Quantity Needed for Blackstone Analysis?

[EMOTO]

I searched and failed to find the answer, so...

Am about to change my oil at 1000 miles on a new vehicle and want to send off the oil for analysis. I have ordered, but not yet received, the little kit with the vial to send away. I intend to capture oil for the analysis as it drains and then put it into the kit container when it arrives and send it off.

1. How much oil do I need to pull?
2. Does it matter when in the used oil stream I pull the sample?

Thanks!

 

[cptbarkey]

Here is the instructions directly from Blackstone labs.

Gas & Diesel Oil Sampling Procedure | Blackstone Laboratories

Gas or diesel engine oil sampling is easy with Blackstone's free oil analysis kit. Here's how to do it!

www.blackstone-labs.com

 

[PF52]

If you imagine, say, a 12-ounce beer can..... About half of that is probably about right to fill one of their sample containers. More than enough, probably.

I try to avoid the very beginning and the very end of the draining oil.

 

[EMOTO]

Here is the instructions directly from Blackstone labs.

Gas & Diesel Oil Sampling Procedure | Blackstone Laboratories

Gas or diesel engine oil sampling is easy with Blackstone's free oil analysis kit. Here's how to do it!

www.blackstone-labs.com

AH! Thank you so much! Should have thought of that.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I recommend waiting until 10k arrives on this (unknown) vehicle and unknown engine, to get the oil analyzed.

 

[EMOTO]

I recommend waiting until 10k arrives on this (unknown) vehicle and unknown engine, to get the oil analyzed.

Ok, why?

I am just curious about oil analysis, so thought "hey, I'll get mine analyzed and see what it says".

2023 Subaru (VB) WRX 2.4L, bone stock. First Subaru.

I changed the oil and filter today at 1018 miles. Pulled a sample and am awaiting the Blackstone kit arrival. Thought I'd do it again at the next change in maybe another 3k miles, to see how it changes, and again at the next. I'm just starting to learn about what these analyses tell us. Interesting stuff.

The WRX enthusiast boards and groups are all over the place on oil change intervals and "which oil" and "which weight", etc. The factory says 6k miles for the first oil change. Presumably that would have been fine. All of my motorcycles for the past 40+ years, both air and liquid cooled, called for the initial oil & filter to be changed out at 600 miles, so I am erring on the side of caution. The worst case is that I will have spent time and money unnecessarily.

 

[racer12306]

You're going to see a bunch of initial break in metals and other than that the oil is going to be perfectly good for continued use.

 

[EMOTO]

You're going to see a bunch of initial break in metals and other than that the oil is going to be perfectly good for continued use.

This is about what I expect. It is really neat to have that info, and to (hopefully) watch some of the numbers drop in subsequent analysis.

 

[fantastic]

Yeah, this is always interesting to me as well. Data! I fill mine at least 3/4 full & wait about 10 seconds after oil starts draining to put the bottle in the stream.

 

[himemsys]

I intend to capture oil for the analysis as it drains and then put it into the kit container when it arrives

My preference is to go straight into the sample container to avoid the possibility of cross-container contamination. If you drain into a holding container, make absolutely certain it is contamination-free. Something like a used tupperware dish could have sodium embedded in it from food that does not completely wash out and then leaches into the oil sample, artificially elevating the sodium.

 

[EMOTO]

My preference is to go straight into the sample container to avoid the possibility of cross-container contamination. If you drain into a holding container, make absolutely certain it is contamination-free. Something like a used tupperware dish could have sodium embedded in it from food that does not completely wash out and then leaches into the oil sample, artificially elevating the sodium.

You make perfect sense, and I was also worried about this, but didn't want to put off my oil change until whenever the kit arrives. I used a glass jar.

To make matters worse, I forgot to pull the sample as the oil was draining into the nice new unused pan, so I dipped the jar into the oil right after it was drained to collect the sample. The oil was still pretty hot so hopefully most everything was still in suspension.

So, this was far from ideal.

 

[himemsys]

You make perfect sense, and I was also worried about this, but didn't want to put off my oil change until whenever the kit arrives. I used a glass jar.

To make matters worse, I forgot to pull the sample as the oil was draining into the nice new unused pan, so I dipped the jar into the oil right after it was drained to collect the sample. The oil was still pretty hot so hopefully most everything was still in suspension.

So, this was far from ideal.

I hate sampling mishaps! Once I forgot to take the lid off the sample container, so when the oil stream hit the top of the lid, you can imagine where all the oil went.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

This is about what I expect. It is really neat to have that info, and to (hopefully) watch some of the numbers drop in subsequent analysis.

If you want to analyze the UOA each year (hypothetically), then be sure to include a VOA for comparison-sake.

 

[EMOTO]

If you want to analyze the UOA each year (hypothetically), then be sure to include a VOA for comparison-sake.

Good idea. I will do that.

 

[himemsys]

Good idea. I will do that.

If you do this, it's best to settle on one oil and use it all the time. Otherwise comparisons to the VOA will be invalid.

 

[edhackett]

2023 Subaru (VB) WRX 2.4L, bone stock. First Subaru.

DoD Nominal yet?

Ed

 

[EMOTO]

DoD Nominal yet?

Ed

I could tell you, #0200, but... ;-)

 

[PF52]

This is about what I expect. It is really neat to have that info, and to (hopefully) watch some of the numbers drop in subsequent analysis.

Same here. I have a 2021 WRX, and like you I changed the oil at 1000 miles, however I didn't sample it. Next oil change was at 4000 miles and that one I did sample (that way I knew what the oil was that I was sending in). The analysis showed elevated levels of copper and silicon. Nothing out of the ordinary; they attributed it to being a young engine. Next sample(s) should show those drop.

I'm only at 5000 miles now so it'll be awhile before I sample again.

 

[EMOTO]

Same here. I have a 2021 WRX, and like you I changed the oil at 1000 miles, however I didn't sample it. Next oil change was at 4000 miles and that one I did sample (that way I knew what the oil was that I was sending in). The analysis showed elevated levels of copper and silicon. Nothing out of the ordinary; they attributed it to being a young engine. Next sample(s) should show those drop.

I'm only at 5000 miles now so it'll be awhile before I sample again.

I haven't decided yet what my next interval will be. I think I will bring it to the dealer at 6k and let them rotate the tires and change the oil, if they will take a sample for me.