Oil Analysis. Do you do it? How often? Who?

[scottfromiowa]

I have not had any oil analysis completed on my engine.  Who do you recommend?  What is the price point?  How often do you complete?  What is process if you do NOT have an oil filter on the engine?  Benefits?  What do the results show regarding specific areas?  Do results give detail as to likely area of concern or just give % of type of metal?  How do you interpret the results.  Thanks for the education...

[aviatoreb]

Quote: scottfromiowa

I have not had any oil analysis completed on my engine.  Who do you recommend?  What is the price point?  How often do you complete?  What is process if you do NOT have an oil filter on the engine?  Benefits?  What do the results show regarding specific areas?  Do results give detail as to likely area of concern or just give % of type of metal?  How do you interpret the results.  Thanks for the education...

[lamont337]

Scott-

I also do NOT have a filter so I send a sample to Blackstone Labs with every 25 hr oil change. Cost is $25 and they send you the sample kit for free. You only pay when you actually send the sample to them. I'll probably be adding an oil filter adapter at annual in August so I'll bump it up to 50 hours, but I'll still send in a sample. My plane sat quite a bit in the years before I bought it so I wanted confirmation that the wear metals were in line with the universal averages for my engine. I consider it a very important layer for early detection of a problem. From what I've seen Blackstone is also very good about telling you what part of the engine the specific elements may be coming from. Hope this helps, and yes I recommend oil analysis. If you like I can email you my last two reports so you can get an idea of what is covered.

[bnicolette]

I do mine at every oil change which has been about every 30 hours or 6 months.  Whichever comes first.  I notice a lot of you use Blackstone.  I have been using Aviation Laboratories.  Is there a difference between them as far as quality?  Just curious.  I have been very happy with Aviation laboratories except that it takes a minimum of two weeks from the time I drop the box in the mail until my results are posted.  Not a big deal but I'm always anxious to see the results.

[jetdriven]

About the same time frame with Blackstone. 22$ plus postage.  See the "making metal" thread for an example Blackstone report.

[scottfromiowa]

Thanks for the replies and PM's.  I plan to begin utilizing Blackstone.

[PTK]

Quote: Bnicolette

I do mine at every oil change which has been about every 30 hours or 6 months.  Whichever comes first.  I notice a lot of you use Blackstone.  I have been using Aviation Laboratories.  Is there a difference between them as far as quality?  Just curious.  I have been very happy with Aviation laboratories except that it takes a minimum of two weeks from the time I drop the box in the mail until my results are posted.  Not a big deal but I'm always anxious to see the results.

[jetdriven]

That's right. Pete, can you email me their report?   bdr737@gmail.com

[PTK]

Quote: jetdriven

That's right. Pete, can you email me their report?   bdr737@gmail.com