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Oil Analysis for the Financially Declined

9th July 2009

by Michael Kafuman

The best way to establish realistic oil change intervals is via oil analysis. The problem is, a complete oil analysis can easily run you about as much as a 5 quart oil change – with petroleum oil anyway.

So, for many motorists, the better option is to perform a “Poor Man’s Oil Analysis”. It is not likely to give you results as accurate and precise as the ones you’d get from a lab, but you will get a pretty decent notion of just how effectively your engine oil is holding up.

In the next few paragraphs you will discover the complete details for performing one of six DIY oil analysis tests which can be used to establish the condition of your oil and whether it’s ready for a change.

You might also want to consider learning a bit more regarding lubricants and filters in general. Quite alot of information can be gleaned from the following sites.

- No More Oil Changes – tons 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.

You want to place a drop of used oil on the surface of chromatography paper (good heavy white card stock works pretty well too) – make sure the engine/oil is WARM (not HOT). Place your white paper/card suspended horizontally above a table or countertop and so that the oil drop area will be touching nothing – on either side of the card. For instance, if you’re using stiff card stock or a stiff business card (which you really should be) you could lay two pencils down on a table (parallel to each other) and set the card with each end sitting on one of the pencils.

Make sure that the oil spot is entirely dry before trying to evaluate the appearance of the oil drop. At the point where the paper/card has completely drawn all the oils into itself it is then time to begin evaluating the condition of your oil.

- 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 outer ring = Severe oxidation

- Center of circle dark with outer rings = Fuel in oil,Fuel dilution

Information for this test featured in: Fitch, J.C., “The Lubrication Field Test and Inspection Guide”, Noria Corporation 2000

About the Author:

Interested in knowing about the other 5 do it yourself oil analysis tests? Just visit my BestSyntheticOil.com website to read the rest of the “Oil Analysis on a Budget” article to determine your proper oil change intervals…………

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