Oil Analysis Sampling Strategy

[jpr]

My wife does a lot of a short trips in her Honda which is almost certainly the cause of getting to a 0.0 TBN in 16 months / 8k miles. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/honda-5w-20-8033-miles-2005-honda-cr-v.90987/

I've since switched it to Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w20 and with a little over 4k and 6 months on the oil I figure it's time for another analysis. So here's the question - Which way do you think it is preferable to take the sample?

(A) After a longer trip to let the water and fuel cook out and get a better picture of the condition just the oil.

(B) After a normal daily trip to get a better picture of the typical service condition of the oil.

 

[hate2work]

I would say take the sample under the same conditions that you took the other sample, easier to compare that way.

The M1 should hold up much better than the conventional oil you had before.

 

[Gary Allan]

I tend to go with "A". Any true insult to the oil will not be masked.

If you can afford it (I'm sure you can- but if you choose to spend the money) take a sample before and after the long event. A sample pump would help.

 

[jpr]

Thanks for the replies.
Originally Posted By: hate2work
I would say take the sample under the same conditions that you took the other sample, easier to compare that way.
I hadn't thought of that and it does appeal to my scientific inclinations. The prior sample was taken after a longish run. The converse argument that occurs to me is that the prior sample has already served to establish what not to do. So correlation of results might be interesting, but it wouldn't be worth giving of visibility of short trip oil condition if that is thought to add value.

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I tend to go with "A". Any true insult to the oil will not be masked.

If you can afford it (I'm sure you can- but if you choose to spend the money) take a sample before and after the long event. A sample pump would help.
Good point. I guess the real matter of interest would be the wear metals, the TBN, and any water or fuel levels that couldn't be cleared up by a longer run.

I do have a sample pump (and it brings much joy to my life

) but the academic interest of the before and after results doesn't really reach the $34.35 threshold for me.