UOAs

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Yup

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I understand UOAs for fleet vehicles. You could save money. Lots of it. But why do so many people on here (aside from those of you doing ridiculous change intervals) do UOAs on a 3500 mile change time after time after time? Isn't the purpose to figure out the "sweet spot" to minimize changes? A few people have multiple short intervals and post their UOAs. It's like, "well duh, give me your drained oil so i can run it another 4-7K". Seems idiotic to pay $10-20 for a UOA kit which tells you you could go longer, but you don't, instead of spending the same amount on the oil change for an interval anyone with a brain knows is super short and doesn't need a UOA to tell them that.

Vent over.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
A lot of people do it as a hobby. This is bitog after all.


Pretty much what I was about to say. I'd like to get one done and see what they have to say at my current 5,000 mile OCI. I plan to go up to 10,000 after the warranty expires. It's too much effort for me right now though.
 
Originally Posted By: Yup
I understand UOAs for fleet vehicles. You could save money. Lots of it. But why do so many people on here (aside from those of you doing ridiculous change intervals) do UOAs on a 3500 mile change time after time after time? Isn't the purpose to figure out the "sweet spot" to minimize changes? A few people have multiple short intervals and post their UOAs. It's like, "well duh, give me your drained oil so i can run it another 4-7K". Seems idiotic to pay $10-20 for a UOA kit which tells you you could go longer, but you don't, instead of spending the same amount on the oil change for an interval anyone with a brain knows is super short and doesn't need a UOA to tell them that.

Vent over.


Some read the morning paper during breakfast, others read a UOA.
 
Yeah, I get that. But wouldn't part of the hobby be increasing each time to see how far you can go? Maybe it's like shopping for some people. They just buy stuff for something to do. I guess each to their own devices. It just seems really odd to me people continuously do UOAs for money on less than 5k intervals. Maybe, if you're super anal, every couple changes to catch any engine issues early. But it's almost doubling the cost of an oil change AND you're changing more often than you should be!
 
Originally Posted By: Yup
I understand UOAs for fleet vehicles. You could save money. Lots of it. But why do so many people on here (aside from those of you doing ridiculous change intervals) do UOAs on a 3500 mile change time after time after time? Isn't the purpose to figure out the "sweet spot" to minimize changes? A few people have multiple short intervals and post their UOAs. It's like, "well duh, give me your drained oil so i can run it another 4-7K". Seems idiotic to pay $10-20 for a UOA kit which tells you you could go longer, but you don't, instead of spending the same amount on the oil change for an interval anyone with a brain knows is super short and doesn't need a UOA to tell them that.

Vent over.



I agree with you that it does not make economic sense to be an oil lab fan if you don't use the reaults to extend your OCI to a more sensible figure than the 3K to 5K mile figures often quoted by Iffy Lube shops.
Folks also like getting a UOA done as a type of insurance policy, as it can identify an issue with the head gasket, air filter, injection system or in some diesel related cases, the DPF.

There is also the feel good factor that a nice UOA result gives you!
 
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Originally Posted By: Yup
I understand UOAs for fleet vehicles. You could save money. Lots of it. But why do so many people on here (aside from those of you doing ridiculous change intervals) do UOAs on a 3500 mile change time after time after time? Isn't the purpose to figure out the "sweet spot" to minimize changes? A few people have multiple short intervals and post their UOAs. It's like, "well duh, give me your drained oil so i can run it another 4-7K". Seems idiotic to pay $10-20 for a UOA kit which tells you you could go longer, but you don't, instead of spending the same amount on the oil change for an interval anyone with a brain knows is super short and doesn't need a UOA to tell them that.

Vent over.



I agree with you that it does not make economic sense to be an oil lab fan if you don't use the reaults to extend your OCI to a more sensible figure than the 3K to 5K mile figures often quoted by Iffy Lube shops.
Folks also like getting a UOA done as a type of insurance policy, as it can identify an issue with the head gasket, air filter, injection system or in some diesel related cases, the DPF.

There is also the feel good factor that a nice UOA result gives you!


This is the camp I'm in. I started UOA long before I joined BITOG. I have 3 GM series II engines, which are notorious for the upper (and lower) intake manifold gasket leaks. Mine have been repaired properly, but I can't hardly sleep at night without knowing my UOA. I drive around with a printout of my latest UOA in the factory map pocket behind my driver's seat.

Aside from being a certified BITOG nutcase, I like and take comfort knowing the internal condition of my engines. There isn't a mechanic in the world who can look at what's on your dipstick and tell you what's in your UOA data sheet. Yeah, I guess it's either "insurance" or a comfort thing. I agree that it is economically idiotic. But I'm also using the OA to determine my OCI. Which is probably total economic insanity, since I also have particle counts done and pay close to $50 per sample.

I have constant friendly debates with the guys I work with (who go to Iffy Lube) and spend $24.99 for an oil change. (And pay some teen aged kid to sabotage their car).
 
Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Originally Posted By: Yup
I understand UOAs for fleet vehicles. You could save money. Lots of it. But why do so many people on here (aside from those of you doing ridiculous change intervals) do UOAs on a 3500 mile change time after time after time? Isn't the purpose to figure out the "sweet spot" to minimize changes? A few people have multiple short intervals and post their UOAs. It's like, "well duh, give me your drained oil so i can run it another 4-7K". Seems idiotic to pay $10-20 for a UOA kit which tells you you could go longer, but you don't, instead of spending the same amount on the oil change for an interval anyone with a brain knows is super short and doesn't need a UOA to tell them that.

Vent over.



I agree with you that it does not make economic sense to be an oil lab fan if you don't use the reaults to extend your OCI to a more sensible figure than the 3K to 5K mile figures often quoted by Iffy Lube shops.
Folks also like getting a UOA done as a type of insurance policy, as it can identify an issue with the head gasket, air filter, injection system or in some diesel related cases, the DPF.

There is also the feel good factor that a nice UOA result gives you!


This is the camp I'm in. I started UOA long before I joined BITOG. I have 3 GM series II engines, which are notorious for the upper (and lower) intake manifold gasket leaks. Mine have been repaired properly, but I can't hardly sleep at night without knowing my UOA. I drive around with a printout of my latest UOA in the factory map pocket behind my driver's seat.

Aside from being a certified BITOG nutcase, I like and take comfort knowing the internal condition of my engines. There isn't a mechanic in the world who can look at what's on your dipstick and tell you what's in your UOA data sheet. Yeah, I guess it's either "insurance" or a comfort thing. I agree that it is economically idiotic. But I'm also using the OA to determine my OCI. Which is probably total economic insanity, since I also have particle counts done and pay close to $50 per sample.

I have constant friendly debates with the guys I work with (who go to Iffy Lube) and spend $24.99 for an oil change. (And pay some teen aged kid to sabotage their car).


Hopefully they buy the drinks during the debates. They're saving about $1k per car over 100k miles with 5k changes. You don't have the money to afford drinks, but it's probably cheaper sleeper aid for you than Ambien... Haha
 
I always assumed that oil lubrication ability gradually deteriorated until changed. Then I found out here that if there are no mechanical issues and oil is changed at the right time, it lubricates best right before the change. There's not even a theoretical benefit to an extra early oil change.

So, I agree. I ran mine until the monitor went off at 8300 miles UOAd, and satisfied myself that the monitor was reasonably conservative.

I realized then that what takes me out of my cars are cosmetic issues. That car that hummed along with a quarter million miles (this was in the eighties) was a rolling dung heap in every other respect. Besides, there is plenty of money and attention to be paid on the transmission, the diff and the cooling system, probably with more justification.
 
I always assumed that oil lubrication ability gradually deteriorated until changed. Then I found out here that if there are no mechanical issues and oil is changed at the right time, it lubricates best right before the change. There's not even a theoretical benefit to an extra early oil change.

So, I agree. I ran mine until the monitor went off at 8300 miles UOAd, and satisfied myself that the monitor was reasonably conservative.

I realized then that what takes me out of my cars are cosmetic issues. That car that hummed along with a quarter million miles (this was in the eighties) was a rolling dung heap in every other respect. Besides, there is plenty of money and attention to be paid on the transmission, the diff and the cooling system, probably with more justification.
 
Yes, +1 to the answers above noting "this is BITOG".

In 1999, I lost a 3.8 V6 Ford motor due to coolant fouling the oil, so I get it checked in an irregular basis; and in fact, excess coolant showed up in the replacement 3.8 (different vehicle at 178K) last year so for me it save a LOT of headache. Recently I posted one for the factory fill from our new CR-V for a number of reasons, and several replies to that thread indicated interest from different perspectives, so it was money well-spent from my POV.

To OP's point, from a purely economic perspective, sure, UOAs are much more interesting from fleep operators and OTR truckers who need to get every penny from their investment.
Kevin
 
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