Oil Analysis?
 

Is it necessary? Where is the best place to do it?

Edit: Forgot to add 02 Accord EX F23A1

There's this place called Blackstone Laboratories that will do it for 25$ and will ship you a free test kit:

Blackstone Labs

I have the test kit but have yet to send any oil in for analysis.

I've sent samples to Blackstone a few times, been happy with their work.

For extra $10 they can measure the TBN to say whether the oil still has working additive. That's good if you're interested in longer oil-change intervals.

I've used that to verify that the oil-life monitors are trustworthy. Gave me confidence to trust the oil-life monitor when it says the oil is good for xxxx miles.

Oil analysis is NOT necessary. But it's nice to know if you're changing your oil too often. Or not soon enough. This hasn't happened to me, but they'll also tell if the wear metals are high, if there's fuel or antifreeze in your oil, etc. Silicon in the oil generally comes from air filter that's letting dust get through. They write a little paragraph about what they find (along with the actual data).

And if Blackstone isn't the best place, I'd also be interested in people's opinions about other places that do oil-analysis.

Jim, most of my trips are 10 - 15 miles range, mostly highway. In your experience, would you say that oil changes at 5K miles are adequate?

Hi Members
 

Ive used and have sent clients to the Blackstone web site many times my self. I also, like Jim feel that they are trust worthy.

Also I believe that 5K oil changes are adequate, i have been doing mine between 4 and 5k for years with no problems..

Have A Great Day... :)

^Thanks!

Jet sitter, what kind of car? (I'm too lazy to look up in your profile)
What kind of oil?

I used to do 5k oil changes in a 98 Accord 4-cyl using Castrol GTX.

Now with the 2007 Civics the oil monitor is telling me to change at 5k to 7k and those are OK (per Blackstone). (using GTX)

Your 5k oil changes most likely are OK. Thing is, I wouldn't know if my daughters' driving habits and climate and terrain are the same as yours.

Jim,

It's a 2000 4 cylinder ex. I use Castrol GTX 10W30 also. I live in Louisville, flat terrain and mostly I'm on the expressway. Even on these short trips, I usually put the car in cruise at 70 mph.

Your maintenance schedule probably says 7500 miles (like my 98). So 5,000 miles is comfortably shorter than that. I have a feeling you could go 8k or more, but I wouldn't do that unless you get your oil analyzed.

Your 2000 doesn't have an oil-life monitor; your maintenance reminder lamp simply comes on with miles. So you have to watch if you do any of the things to push it into the shorter schedule of 3700 miles. I'm saying that as much for the benefit of other people who read this thread.

Oil analysis has convinced me that GTX has higher TBN (more "anti-acid" additive) than what Honda uses to base their maintenance schedules. But that doesn't mean your particular engine isn't putting wear-metals or silicon or gasoline into the crankcase. Loss of TBN isn't the only thing that makes oil "wear out". That's why it's not valid to use my oil-analysis results for your oil-change intervals.