Jump to content
HybridZ

Engine Oil Analysis Results Question


Recommended Posts

I recently bought and used one of these kits where you send in a sample of your used motor oil, and they send you back a print out of the results. My question is, what the heck does their results mean?

 

Ant one want to take a stab at the results for me, since I'm just a lay person when it comes to this kind of stuff... :)

 

 

post-181-090848000 1282428900_thumb.jpg

Edited by J. Soileau RB26zcar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found this site that might provide some info for you...

 

Interpreting Oil Analysis

 

How are you doing?

 

Haven't seen you since the last time you were at Reynolds...

 

There are probably other sites out there w/info.

 

Thanks B. I'm getting by. Yea, we are all due for another large get together again, soon!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That document would be a whole lot more useful if it had units. E.g. They've highlighted the viscosity as being too high, but without any units its impossible to translate that number of 13.5 at the `hot' measurement to what it means in terms of SAE weight. Maybe ring them back and ask them?

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Oil samples are most useful when you do them on a regular interval and establish a baseline for your motor, as you use it. As you do more samples and your baseline gets better, you can spot a spike in something which indicates a problem. The combo of oil samples and oil filter inspection really give you a good window into the engine. This works really well at spotting long term wear trends, and sometimes alerts you to a coming catastrophe.

 

For a first sample, yours looks fine to me. The increased viscosity can be from the age of the oil, or more likely soot contamination, generally from some blowby, pretty common on high performance turbo engines.

 

The units are in parts per million on all the samples I've seen.

 

Is the rb26 a roller or flat tappet engine? If flat, you need a oil with more zinc that that.

 

jt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joel, what oil do you use? Jt's comment about zinc isn't the first time I've heard that recommendation when running a solid valve train. I have a relatively new Isky cam in my L28 and there have been no wear issues so far. Maybe it's time to add zinc. I'll check my local parts store.

 

EDIT: Nevermind on the oil question... I scrolled to the right and I see you use Mobil1 10w30 synthetic. Exact same oil I use!

Edited by jgkurz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oil samples are most useful when you do them on a regular interval and establish a baseline for your motor, as you use it. As you do more samples and your baseline gets better, you can spot a spike in something which indicates a problem. The combo of oil samples and oil filter inspection really give you a good window into the engine. This works really well at spotting long term wear trends, and sometimes alerts you to a coming catastrophe.

 

For a first sample, yours looks fine to me. The increased viscosity can be from the age of the oil, or more likely soot contamination, generally from some blowby, pretty common on high performance turbo engines.

 

The units are in parts per million on all the samples I've seen.

 

Is the rb26 a roller or flat tappet engine? If flat, you need a oil with more zinc that that.

 

jt

 

Jt, what zinc level would be normal to avoid premature wear?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You see a lot of different opinions about how much zinc is needed, and truthfully it varies. The material used in the cam and lifters, the rate of the ramps on the cam, valvetrain weight, lifter rotation, and valve spring pressure all figure in to some degree, with the ramps and springs probably the largest factors. Stock valve springs and stock cam will probably run a long time on 500ppm. If the cam and springs are upgraded much from stock, 1200 ppm seems to be a general concensus. You can add an additive to the oil, or run some of the specialty oils that still have zinc, like Penn, Gibbs, or VR1. Right now I'm using a 50/50 mix of Mobil 1 15W50 and Mobil 1 20W50 V twin. The EPA hasn't hammered the harley boys yet.

 

I'm a big fan of the Mobil 1. They used to show the zinc levels on their website, but it doesn't seem to be there anymore.

 

jt

Edited by jt1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...