First oil analysis post top overhaul

[Danb]

I had a top overhaul, oil stabilized, temps good, oil consumption good. 
Sent first sample off to Blackstone using regular oil Phillips XC multi. Broke in with mineral oil went well. The sample depicted higher than normal silicon, and some metals. What’s normal after engine work, should the engine stabilize more or ?.

D

 

[Danb]

11 minutes ago, Danb said:

I had a top overhaul, oil stabilized, temps good, oil consumption good. 
Sent first sample off to Blackstone using regular oil Phillips XC multi. Broke in with mineral oil went well. The sample depicted higher than normal silicon, and some metals. What’s normal after engine work, should the engine stabilize more or ?.

D

 

 

[EricJ]

There'll be metal just due to the break-in process for a bit.   I'd see what it does after a few oil changes.

[GeeBee]

It's an inverted bellcurve.

 

[dzeleski]

2 hours ago, Danb said:

I had a top overhaul, oil stabilized, temps good, oil consumption good. 
Sent first sample off to Blackstone using regular oil Phillips XC multi. Broke in with mineral oil went well. The sample depicted higher than normal silicon, and some metals. What’s normal after engine work, should the engine stabilize more or ?.

D

 

FYI your address is in that image. Might want to edit it out.

At only 25 hours depending on what type of cylinders you have, break in might not be totally done. How many hours did you run on mineral oil? What did the filter look like? I would run another 10-20 hours and sample again. If you have a borescope you can throw that down the cylinders and see if you see anything insane but I wouldnt be panicking just yet if everything else is doing well.

Edit:

https://www.avweb.com/ownership/the-savvy-aviator-21-checking-the-oil/

Iron or steel. Iron and steel are readily identifiable because they are magnetic. Any significant quantity of iron or steel particles or flakes in the filter is cause for concern. Generally, you should not fly the aircraft until the source has been determined. If the cause is not readily apparent, you may want to consider sending your filter contents to an expert for microscopic examination, which often can pinpoint the source. The most likely sources are cam lobes, tappet (valve lifter) faces, and cylinder walls (if the barrels are steel) or piston rings (if they are chrome), but there are also a lot of other steel parts in the engine (accessory gears and shafts, starter adapters, etc.) that can generate ferrous particles.

Edited November 8, 2023 by dzeleski

[A64Pilot]

The silicon confuses me as silicon is usually dirt.

I wonder if it’s from the honing stones?

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, A64Pilot said:

The silicon confuses me as silicon is usually dirt.

I wonder if it’s from the honing stones?

I always think “induction air filter” but your explanation is more plausible.

[Shadrach]

3 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

I always think “induction air filter” but your explanation is more plausible.

Actually, I think you’re thinking is more likely. If I had a high silicon reading, I would check the alternate air door. 
 
The truth is that oil analysis isn’t super useful during break in.

[EricJ]

37 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

Actually, I think you’re thinking is more likely. If I had a high silicon reading, I would check the alternate air door. 

Yeah, usually dust ingestion from somewhere.

[Ragsf15e]

We had airport construction where they tore up and redid taxiways. Lots of dust.  Blackstone noted silicon similar to yours and mentioned looking at the intake and filter.  My silicon went back down after the construction.

[LANCECASPER]

On 11/8/2023 at 7:48 AM, Danb said:

I had a top overhaul, oil stabilized, temps good, oil consumption good. 
Sent first sample off to Blackstone using regular oil Phillips XC multi. Broke in with mineral oil went well. The sample depicted higher than normal silicon, and some metals. What’s normal after engine work, should the engine stabilize more or ?.

D

 

The Acclaim comes from the factory with the Challenger (K & N) Air Filter, which could explain  the Silicon itself since freer-flow air filters let more things get by than the standard paper filters.

No mechanic likes to service them, but they should be done every 12 months or every 100 hours, or sooner if operated in dusty conditions.

It needs to be serviced according to the Challenger instructions, which are also in the POH. Servicing means washing it with the K & N cleaner and drying it and then re-applying the oil. My guess is that if your Silicon (dirt) is high, yours hasn't really been serviced in a few years. 

[Utah20Gflyer]

Generally speaking oil analysis is best used to determine wear trends.  As this is the first oil sample of your relatively new engine it doesn’t really mean anything.  I wouldn’t worry about it at this point.  

[A64Pilot]

I don’t put much faith in oil analysis to determine engine condition.

However it’s outstanding if used to determine the condition of the oil, but think of it this way, if you didn’t do an oil analysis, would you have any concerns?

Look for metal in the oil filter, look hard even go to the extent of a solvent wash of the filter material through a coffee filter if you have a concern.

I maintained fleets of Army helicopters for 20 years, never, not once did we change a component due to oil analysis, we always did based usually on chip lights which triggered inspection of the filters.

 The Army pretty much invented spectroscopic oil analysis at Ft Rucker in 1961, it has saved millions of gallons of oil and I’m sure billions of dollars because the ground fleet changes oil now on condition and not miles or months as it’s not uncommon for rarely used Army trucks to go years between changes, so it is valuable. I just bought a Diesel pusher motorhome and had an oil analysis done, not trying to determine engine condition, but looking for antifreeze and soot content of the oil as well as total acid number of the oil and total base number. For things like that it has value in my opinion.

As far a a K&N air filter, they don’t really filter all that well, but like all filters as they get dirty they filter better, but their advertised better air flow comes from poorer filtration. In all honesty it’s hard to beat oil soaked foam, especially if it’s sticky oil.

There is no reason at all for an owner not to clean their own K&N, but follow the instructions, just once with pressurized air or water and it’s trash. The oil is what makes a K&N filter, the gauge just holds the oil, don’t let one get dry looking, if it does from flying in the rain etc, re oil it.