How to waste money 101-Two Samples

[Spector]

Decided to compare labs today. Took samples for two labs, Blackstone and Analysts, Inc. Ii will be interesting to comapre the results from the exact same sample of oil to compare the labs.

Hope they are similar, if not it would place a real kink in people comparing results and would indicate that only your lab on your vehicle would have any meaning.

Let you know in a week or so

 

[Patman]

Contrary to the title of this thread, I don't think this is a waste of money at all! I for one am very interested in seeing the results, and hopefully they are almost identical, otherwise those of us that all use different labs really can't compare each others results all that easily.

[ August 27, 2002, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

 

[OneQuartLow]

Agreed.

Spector, originally I'd considered double samples for the same reason; comparing labs. Then my sample from two changes ago was lost by either USPS or Oil Analyzers. Kind of like losing a term paper in the wind. I'll be taking double samples from now on for backup purposes at least. I do not want another loss or a bad test to mess with 3000 miles of data.

Hopefully time will temper things. Trends will be established, patterns will emerge, a single loss will be trivial... Meanwhile I can relate to Bror's Oil Analyzers Anonymous post.

Has anyone else had an urge to sample one of those big Jiffy Lube dump drums?

David

[ August 28, 2002, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: OneQuartLow ]

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

Pat Goss, from Motorweek, has a local show (DC area). He got a new Mercedes. Watched the meters very carefully, and went well beyond his normal drain interval. Finally, after the initial oil went over 10,000 miles (and the instruments showed he had lots of additional miles left), he drained the oil. Sent samples to two different labs, to get accurate results.
Both reports came back saying the oil was still good! Based on that, he is now planning to change at 5,000 miles (best I can recall)!!!

 

[jason07-1zzfe]

Ok, now THAT is a waste of money. Why did he send it out (to 2 places at that), if he was going to disregard the results?

 

[VaderSS]

I can see it now.

"I'll show them, I'll push that oil WAYYY beyond what it can handle and get it analyzed."

"Ok, 10k, that oil is trash, oh boy, mail my sample in, can' wait to rub Mercede's nose in it."

"Oh, it's still good."

"I'll change it at 5k, that'll show 'em. Ain't gonna let no machine tell me when to change oil."

 

[widman]

I always hold a counter-sample. The US post office once squashed a package of 6 samples, Once DHL sent my samples to a lady in chicago and her christmas present from her daughter to the lab.
Sometimes my customers have taken an extra sample and sent to another lab to verify my samples (CTC) and results have generally been the same if the same ASTM is used. I've seen Esso Argentina and PDV Venezuela samples come back totally different from US labs.
Take into consideration that their is something like a 10% tolerance allowed. (Terry might qualify that %).

 

[TooSlick]

Spector,

I'll bet you that Analysts, Inc shows a significantly lower TBN than does Blackstone Labs.... I've seen Blackstone test used samples of the amsoil 15w40 and they came up with TBN's of 14-15, which is higher than the baseline values. OTOH, Analysts tends to show low TBN values the few times I've used their lab.

TooSlick

 

[Spector]

Blackstone is back still waiting for Analysts. Blackstone gave it a TBN of 4 after 6700 miles. I really disagree with their use of universal averages. Who cares what the additive averages are, they didn't use the oil I did, no moly and their ave has it. Plus, averages (they state) are based on 5000 miles. Really uselss info IMHO and I feel scare customers into believing they may have a problem when in fact the numbers may be normal for their engine and mode of operation. Only trend analysis on your own engine counts.

[ September 09, 2002, 08:26 AM: Message edited by: Spector ]

 

[TooSlick]

Spector,

What was the total solids level provided by Blackstone for this analysis, along with the viscosity?

TooSlick

 

[Spector]

As soon as I receive the Analysts Inc results I will post a side by side comaparison of all values. If I recall, the solids were .4 Their universal ave was .6 They did the viscocity in a strange manner I thought, will post when I have it in front of me.

[ September 10, 2002, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: Spector ]