Oil Testing

[greg-g]

There are many business offering Oil Analysis services
Any recommendations?
I'm just after a standard engine oil analysis to check everything is OK
Thanks
Greg

[theelms66]

Valvoline do one for about $35 last time i used them includes sample bottle postage and report.

[shanegtr]

I get my samples done with ALS, but I normally buy boxes of 10 samples so its a little more cost effective than single sample kits.

If your just after a single sample e-monitor is owned by ALS also.

Cat also do oil sample testing, and if you jump onto google theres a bunch of others as well

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I remember Rick saying COMPARISON is the key,,,
so multiple samples over time?

[rick130]

Yep, you are looking at trends, but a one off is useful if you suspect fuel dilution or something funky like that.

FWIW I've always used ALS too, as do work (mostly) when doing clients sampling.

e-Monitor that Shane mentioned is very basic, it leaves out a number of tests that I like to have but it's good for a one off and a good place to start.

[greg-g]

Thanks for your comments.


I was looking at e-Monitor, but as you say it appears to be rather basic.


I really can’t find much about ALS except that they are probably a very professional outfit. They don’t appear to have online ordering, and probably really don’t cater for individual motorists with a single oil sample.


What else is recommended, there doesn’t appear to have been much discussion on this site, or should I be posing in another group. I would have though the D3 / D4 group would be the most frequented site.


Greg

[rick130]

I've never had an issue sending one sample at a time to ALS. With work samples I might do four at once but they all get sent off in individual bags anyway so it's much the same as a one off.

[JamesP]

The Caterpillar dealer in Tasmania does oil analysis. The dealer in Tasmania is William Adams. Suggest go to their website and search for sos oil analysis. As previously mentioned the key to oil analysis is the trend over time. As a 30 year veteran in the Caterpillar dealership environment oil analysis can save you big $$$.
regards.

[Celtoid]

Yep, you are looking at trends, but a one off is useful if you suspect fuel dilution or something funky like that.

FWIW I've always used ALS too, as do work (mostly) when doing clients sampling.

e-Monitor that Shane mentioned is very basic, it leaves out a number of tests that I like to have but it's good for a one off and a good place to start.

Hi Rick,

Do they give you a list of what they are testing for? For example, in my past military aviation life, fuel and oil sampling was very comprehensive looking for all sorts of contaminants especially metals, which ID if you are looking at normal wear and tear or potential failure/accelerated wear in different parts of your engine and drive train......bearings, bushings, gears, etc. In that case though, I assume the testing cell had a knowledge of what metals are in the components and what levels are normal in the aircraft fleet that is being operated?

Just wondering what the automotive industry test for and with the 3L V6 crank issue stories floating around, wither there would be some early warnings?

Cheers,

Kev.

[shanegtr]

Thanks for your comments.


I was looking at e-Monitor, but as you say it appears to be rather basic.


I really can’t find much about ALS except that they are probably a very professional outfit. They don’t appear to have online ordering, and probably really don’t cater for individual motorists with a single oil sample.


What else is recommended, there doesn’t appear to have been much discussion on this site, or should I be posing in another group. I would have though the D3 / D4 group would be the most frequented site.


Greg
You can order a single sample from ALS - not sure what they do for sending results to you however for a one off. I've got a personal login on their webtrieve site where all my results are kept (same deal again with my work who also use ALS)
No online ordering through ALS. As Rick has mentioned the e-Monitor side is a fair bit more basic in results compared to what I get:
147096

[rick130]

I'll have to dig out an old test but what Shane posted up looks like what I used to get.
I started with e-monitor but that was well over ten years ago, probably closer to fifteen and from memory you don't get TBN, PQ index, etc.

ALS just used to email out a PDF once the test was compete which was nice and simple.
Our work ones are different as we focus on moisture, acid and contaminants as they are for large refrig/AC plant.