Bare with me here, I am going to vent. I have always gone thru Oil Analyzers for the analysis, no more.
Everytime I send in my sample it typically takes around 3 weeks to receive my report. I could be mistaken but that seems way to long. They always blame it on the USPS saying that they take forever to deliver the sample, I disagree.
Maybe I am over-reacting but if I running extended drains with Amsoil products and send in the sample with 6-8k on the oil I don't want to wait 3 weeks to know if I should drain.
Anyone else have this same experience?
Oil Analyzers- NO more
- Thread starter OILNEWBY
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I've never used OAI, so I can't say if your experience is typical, but I <i>have</i> used Blackstone Labs...both times, I mailed the sample on a Monday, and the report was in my in-box on Friday...
I like OAI's on line thing......I have used slower labs.....Blackstone has been slow for me....
My 1st ever uoa I ever done was from an prepaid OAI mailer that included a small box with prepaid postage. I never got any results back. I dont know if the post office lost the package, or if OAI did, kinda suspect the post office, as it was a few months after 9/11. Regardless, I'am not giving them a 2nd chance in the future.
never used OAI but when i used blackstone, I sent the sample out tuesday and received results on friday of the same week.
The USPS sometimes loses (sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently) the small pre-paid mailers that OAI ships to it's customers. I think you're better off without the pre-paid shipping. If you were shipping the samples UPS, or USPS in bigger packaging, I think you'd see a dramatic difference in turnaround.
Patman
Staff member
I'm spoiled because the lab I use is just a short drive from my house, so I'll drop off my sample on the way to work, and often will get the results the same day! If not, it's the very next day. I am too impatient to wait longer than this! ![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif)
Simply register at CTClink.com and you can view your results on-line - generally within 5-6 business days. I've mentioned this several times in the past.
I've been doing this for the past few years and it's the wholly superior way to go....There is a search engine so you can go back and look at previous results.
Note that Cleveland Tech Center (now Stanley Fluid Services)is the company Amsoil contracts with to do their actual oil testing. The interpretation of the data and the remarks in the comments section are still done by OAI technicians....
Tooslick
[ April 13, 2005, 07:02 AM: Message edited by: TooSlick ]
We occasionally see delays of several weeks for incoming samples. No known reason, it just happens. Many of the labs use similar shipping containers so we sometimes get samples that are supposed to go to other labs and they sometimes get ours. We put them in the mail right away but it adds time. The worst situation is we get about 30 samples a month with blank labels, I mean nothing! People take the sample and then forget to fill in the label before they mail it. I know people are out there cussing us for not send their report but what can we do? Something else that happens is people don't put enough information on the label for us to identify them so we don't know where to send the report. I wouldn't condemn Oil Analyzers for the delay as they probably had nothing to do with it. If you want the fastest turnaround use priority mail or UPS.
I have used Blackstone several times with a, "mailed on Tuesday, results received by Friday" time line.
That being said, i am not sure about doing further oil analysis. To get a basic analysis the cost is around $20. A TBN is another $10 which would indicate to me if i needed to change the oil soon.
So the total for the oil analysis information is around $30. I can buy German Castrol (Go Elves) for around $4 a quart, a filter for around $8. So for $28 plus a bit of my time i can change the oil to fresh elves brew, i mean GC. I realize this doesnt alert me to possible increased wear or anti-freeze contamination.
I check the fluid levels frequently and think i would pick up on a decrease in the coolant level. Changing the oil on a OCI of 3000-5000 should alleviate any oil related wear issues. I realize OCI's of 3000-5000 miles on synthetic oil is probably overkill, but my primary reason for running synthetic is high temp protection (Las Vegas, temps in 100-110 F in summer time).
What are other reasons that a UOA would benefit me, either on a cost basis or caring for my vehicle in a better manner?
darrell
sin city
quote:Yeah, I'm kinda teed too. I sent a sample to OAI on 22Feb'05 by Priorty Mail....normaly 2 days. Didn't get results until 3Mar'05. I've always got results within 3 days when shipped by Priorty Mail. Cost me an early oil change because I left on a 1k mile trip on the 27Feb'05 after changing oil and filter that morn.
Originally posted by OILNEWBY: Bare with me here, I am going to vent. I have always gone thru Oil Analyzers for the analysis, no more. Everytime I send in my sample it typically takes around 3 weeks to receive my report. I could be mistaken but that seems way to long. They always blame it on the USPS saying that they take forever to deliver the sample, I disagree. Maybe I am over-reacting but if I running extended drains with Amsoil products and send in the sample with 6-8k on the oil I don't want to wait 3 weeks to know if I should drain. Anyone else have this same experience?
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