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oil analysis


ptxyz

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last oil change (conventional), i let slide to about 4k miles. noticed it had run a bit low (from half towards the low end of the dip stick) on a weekend ride (about 500 miles) and there was a bit more metallic flake in the bottom of the pan than i'm used to seeing. bike has about 50k, 20k are mine.

i've saved the filter and before i cut it apart, does anyone know of a professional who would analyze this? i'm finding stuff for aviation only in my searching, so far.

i'm wondering if i should get out of this slightly beater bird while she's still running well or, catch up on a lot of deferred maintenance...

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perfect, thanks!

might have to wait a bit as the oil in question's already been recycled, i just have the filter. i'd imagine older oil would tell a more interesting story.

i'll report the findings.

Edited by ptxyz
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  • 6 months later...

so, i finally put about 3,000 miles and sent in a sample. paid $28 for the standard analysis. here are the results, attached as a pdf.

seems the motor is in decent shape, especially considering the miles. i may have mis-read the oil level due to not having the bike on level ground when i checked the dipstick or some other human error. haven't noticed any consumption between changes since.

blackstone was even kind enough (or marketing savvy?) to send me a couple of sample kits...

00 CRB 1100XX-011716.pdf

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I think he meant the reservoir you drain your oil into from your bike? At least that is how I read it. I never clean my oil basins but then again have never had oil tested. Thanks for sharing, cool thread.

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ah, good point. i did give my trusty ol' plastic pan a thorough wipe with cheap paper towels...

and, i slept at a howard johnson (?) the night before...

by the way, i've been using catrol gtx (can't recall the grade - it's appropriate for the bike, sf, sj, sg?) 10-40 and change the oil / filter about every 3-4k miles.

Edited by ptxyz
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When taking a sample for an analysis you should not take it from the catch pan. Clean the plug and surrounding area, remove the plug, and about half way though the draining stick the sample bottle into the stream--unless Blackstone recommends some different procedure. When you wipe the bottle be careful to not wipe into the bottle leaving lint or other stuff in there.


ah, good point. i did give my trusty ol' plastic pan a thorough wipe with cheap paper towels...

and, i slept at a howard johnson (?) the night before...

by the way, i've been using catrol gtx (can't recall the grade - it's appropriate for the bike, sf, sj, sg?) 10-40 and change the oil / filter about every 3-4k miles.

If it's the standard car oil it's probably SL or higher. May not be the best for the bike.

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In my experience with multiple engines of different types, Castrol GTX sludges a LOT compared to most other brands. I have opened up a VW engine that had only GTX in it for the lifetime of the engine and despite regular oil changes it had a thick layer of sludge that was profiled where the crank passed - looked really nasty and had a shitload of metal flakes in it. 100k miles and regular oil changes and that engine was toast.

try a real oil....

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In my experience with multiple engines of different types, Castrol GTX sludges a LOT compared to most other brands. I have opened up a VW engine that had only GTX in it for the lifetime of the engine and despite regular oil changes it had a thick layer of sludge that was profiled where the crank passed - looked really nasty and had a shitload of metal flakes in it. 100k miles and regular oil changes and that engine was toast.

try a real oil....

Damn, that's all I have used for the past 15 years in my truck, and two cars.

got any recommendations

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In my experience with multiple engines of different types, Castrol GTX sludges a LOT compared to most other brands. I have opened up a VW engine that had only GTX in it for the lifetime of the engine and despite regular oil changes it had a thick layer of sludge that was profiled where the crank passed - looked really nasty and had a shitload of metal flakes in it. 100k miles and regular oil changes and that engine was toast.

try a real oil....

Not a fan of Castrol, but I'm guessing the owner of that VW drove like a little old lady. Engines are a lot like humans. Proper diet and exorcise is the key to longevity. Just don't over do it.

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Not a fan of Castrol, but I'm guessing the owner of that VW drove like a little old lady. Engines are a lot like humans. Proper diet and exorcise is the key to longevity. Just don't over do it.

May not keep it from sludging up, but at east it'll be free of demons when it dies.

In my experience with multiple engines of different types, Castrol GTX sludges a LOT compared to most other brands. I have opened up a VW engine that had only GTX in it for the lifetime of the engine and despite regular oil changes it had a thick layer of sludge that was profiled where the crank passed - looked really nasty and had a shitload of metal flakes in it. 100k miles and regular oil changes and that engine was toast.

try a real oil....

My guess is that it was the car or it's treatment. I've seen a VW GTI that was pretty sludged up running top of the line Amsoil, but he was fully exercising the 25K mile extended drain--possibly going over. And another VW that had the filter packed with metal when I did an oil change, no clue what it's maintenance was like.

Edited by superhawk996
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Mobil1 is pretty universally recognized as excellent. Shell Rotella is also very good oil. I use both. Evlxx left his oil (mobil1 I think) in his XX for 10k miles and then sent in a sample. It tested fine. We clearly change our oil WAY more often than necessary. I change mine annually regardless of mileage.

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Quaker state use to be really bad for sludge not sure if it still is. They added paraffin to the oil, friend showed me the valve covers on a 350 that had run it for about 100,000 km. Was so much sludge in the valve covers it was basically a wax mold of the valves. Pretty cool to see but can't be good for the engine.

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Old school Pennzoil was bad too, leaving a lot of black/brown gunk, but it's been reformulated. I still don't buy conventional Pennz but their Platinum synthetic has some damn impressive qualities. Buying it at walmart for $23/5qt. jug is a no-brainer. If I'm buying conventional I generally get the walmart branded stuff for $13/5qt. For bikes I used to use Rotella 15-40 but after doing the math on cost I've moved to buying synthetic name brand motorcycle spec. stuff. The diesel oils aren't what they used to be, and altho they're probably still ok, saving a few dollars a year isn't worth the doubt that I'm not giving them proper care. It's been years since switching away from Rotella in bikes.

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Old school Pennzoil was bad too, leaving a lot of black/brown gunk, but it's been reformulated. I still don't buy conventional Pennz but their Platinum synthetic has some damn impressive qualities

I don't know how old school that you are talking about but I have been using it for many years without any issues. What was said about Quaker State was true for me also with a truck that I picked up back in the 80's that nothing but that brand of oil in it.

.

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Old school Pennzoil was bad too, leaving a lot of black/brown gunk, but it's been reformulated. I still don't buy conventional Pennz but their Platinum synthetic has some damn impressive qualities

I don't know how old school that you are talking about but I have been using it for many years without any issues. What was said about Quaker State was true for me also with a truck that I picked up back in the 80's that nothing but that brand of oil in it.

.

80's, and maybe earlier. Not sure when it changed to not suck. My friend's dad was a diehard Pennz user and after seeing his engine with the valve covers off I convinced him to try something else, I think it was Castrol. He changed back to Pennz after a very short time because "that oil is crap, it gets dirty too quickly". He couldn't understand that oil doesn't make black shit, it only carries it. The Castrol turned black because it was removing what the Pennz was leaving behind. The Pennz stayed clean so he was happy with it.

I read that the Pennz issue was the base stock having a high amount of ash in it, no clue if that's true.

Edited by superhawk996
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If I remember right, QS & P were originally Pennsylvania crude oil, that is where their names came from. In case you didn't know, Drilled by Edwin Drake in 1859, along the banks of Oil Creek, PA, it is the first commercial oil well in the United States. My point is that it is or was a different crude than others and always touted as being better.

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