Oil Analysis

Jhernandez04

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Jul 13, 2012
Messages
955
Location
Arlington
Display Name

Display name:
TheHulk
Well, I did my first owner assisted oil change and my first oil analysis. It was really simple and im told that getting your oil sampled is a great tool.

My results came back in and im having a difficult time figuring out what the results mean for me, the owner. It does say "Normal Wear" which I think is really good for a 1700hr engine.

Please help me decipher my results.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • 7268.jpg
    7268.jpg
    84.8 KB · Views: 92
until you have a few test results, a single result isn't much use unless there's something seriously wrong. a series of samples, over a year or more, provides the trend that indicates when something is going wrong. for example, a couple years ago I had 2 samples, 4 months apart that were showing higher levels than normal of something (forgot what). The shop (blackstone) was seeing this among a number of engines and the opinion was a slight change in the oil we were using.
 
until you have a few test results, a single result isn't much use unless there's something seriously wrong. a series of samples, over a year or more, provides the trend that indicates when something is going wrong. for example, a couple years ago I had 2 samples, 4 months apart that were showing higher levels than normal of something (forgot what). The shop (blackstone) was seeing this among a number of engines and the opinion was a slight change in the oil we were using.


Okay so i'll get another one done @25 hours and hopefully by the end of the year i'll have a decent trend.
 
The two letters in bold are the various metals they test for; Fe = Iron, Cr = Chromium, Pb = lead and so on. The numbers below are in PPM which is parts per million. Various component parts of the engine are made of these metals, except the Pb which is from the fuel used. BTW, just one man's opinion, but I suggest you lean at all times except take off. Lean while taxiing, lean in cruise flight etc.

An engine which begins to 'make metal' means that one or more of these metals will show high solubility in the removed engine. That increase can be related to what part of the engine is wearing, Al would prolly be piston scuffing, which might also have high count of Cr if you have chrome jugs, or Fe, if you have Iron jugs.
 
The two letters in bold are the various metals they test for; Fe = Iron, Cr = Chromium, Pb = lead and so on. The numbers below are in PPM which is parts per million. Various component parts of the engine are made of these metals, except the Pb which is from the fuel used. BTW, just one man's opinion, but I suggest you lean at all times except take off. Lean while taxiing, lean in cruise flight etc.

An engine which begins to 'make metal' means that one or more of these metals will show high solubility in the removed engine. That increase can be related to what part of the engine is wearing, Al would prolly be piston scuffing, which might also have high count of Cr if you have chrome jugs, or Fe, if you have Iron jugs.


Im getting better about leaning thats for sure. I'll continue to do so.
 

Attachments

  • 2013.08.08 oil sample copy.pdf
    1.4 MB · Views: 32
Agreed that Blackstone reports are the easiest to interpret. They don't just give you numbers. They compare in the table your latest results, your most recent reports, your average, and averages for all customers with that engine. This comparison lets you see if you are better or worse than average, and what is your trend.

Blackstone also tests for more stuff, like fuel, that is not listed in your report.

Then the part that really sets them apart, and everyone enjoys: the narrative comments by the analyst, which usually start by addressing you by your first name. If you mentioned any worries in your handwritten submission, the analyst will respond. For example: "Fred, that's a good report. Wear metals are about average for that motor. You mentioned a concern of whether your starter adapter is wearing, but I don't see any unusual copper that might indicate that."

Read a Blackstone report, and you feel like you've got a friend who is watching out for you, and talking to you. Read a report from most other labs, and you just feel confused. That's my experience.
 
Agreed that Blackstone reports are the easiest to interpret. They don't just give you numbers. They compare in the table your latest results, your most recent reports, your average, and averages for all customers with that engine. This comparison lets you see if you are better or worse than average, and what is your trend.

Blackstone also tests for more stuff, like fuel, that is not listed in your report.

Then the part that really sets them apart, and everyone enjoys: the narrative comments by the analyst, which usually start by addressing you by your first name. If you mentioned any worries in your handwritten submission, the analyst will respond. For example: "Fred, that's a good report. Wear metals are about average for that motor. You mentioned a concern of whether your starter adapter is wearing, but I don't see any unusual copper that might indicate that."

Read a Blackstone report, and you feel like you've got a friend who is watching out for you, and talking to you. Read a report from most other labs, and you just feel confused. That's my experience.

+1,000,000

:thumbsup:

Last week's report read:

TIM: Another fine report for N5057D. Wear metals have been nice and steady for several years now, so this engine appears to have no mechanical problems developing as far as we can see. Usually when an aircraft has chrome cylinders, iron will be lower than average (like yours is), but chromium will be higher. It's a bit odd for chrome to be so much lower than average here, but we're certainly not going to complain about low wear like this! The trace of fuel isn't a problem, and neither is the slightly low viscosity. Keep doing what you're doing with this one. Nice!

..
 
Last edited:
BTW...the other thing that's great about Blackstone, and a recent addition I believe, is that all your oil analyses are now available online. It just takes a minute to set up a customer account with your customer #. Every analysis done from day one on 57D is there for easy viewing. In my case, 24 reports over 11 years and 1118 hours.
 
I was using another lab of the AV type, but had heard how good Blackstone was so I called and spoke with them and with my first analysis from them they input all my old readings from the other people to maintain the trends.

Great people to work with and fairly local to us here.
 
What does an oil analysis like this typically cost, and what is turnaround time? Thx
 
What does an oil analysis like this typically cost, and what is turnaround time? Thx
My last Blackstone was $25, took about 10 days. if there's something they consider time-critical or possibly dangerous, they contact you as soon as detcted.
 
Go with the Blackstone reports, you will like the interaction and reports better.
 
nobody mentioned it, but I am most impressed with, if its correct, that he only added 2 quarts of oil in 51 hours.

Joe
 
nobody mentioned it, but I am most impressed with, if its correct, that he only added 2 quarts of oil in 51 hours.

Joe
Remember, too low of oil consumption may be a bad thing as well. Its not a mark to shoot for.
 
nobody mentioned it, but I am most impressed with, if its correct, that he only added 2 quarts of oil in 51 hours.

Joe


It may have been 3 qrts or so. I just wasnt sure so I put in 2qrts. Im going to really pay attention this time.
 
I use Blackstone as well and agree with the positive comments.

When we bought the plane they took the time to research it and found the previous owner had used them, so they added that data to the baseline.

They have a pretty good deal if you prepay for six samples upfront. I believe it is only $20 per report.

-Dan
 
Worth noting: make sure you change your oil and take samples on a regular basis. The more time between oil changes, the more "stuff" in your oil. So sending in a sample of oil with 40 hours, and then a sample with 60 hours may show a false increase in metals, when in fact the oil was just more circulated. I try to keep my samples at 50 hours, +-2.5 hours. Sometimes that's tricky when you have a big trip coming up, but I'm never minded having to "burn off" a few hours so I can get an oil change in first.
 
Worth noting: make sure you change your oil and take samples on a regular basis. The more time between oil changes, the more "stuff" in your oil. So sending in a sample of oil with 40 hours, and then a sample with 60 hours may show a false increase in metals, when in fact the oil was just more circulated. I try to keep my samples at 50 hours, +-2.5 hours. Sometimes that's tricky when you have a big trip coming up, but I'm never minded having to "burn off" a few hours so I can get an oil change in first.


That thought process is good.. and bad...

If you have an engine that does not use oil, then a higher time between samples will show elevated numbers...

If you have an engine that needs oil every 25 hours, then the sample will balance itself out as you are adding PERFECTLY clean oil into a existing sump of contaminated oil and the clean oil will reduce / dilute the particulate count..
 
It may have been 3 qrts or so. I just wasnt sure so I put in 2qrts. Im going to really pay attention this time.

If it helps, get or create a simple log book showing usage, dates, tach hours (start/stop) and origin/destination of each flight. This is a good place to log additional things like oil added, VOR checks, and squawks you don't want to forget while your busy piloting.
 
That thought process is good.. and bad...

If you have an engine that does not use oil, then a higher time between samples will show elevated numbers...

If you have an engine that needs oil every 25 hours, then the sample will balance itself out as you are adding PERFECTLY clean oil into a existing sump of contaminated oil and the clean oil will reduce / dilute the particulate count..

It depends how the oil is leaving the system. My point is that if you can control the factors that effect what ends up in the oil, everything else is up to the engine.
 
It depends how the oil is leaving the system. My point is that if you can control the factors that effect what ends up in the oil, everything else is up to the engine.

Agreed..... To a point..

If the engine burning oil or spitting it out the breather,, it does not discriminate.. oil is leaving the engine, and taking particulates with it..
 
Back
Top