Blackstone Labs - Should I pay for the TBN?

[JC1]

Hi Guys,

I received my Blackstone kit last week and read the paperwork. They mention that to get the TBN number it costs an extra $10. Do you guys pay for that most of the time?

I'm not going to push my OCI's too long. This is for a 2015 Grand Caravan. I've current have around 11,150 Km on the current OCI.

Please provide any feedback.

Thanks.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I would say no. You can learn more by cutting open the oil filter and looking for carbon/sludge.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I would only splurge if you hit every 100k,OR if something catastrophic happens like overheating/loss of coolant and fears of block damage. They will tell much as far as how its wearing,use those comments received and go from there. Save the extra money and buy yourself or me a cup of Tim Hortons and go about your day.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I would say no. You can learn more by cutting open the oil filter and looking for carbon/sludge.


Thanks. It's a cartridge filter,so no cutting required!


Originally Posted By: Marco620
I would only splurge if you hit every 100k,OR if something catastrophic happens like overheating/loss of coolant and fears of block damage. They will tell much as far as how its wearing,use those comments received and go from there. Save the extra money and buy yourself or me a cup of Tim Hortons and go about your day.


Thanks, How do you take your coffee? ;-)

 

[Revving2Redline]

Plain, with a side of the Montreal Canadiens beating the Leafs on opening night of the season!

 

[Toaster_Jer]

Normally you wouldn't need to but you are running over 10,000mi. I would run the test to see if your TBN is okay or if you are pushing it too far here.

 

[CT8]

Why are you doing a uoa? What are you looking for exactly.A problem? How the oil is holding up? are you trying to maximize the oil change interval.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: Toaster_Jer
Normally you wouldn't need to but you are running over 10,000mi. I would run the test to see if your TBN is okay or if you are pushing it too far here.


He is doing 10K+ km.

 

[Indydriver]

I use TBN to confirm a new vehicle's OLM. After breakin of a new engine, the first time I run it out to 0% on the OLM, I'll send in a sample to see if it is within minimum additive remaining. Once I confirm that, no further UOAs are needed.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Why are you doing a uoa? What are you looking for exactly.A problem? How the oil is holding up? are you trying to maximize the oil change interval.


There's not a proper OLM in the Caravan. When the OCI is due,it flashes a "CHANGE OIL" message where the odometer is.

I just want to check the condition of the oil. I'm doing my own OC's and if the stealership says that I haven't done proper maintenance, I'll at least have a UOA to show them proof that the oil was A OK.

 

[SatinSilver]

If the wear metals are in check and well under universal averages you'll be able to tell how well the oil is doing it's job. I wouldn't do it. After a 10k run on the Camry the wear metals were all lower than the universal avg which was based on 6600 miles.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I would say no. You can learn more by cutting open the oil filter and looking for carbon/sludge.


lol

 

[Mantooth]

You have a pentastar and that engine is easy on oil. Of course your driving habits and conditions are going to affect you OCI.

I've posted 3 UOAs on my Durango if you want to look them.

 

[Drosselmier]

They're all out of your side order.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I would say no. You can learn more by cutting open the oil filter and looking for carbon/sludge.


LOL X 2

I use Polaris labs, and they provide TBN without extra charge. I have several years history of UOA on my personal vehicles, and I don't need to cut oil filters open and guess what I think I see, or post pictures on here for accountants or retirees to comment on. I have lab reports with TBN and particle counts; I know the internal conditions of my engines.

10000km= 6213mi Polaris isn't even interested in seeing a used oil sample until I get to 7500 miles; but I'm running full synthetic and bypass filtration, I change oil when I don't like the test lab results. My last oil change was at 16K because I didn't like the particle count.

You don't have to look very far for more information on TBN in UOA: http://bobistheoilguy.com/engine-oil-analysis/

The TBN (Total Base Number) is a lubricant’s reserve alkalinity measured in milligrams of potassium hydroxide, or calcium sulfonate per gram of oil. In more simple terms it is the amount of active additives remaining. This number is important because combustion byproducts tend to form acidic compounds and the TBN is the acid-neutralizing capacity of the lubricant. The TBN does not decrease linearly with the time it has been in use. Example: it could start out at a TBN of 10, drop to 5 after only 1,000 miles of use, and then stabilize around 3 for a majority of the remaining service life. A TBN of
Do as you wish for your own vehicle, but there are labs besides Blackstone which consider TBN important enough it is included in their basic charges for UOA. It is my personal opinion that TBN is going to tell you a lot more about the remaining life expectancy of the oil than most anything else on a newer engine; you don't really expect to see "off the chart" wear metals, you're trying to verify that your oil is still serviceable, establish a baseline for future use, and have documentation that you're not abusing your engine. I would definitely do the TBN. $10 is chump change compared to the value of your vehicle.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Marco620
Plain, with a side of the Montreal Canadiens beating the Leafs on opening night of the season!


Good man!!

Op, Id do it this time to get an idea of what it is at this point in interval. Even if you dont stretch this interval, at least going forth you will have an idea of possible stretching it if needed (winter)

 

[Kuato]

11000 km is less than 7000 miles. If that's your intended OCI then no need for TBN. But if you plan on going further, one TBN at or near your maximum OCI is in order, to make sure your oil is good for that distance. Once you've ascertained that, then an occasional UOA at that distance to insure the engine is fine will be all you need.

 

[JC1]

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[Donald]

For $15 or $16 dollars you can get a UOA kit at NAPA with TBN. Forget Blackstone.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I have paid for the TBN test from Blackstone on several occasions. The results have come in as low as "1.0" and blackstone has still recommended I extend the OCI another 1,000 miles. Every OCI I have used has been in excess of the oil life monitor and wear metals have been below unit averages. The TBN has been of no use or consequence in determining the OCI. Insolubles has never exceeded 1/2 of the recommended limit.

However, when the OCI went as high as 15,000 miles, I found the oil filter loaded with carbon and I was unable to see any light through the filter media. Carbon/sludge was building up in the folds of the filter media near the end caps yet lab results indicated TBN and insoluble were well within limits. For this reason I do value the TBN or insoluble numbers provided by Blackstone very highly but I do look closely at the old filter.

If the additives in the oil have depleted to the point of not holding contaminants in suspension, yet lab results indicate there is no problem, what use are these test results?