Oil Sample Testing

[boltman]

Good Afternoon Gentlemen, How many of you Diesel Guys actually send in Oil Samples for testing each year? I"m wondering, I have NO Past analysis reports to go on, but I'm calling the Diesel Tech that worked on these Engines their Whole existence..
So How often and do you do it every year???

 

[SR400DB]

I send in my samples at every oil change, and have been for the past four years.

 

[fwebster]

Every year since 1997............

The real value in oil sampling is to spot and isolate trends in wear metals and contaminants. That way you can find and fix problems before they cost you a rebuild.

For example, you find glycohol in your oil sample; then you go find the source before you have a heat exchanger or aftercooler fail which can cause either a burned up engine or ingesting a load of coolant......both of which can cause you to do a major overhaul (think 5 decimal places left of the decimal point).

If you aren't going to do the oil sample every oil change on a boat you are going to keep, don't waste the time and money.

 

[Sum Escape]

Frank is right, the value is in trends and finding a problem early. It's very easy to pull the samples when you change the oil. Call Cummins or Catepillar (or Man if there is one) labs with your engine serial numbers...they may have previous tests on your engines and thus you could continue with them to get trends.

 

[boltman]

THis is what I thought, I read a magazine article yesterday in a Ocean Yachting spread where a Guy had Oil samples done all the time and there were HIGH readings of aluminum, they kept telling him to keep an eye on this..for four years.....

I think I'm going to send Oil samples in every oil change.. and I will get in contact with my MANS man... thanks Guys...

 

[Boatingnut]

Every year. Blackstone.