Favorite UOA Company?

T

Tidmack

Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
13
Location
WI
Hi gang,

I did some searching, and was surprised to see there weren't any threads in the last couple years about favorite UOA labs. I bought a new GMC 3500 gas a couple years back, and stick with 5,000 mile OCI. I'm approaching 50,000 miles, and I'd like to start sending samples out to see how things look.

Is there a lab that is widely regarded as more thorough in their testing, or doesn't it really matter if I with Polaris, Blackstone, or whoever? I'm not experiencing any problems with my truck, but this is a vehicle I'd like to own to 250-300k miles, so I'd like to keep an eye on things every other oil change or so.

Any help is tremendously appreciated.

Jeff
 
Here's three different Labs with three different samples I had tested...

oils2-1.jpg
 
bhvrdr said:
Here's three different Labs with three different samples I had tested...

View attachment 159414
Click to expand...
To my amateur eye, it looks like all the labs test similarly. It appears Polaris may test additives a bit differently, as their numbers seem higher than the others? Is it fair to say I'm going to get a reliable, comprehensive analysis with any of these 3, or is there something I'm missing?
 
Tidmack said:
To my amateur eye, it looks like all the labs test similarly. It appears Polaris may test additives a bit differently, as their numbers seem higher than the others? Is it fair to say I'm going to get a reliable, comprehensive analysis with any of these 3, or is there something I'm missing?
Click to expand...

They're all within 10 percent on most measures. I've only been told Polaris has more accurate fuel dilution results but otherwise I have zero issues with the reliability of Blackstone results at all
 
Tidmack said:
Hi gang,

I did some searching, and was surprised to see there weren't any threads in the last couple years about favorite UOA labs. I bought a new GMC 3500 gas a couple years back, and stick with 5,000 mile OCI. I'm approaching 50,000 miles, and I'd like to start sending samples out to see how things look.

Is there a lab that is widely regarded as more thorough in their testing, or doesn't it really matter if I with Polaris, Blackstone, or whoever? I'm not experiencing any problems with my truck, but this is a vehicle I'd like to own to 250-300k miles, so I'd like to keep an eye on things every other oil change or so.

Any help is tremendously appreciated.

Jeff
Click to expand...
ALS You can buy prepaid containers on Amazon or get them at NAPA. They do TBN and soot counts for no extra charge.
 
bhvrdr said:
They're all within 10 percent on most measures. I've only been told Polaris has more accurate fuel dilution results but otherwise I have zero issues with the reliability of Blackstone results at all
Click to expand...
Dynamite, thank you.
 
Zee09 said:
I for one like your style. If only I could get @AutoMechanic to follow your lead...
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don't get it. Back in the earlier days of the Web, I thought there was a greater understanding of searching for an answer before blindly asking. Most of the Facebook groups I belong to get the same 4-5 questions EVERY day; it's kind of comical, lol. Thanks for appreciating that I try to look around first. Take care.
 
bhvrdr said:
Here's three different Labs with three different samples I had tested...
Click to expand...
That is great sheet with consistent results overall. I don't care for wearchecks showing <1 instead of just 0 & TBN seems to be all over the map between the companies. Thanks for sharing that!
 
Tidmack said:
Hi gang,

I did some searching, and was surprised to see there weren't any threads in the last couple years about favorite UOA labs. I bought a new GMC 3500 gas a couple years back, and stick with 5,000 mile OCI. I'm approaching 50,000 miles, and I'd like to start sending samples out to see how things look.

Is there a lab that is widely regarded as more thorough in their testing, or doesn't it really matter if I with Polaris, Blackstone, or whoever? I'm not experiencing any problems with my truck, but this is a vehicle I'd like to own to 250-300k miles, so I'd like to keep an eye on things every other oil change or so.

Any help is tremendously appreciated.

Jeff
Click to expand...
Polaris in Indy or WearCheck in North Carolina if you’re interested in consistent accuracy and fuel dilution by gas chromatography, which is a better measurement and not a guess based off flashpoint like Blackstone gives you.
 
Tidmack said:
Hi gang,

I did some searching, and was surprised to see there weren't any threads in the last couple years about favorite UOA labs. I bought a new GMC 3500 gas a couple years back, and stick with 5,000 mile OCI. I'm approaching 50,000 miles, and I'd like to start sending samples out to see how things look.

Is there a lab that is widely regarded as more thorough in their testing, or doesn't it really matter if I with Polaris, Blackstone, or whoever? I'm not experiencing any problems with my truck, but this is a vehicle I'd like to own to 250-300k miles, so I'd like to keep an eye on things every other oil change or so.

Any help is tremendously appreciated.

Jeff
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, Fleetguard partners with Polaris Labs for our Monitor sampling program: https://cms.fleetguard.com/en_NA/literature/monitortm-fluid-analysis-program-technical/lt36251
 
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