is at 15k, again paid for by Audi. I'm pretty sure that the engine & oil are doing fine, but I am mainly doing one out of curiousity. Perhaps a Dyson analysis would be overkill since I am running less than the recommended OCI & am using the proper oil + filter.

Dave
 
Go to the Amsoil web site and they have it done through Oil Analyzers Inc. The basic test includes TBN, too. I think it is just a little less than $25.
 
quote:

Originally posted by crew219:
Thanks for the suggestions.

For reference, this is a 2006 Audi A3 2.0t with 12000 miles on it. Factory OCI is 10k.


Next oil change is at 15k, again paid for by Audi. I'm pretty sure that the engine & oil are doing fine, but I am mainly doing one out of curiousity. Perhaps a Dyson analysis would be overkill since I am running less than the recommended OCI & am using the proper oil + filter.

Dave


I am one for extended OCI, but I wouldn't change what you are doing with your 2.0T. If it is a sludgemonster like the 1.8T, it's prudent to change more often. Even if it wasn't a problematic engine (not saying your engine is, but the 1.8T was so I am not sure), I would probably do short intervals on a turbo.

For what it is worth, I think you are doing the right thing getting an oil analysis on this engine. Turbocharged engines are a completely different monster and I don't believe in longer OCIs when it comes to them.

Whatever lab you go with, please post the results on this board.

Terry Dyson will read any report and interpret for you for $20 (last I checked). So if you are not sure what to do, you can always forward on the report to him. I did that with my minivan and the $20 was well worth it to me, but it wasn't a "normal" looking report. If you have a boring report (boring is good
wink.gif
), then it could be overkill.

How do you like your Audi? I had an A4 and my wife had a Jetta with a 1.8T. They were both fun cars, but we ended up getting rid of both of them (my Audi used to leak a few cups of gasoline out the back whenever I parked the car and they couldn't fix it. Long story, but let's just say Audi paid for my wedding).

cheers.gif
 
I second Dyson's kit. It is expensive, but if this is your first UOA Terry's help will be invaluable. Terry will help you fine tune your setup (air filtration, oil filtration, and oil). After that you can alternate between him and another lab once you hit the sweet spot.

I am sorry to hear your roommate's problems with Blackstone. They have been great for me, every analysis I have sent them has been turned around next day. I ship my samples fedex, so I wonder if your roommate had problems with USPS. I've heard others complain on this board that it takes forever to get a sample to Blackstone using USPS. So I always used fedex and never had any problems.
 
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