Blotter tests - correlations with UOA's?

[Curious Kid]

I have't fully come around to justifying the expense of UOA's. I've read about blotter testing some months back and have been making some observations on my own vehicle. I even tested one of my friends toy. trucks that has seen better care when I changed the oil for him, and from what I saw dictated it was way past due. Having been previously driven around with a 1/2 full radiator hasn't helped it any either. Talk about giving someone a new perspectives as far as worries are concerned!

I was wondering for those that have experience with both UOA's and blotter tests might be able to tell me/us how they might relate - insoluables seems pretty obvious, but what about TBN/dispersency as it relates to ring definition of a blot,etc.?

Any info would be much appreciated!

Happy holidays everyone!

 

[dave1251]

Hey Kid talk to TallPaul he has experance in this matter.

 

[Gary Allan]

Blotter tests, much like a good bit of the results of UOA, will tell you conditions of the oil. Not to the extent that a UOA will ..but it will tell you when it's shot. If members used blotters as a criteria for changing oil ..there would be a few thousand added to every OCI here. Telling you how your engine reacts to the oil?? That's another story.

..but if you're using a spec'd oil and would otherwise be numb to the condition of the oil ..then it would probably be a good way to determine if the stuff is suitable for continued use.

 

[TallPaul]

Curious, I have hundreds of blotters saved in baseball card holders (9 per sheet) in binders. I don't really know that much how to interpret. Why don't you post a few blotter images with the pertinent data and some of the folks here will surely comment.

 

[Curious Kid]

Thanks for the notes guys.

I was just interested in seeing just how much info one might be able to get out of a blotter test mostly.

As for posting images, I'm not as computer savy as I us to be and don't own a scanner/digital camera...my attention's been elsewhere.

As for oil use, I've been within recommendations on my bought used vehicle with the exceptions of using 0/5w-40 when a 5/10w-30 is spec'ed and had a short stint with lucas and lubromoly additives. Tap - tap - tap goes things at cold winter starts. Low mileage use, some seal seepage/leakage in the past 2-yrs for which I'm debating pulling the engine and doing serveral maintenance tasks all at once...sparing me $800 plus just for the rear main.

As for noting the likelihood of probably having a few thousands blots over the OCI for us BITOGs - lol.

Thanks again, and happy holidays!

 

[TallPaul]

Tap - tap - tap on cold starts cries out for an oil pan heating pad. Worth considering.

Seal seepage/leakage. Well I ran some K&W stuff that stopped a leak in the old motorhome, at least stopped it for the 5000 miles I continued to own it. Don't know after that. Maybe try high mileage oil with seal conditioners, but have to be committed to long term as it takes a number of OCIs to effectively clean up and condition seals, so I have been told.