Clean Bill of Health
#1
06-23-2009, 11:22 PM
Clean Bill of Health
A Blackstone Labs oil sample is as close as we can come to an annual blood work-up and Doctor's physical for the Durango.
My latest report is attached below. I just got it back today. It's very interesting reading. I can see my last 4 samples compared side by side and I can see if there's any 'new' wear indicators based on what metals are showing up with increases, etc. Also, I can compare my numbers to universal averages of comparable vehicles. Finally, there's a lab tech's comment section letting you know their human observations.
This sample had only 4736 miles on it, however it was 5 1/2 months since the last change. You can see from my report, numbers from a 146k oil change were a bit different that the rest. It was taken from a cold motor and NOT the way to do a sample. The prefect way to change the oil and take the sample after it's hot and has cooled down enough to change. You should have a warm sample when done.
Anyway… the next sample was right at 20,000 miles later on 12/7/06. I had added the 20,000 miles in 8 months. Of course I had changed the oil many times between that interval, I just didn't send in each and every change for testing. That would be a bit of overkill. You can see from that sample on 12/06 how my annually mileage started dropping dramatically. The next sample from this January was 33,000 miles later and 26 months later. I had gone from 30,000 miles per year to half that at a normal 15k. From that January sample to now, I'm down to 10,000 per year on the average (the trip I'm on now changes that, however.)
In regard to my sample numbers, you can see how over nearly 60,000 miles how each number has changed or in my case, really hasn't changed at all. My 203,000 mile D is the same strong and statistically as she was back at 145,000 miles.
When you review the paper report that the lab also returns, you get an idea of what each metal represents in your sample. Moly may be lifters and valves while Iron may be the crank. Silicon is sand from the efficiency (or not) of your air cleaner setup, while Phosphorus is an additive in the oil already. Each number provides you insight into potential problems BEFORE they happen. If you have an alarming increase one, you know right away that the particular part related to that metal is failing… BEFORE it fails. Wouldn't you rather get a valve job before having to twist one off and need a whole new head? Or needing a new block from a crank or piston failure, or etc etc etc. Getting samples is the best method outside of a race car break down after each usage. Of course that isn't practical, so sampling is your only method of reliable predictability.
One note on Blackstone, they always tell me to increase my mileage between the samples. Seems I'm pitching the oil before it's all used up. I pay an extra $10 per test to have them check the TBN number. In a nutshell, the TBN reflects the ability of the oil to protect, lubricate and do its job. As long as it's above 1.0, you still have good oil. You certainly can't tell that by looking at it with your eyes! My Mobil1 comes out black and looks bad. Obviously, it's not. I always disregard their, "extend your usage interval" notices. Primarily because I like still have a strong, 'young' reporting motor. I credit oil changes at or around the 5000 mile interval to that. It's also nice to know that if you have to push the oil out a week or a month before you can get a chance to change it, you know with confidence that you can.
The web site is www.Blackstone-labs.com They'll send you FREE test kits. I pay about $35 shipped for the advanced level of testing and shipping charges combined. I highly suggest this for everyone looking to keep an eye out on their Durango's engines. I can't tell you how nervous I was the first time I sent it out not knowing how it was going to come back. LOL
Any questions, just let me know. A great oil resource for understanding all the metals and elements in the oil is this site: www.bobistheoilguy.com The forum community there is fairly helpful for newbies with questions.
IndyDurango
My latest report is attached below. I just got it back today. It's very interesting reading. I can see my last 4 samples compared side by side and I can see if there's any 'new' wear indicators based on what metals are showing up with increases, etc. Also, I can compare my numbers to universal averages of comparable vehicles. Finally, there's a lab tech's comment section letting you know their human observations.
This sample had only 4736 miles on it, however it was 5 1/2 months since the last change. You can see from my report, numbers from a 146k oil change were a bit different that the rest. It was taken from a cold motor and NOT the way to do a sample. The prefect way to change the oil and take the sample after it's hot and has cooled down enough to change. You should have a warm sample when done.
Anyway… the next sample was right at 20,000 miles later on 12/7/06. I had added the 20,000 miles in 8 months. Of course I had changed the oil many times between that interval, I just didn't send in each and every change for testing. That would be a bit of overkill. You can see from that sample on 12/06 how my annually mileage started dropping dramatically. The next sample from this January was 33,000 miles later and 26 months later. I had gone from 30,000 miles per year to half that at a normal 15k. From that January sample to now, I'm down to 10,000 per year on the average (the trip I'm on now changes that, however.)
In regard to my sample numbers, you can see how over nearly 60,000 miles how each number has changed or in my case, really hasn't changed at all. My 203,000 mile D is the same strong and statistically as she was back at 145,000 miles.
When you review the paper report that the lab also returns, you get an idea of what each metal represents in your sample. Moly may be lifters and valves while Iron may be the crank. Silicon is sand from the efficiency (or not) of your air cleaner setup, while Phosphorus is an additive in the oil already. Each number provides you insight into potential problems BEFORE they happen. If you have an alarming increase one, you know right away that the particular part related to that metal is failing… BEFORE it fails. Wouldn't you rather get a valve job before having to twist one off and need a whole new head? Or needing a new block from a crank or piston failure, or etc etc etc. Getting samples is the best method outside of a race car break down after each usage. Of course that isn't practical, so sampling is your only method of reliable predictability.
One note on Blackstone, they always tell me to increase my mileage between the samples. Seems I'm pitching the oil before it's all used up. I pay an extra $10 per test to have them check the TBN number. In a nutshell, the TBN reflects the ability of the oil to protect, lubricate and do its job. As long as it's above 1.0, you still have good oil. You certainly can't tell that by looking at it with your eyes! My Mobil1 comes out black and looks bad. Obviously, it's not. I always disregard their, "extend your usage interval" notices. Primarily because I like still have a strong, 'young' reporting motor. I credit oil changes at or around the 5000 mile interval to that. It's also nice to know that if you have to push the oil out a week or a month before you can get a chance to change it, you know with confidence that you can.
The web site is www.Blackstone-labs.com They'll send you FREE test kits. I pay about $35 shipped for the advanced level of testing and shipping charges combined. I highly suggest this for everyone looking to keep an eye out on their Durango's engines. I can't tell you how nervous I was the first time I sent it out not knowing how it was going to come back. LOL
Any questions, just let me know. A great oil resource for understanding all the metals and elements in the oil is this site: www.bobistheoilguy.com The forum community there is fairly helpful for newbies with questions.
IndyDurango
#2
06-24-2009, 01:27 AM
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Gibbons, Alberta, Canada
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Indy - I started using BlackStone to test the oil on my 06 300C about 18 months ago. Everything you said above is true. You really cannot determine anything about your oil from looking at the color. When I first started testing, my goal was to see how the oil would do (Mobile-1 syn) if I pushed it past my usual 5,000 kms interval. I test a 5k sample to get a base line. Then I tested at 7.5k and finally at 10k (keep in mind that's kilometers not miles). I also got the TBN test included each time.
My engine showed excellent numbers for metals/wear as did yours. My 5k TBN was still at 4, the 7.5k one showed 3.5 and the 10k one showed only 2. BlackStone suggested I could go further than 10k, but like you I ignored them too. I am happy going 10k between changes, which is about 4 to 5 months for me, rather than only going 3 months max between changes. It also makes the cost to use synthetic oil about the same as using regular dyno oil.
I would reccomend BlackStone to anyone thinking of testing their oil, and I would recommend testing your oil to anyone. There are so many people that just change it every 5k because that's what granpappy told them they should do, and they are wasting a lot of time and money when in fact they could use some science to help make a better decision. Not to mention help determine a potential problem the engine is starting to have like an eroding gasket etc.
I just recently bought my 01 Durango, heavily used, 256,000 kilometers on it. I changed out all the fluids as soon as I got it, and didn't bother to test anything as I had no idea how many kilometers were on them. It will be interesting to see the test results for the first oil change at 5k on an engine with that many kilometers on it.
My engine showed excellent numbers for metals/wear as did yours. My 5k TBN was still at 4, the 7.5k one showed 3.5 and the 10k one showed only 2. BlackStone suggested I could go further than 10k, but like you I ignored them too. I am happy going 10k between changes, which is about 4 to 5 months for me, rather than only going 3 months max between changes. It also makes the cost to use synthetic oil about the same as using regular dyno oil.
I would reccomend BlackStone to anyone thinking of testing their oil, and I would recommend testing your oil to anyone. There are so many people that just change it every 5k because that's what granpappy told them they should do, and they are wasting a lot of time and money when in fact they could use some science to help make a better decision. Not to mention help determine a potential problem the engine is starting to have like an eroding gasket etc.
I just recently bought my 01 Durango, heavily used, 256,000 kilometers on it. I changed out all the fluids as soon as I got it, and didn't bother to test anything as I had no idea how many kilometers were on them. It will be interesting to see the test results for the first oil change at 5k on an engine with that many kilometers on it.
#3
06-24-2009, 11:56 PM
#5
06-26-2009, 01:16 AM