Out of curiosity and wanting to see how well the oil in my 2014 Ram diesel was doing. I sent in for an oil analysis last time I changed the oil. In 2013 they increased OCI from 7500 miles to 15000 or 6 months what ever occurs first. So I'm looking good and seeing how I'm out of my 100K power train now I might just go to 15K miles OCI. Will see. If you never seen one this is what it looks like.

Hray

I can't say I get it. The results show that what you're doing is okay. So instead of sticking with that, you're going to push it to something that may or may not be? What's the upside? To put off spending a little money just a little longer? Then what? Spend more money on another test to see if what you did was a mistake?


"If the risk is little, the reward is little."

Just the 6 months thing I change the fuel filters at 15K as per manual and minder,oil is on same minder but has a 6 month thing in writing. And it's nice to do the whole thing at once. I'm already dirty. It would probably be ever 7-8 month interval.

I analyze every sample from every diesel engine at every oil change. That's across a multitude of different stuff from trucks to excavators to tractors. A dozen plus at my farm. A good single sample is nice and useful, but its actually the trending that get's you something to act on. Oil is so cheap compared to modern engines I can't see extending drain interval's on anything. But I don't know your driving habits or duty cycle. If you run 15K in 6 months on the highway in very long trips unloaded in moderate temps etc. etc. maybe its ok to use the OCI indicated. But anybody who really uses a truck will probably not be happy with that OCI long-term.

^^^^^
I don't know to be honest. My 08 6.7 was 7500 miles OCI with no time frame that I can remember. The 2014 from Cummins is 15K thats on there website and Ram adds the 6 month thing. So I just changed it at 6 months but wasn't sure about the condition of the oil because I'm not use to going that many miles between OCI. I've read that the new oils are better and was looking for proof that the oils is good.

Having access to Norfolk Southern Railway's lab in Chattanooga TN for years which oversaw the oil change schedule of locomotives (both two and four cycle Diesel engines) based on real oil breakdown and contamination (as well checking the oil life in our personal vehicles )...you would be surprised on how long oil will maintain it's lubricity without breakdown under the most severe operating conditions imaginable (this is for 100% recycled oil...railroads never use "new" oil)...it's pretty eye opening when you compare the remaining "life" of oil compared to the oil change schedule from the owner manuals when sent to the lab for review (based on our own personally submitted oil samples from our day to day vehicles)...

Trust me...I don't sweat being a couple thousand miles (or more) over the recommended mileage schedule...but, that's me...YMMV

Everybody (this means the engines I have like CAT, Ford, Deere, Kubota, etc.) has a time limit in addition to miles/hours. I just change them all on the time limit as I rarely ever hit one of the other limits (excluding the very small ones that hit the hours limit first).
I'd just adopt a 6 month change and be happy. Luckily you live where you don't have to do that just for temps!

I've been using Blackstone for a long time. I have a few heavy trucks at my business that i test to extend oil changes and anticipate potential failure before it becomes catastrophic. Oil capacity on a diesel is generally significantly larger than a gas engine and high end synthetic is not cheap. Each truck has it's sweet spot for when it needs to be changed. You can ID all kinds of other problems too. Had silicon levels go way up on one vehicle and found a torn air filter. Bearing wear will show well before failure also. Part of it is I just like to know what is going on with my fleet of vehicles. I usually will change if TBN (detergent) drops too low regardless of other stats.

We had the Blackstone oil analysis done at every oil change (33 hours) on the V-Tail.

A sudden change in metal content prompted our maintenance tech to take a look inside the cylinders with a borescope. He spotted an exhaust valve that was in the process of self-destructing.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
We had the Blackstone oil analysis done at every oil change (33 hours) on the V-Tail.

A sudden change in metal content prompted our maintenance tech to take a look inside the cylinders with a borescope. He spotted an exhaust valve that was in the process of self-destructing.

Yeah. Aircraft engines are a definite with oil analysis. Engine failures on Terra Firma are costly but in the air are downright horrifying.

Spectrometric oil analysis is a good thing, but like compression tests, they don't tell you everything with one test. They're meant to be used sequentially and frequently.

I've seen a lot of owners freak out when they get a compression or an oil analysis and attempt to interpret it on a one-time basis.

What you're looking for more than anything is to establish a baseline, and look for changes; the more frequent the tests, the easier to see the changes for what they are.

I wouldn't call an engine failure in the air horrifying. It can get your attention. Best prevented. Always planned for. But not horrifying.

You really need to do a back to back report to see if there is any change.

We look at TBN in the used oil reports. Compare the TBN in the oil when it is new and change when TBN is half that number. You can go to the lubricants manufacture web site to find the TBN number when it is new.

What do they charge for a uoa?

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:

I wouldn't call an engine failure in the air horrifying. It can get your attention. Best prevented. Always planned for. But not horrifying.

Somewhat dependent on how many engines you had before one failed, and how many you have remaining after one fails.

quote:

Originally posted by Connorj:
What do they charge for a uoa?

Standard analysis is around $30.

quote:

Originally posted by Bisleyblackhawk:
Trust me...I don't sweat being a couple thousand miles (or more) over the recommended mileage schedule...but, that's me...YMMV

I think for the majority of us in our applications that true.

If it were a car that saw a lot of stop/go, idling such as a cab or police car, I wouldn't stretch it too much more.

But then again engines are so advanced as is the synthetic oil and filtration these days that going over isn't as big of a deal as the old days. Long gone are the days of 3,000 mile oil changes though I'm surprised by how many people still believe in that outdated "rule." My neighbor who isn't into cars believed in that before I read through her manual and showed her the oil life meter in her Honda. She had thought she was due soon for a change but she was at something like 82% and only a few months since her last change. I think her mechanic had put the old 3k miles/3 months sticker on. Being that she was using at least a synthetic blend, possibly even full synthetic, I told her to just wait.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Somewhat dependent on how many engines you had before one failed, and how many you have remaining after one fails.

I was referring to having one to begin with, and none after the failure.

If one has done one's part, exercised good airmanship, there's a place to land below.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
You really need to do a back to back report to see if there is any change.

Probably will, I have to change my transmission fluid this coming year and will get that tested too.

quote:

Originally posted by Connorj:
What do they charge for a uoa?

$28 for a standard test and additional $10 for the TBN.