Oil Testing for the Financially Declined
If you’re looking to determine what your best oil change intervals should be, the best method is via oil analysis. Of course, on many passenger car vehicles that only take 4-6 quarts of motor oil, the cost of the oil analysis is nearly as much as a complete oil change.
Of course, the end result is that most folks won’t pay for a professional oil analysis. However, they might be inclined to perform their own “oil analysis”, if they knew how to go about doing it. Of course, such an analysis won’t give you results as accurate and precise as results from the professional lab testing, but it can give you a fairly good idea of how well your oil is maintaining it’s ability to protect your engine.
Below you will find one of six very simple yet incredibly useful tests for checking oil quality without ever leaving your garage.
It would likely also be in your best interests to learn a bit more about oils and filters in general. The following sites may prove useful for this purpose.
- No More Oil Changes – Over 150 pages of motor oil information
- The Motor Oil Evaluator – motor oil comparison specifications
- A Motor Oil Forum for discussion of motor oils
The Business Card Test
This test reveals oxidation products, sludge formation, dispersancy failure, glycol contamination, water contamination, fuel dilution, and high levels of particles.
While your oil is WARM (not HOT), yank the oil level dipstick and put one drop of motor oil on a heavy, white, NON-glossy business card. Place your white paper/card in a location where it sits suspended and horizontal and so that the oil drop area touches nothing – on the top OR bottom of the card. As an example, if you’re using stiff card stock or a stiff business card (which you really should be) you could place it across the top of a coffee cup.
Wait until the oil drop is no longer moist. Use the list below to evaluate the condition of your oil based on the DRY oil spot.
- A colorless circle or slight yellowish outer ring = “good” oil.
- A dense, dark deposit zone = Dispersant additive failure
- A black, pasty area = Anti-freeze in your motor oil
- Center of circle dark with distinct outside ring = Severely oxidized oil
- Center of circle dark with outer rings = Fuel in oil,Fuel dilution
Details of the blotter spot test in: Fitch, J.C., “The Lubrication Field Test and Inspection Guide”, Noria Corporation 2000
Would it help you to know more about do it yourself oil analysis testing, how you can compare and contrast motor oils, why you MAY or MAY NOT want to choose synthetic motor oil, how to compare oil filters and much more? Take a look at my Motor Oil Bible Blog or you might want to consider reading my Motor Oil Bible PDF ebook.
Tags: auto maintenance, auto repair, automotive, automotive maintenance, automotive repair, autos, Cars, lubricants, motor oil, oil analysis, trucks, vehicle maintenance, vehicle repair
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