Excessive Soot in Diesel Oil

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My 2003 TDI has shown excessive soot levels in past 2 oil analyses with 4000-6000 miles on the samples. What are the hazards of too much soot in the oil? Will the filter life span be shortened? This is a high mileage car so if I have to change oil and filter more often, no big deal.
 
From my understanding, too much soot that is not held in suspension can accelerate wear rates in the engine. How much was "too much" for your engine?
 
hazards are sludge forming in oil, also carbon in the rings. This is a result of an improper burn, either injectors clogging or intake clogged. With that high of mileage i would just change it more frequent and ride it out. EGR catches up with u on these TDIs.
 
if soot levels get too high and/or the detergent package is depleted... soot can clump and become abrasive.

What were the actual results... excessive is kinda generic and open to interpretation.
 
From Blackstone: "We don't quantify the amount of soot in a sample as part of the standard analysis, but there was enough
soot in this sample to prevent us from obtaining an insolubles reading. Excess soot can show a combustion issue, but
we're not sure if that's the case since that typically comes with a high viscosity as well. Iron is on the high side of
average, showing more steel wear than normal. Other wear metals are in good shape compared to universal averages,
which shows typical wear with oil run ~8,400 miles. The TBN was strong, but run ~4K miles and check back on iron."

Iron: 94
TBN: 7.2
SUS Viscosity @ 210 Farenheit 68.6
cST Viscosity @ 100 Celcius 12.57
 
Hi,

Originally Posted By: Rand
if soot levels get too high and/or the detergent package is depleted... soot can clump and become abrasive.

What were the actual results... excessive is kinda generic and open to interpretation.


I agree of course and OEM;s condemnation numbers vary according to engine family

Some lubricants will tolerate very high soot levels (much higher that the OEMs allow) but IMO it is best to live below the OEM's limit

DD two strokes had a limit of 0.8% but other engine types go up to 5%

My limit was always the Oil Co's limit for the lubricant it almost coincided with the OEMs - in my case that was 3.5%
 
Quote:
From Blackstone: "We don't quantify the amount of soot in a sample as part of the standard analysis, but there was enough soot in this sample to prevent us from obtaining an insolubles reading.


At what % of insolubles readings would this be the case with Blackstone/typical labs ?
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Originally Posted By: outoforder
Does anyone know a testing company that would quantify soot?
It is not Blackstone, from what I understand their testing equipment cannot differentiate between true insolubles and soot. I believe that Polaris (Oil Analyzers) can, I always receive a valid soot reading in my UOA.
 
Originally Posted By: outoforder
Does anyone know a testing company that would quantify soot?


If NAPA is convenient to you, their kits will give you the percentage of soot and fuel. As 2015_PSD mentioned, Polaris will also give you soot, fuel and throw in oxidation, too.
 
I get soot level percentage on all my oil sample tests I send into Schaeffer. I have yet to see any sample from Oil Analyzers, Wearchek, and Polaris that did not include a soot percentage. Even local commercial truck lube locations that have one of those on site sample machines shows soot percentage on their reports.
 
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