Original Posted By: BARNSTMR(at)aol.com
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Engine Oil AnalysisI have found an affordable lab for aircraft engine oil analysis. I have been buying oil analysis kits from Aircraft Spruce for the past 15 years, but ACS is pricey.Blackstone Laboratories - 4929 S. Lafayette Street - Fort Wayne, IN 46806 does the analysis for $17.You need to purchase 6 prepaid kits. In my situation, they allowed me to buy 3 kits for an aircraft engine and 3 kits for an automotive engine. They mail you a box containing the kits. They suggest taking the oil sample at midstream.That is to say, you need to let about half of the oil drain out of the sump before acquiring a sample.I've talked to a number of older A&P mechanics (having grown up around airports during my 52 years) and there are several schools of thought in collectingthe sample.#1. Take the sample at first stream because the heavier metals are most often found in the first few second of draining the oil and you need to know what the first stream contains.#2. Take the sample while the oil is warm (darned near hot). The logic in this is that everything is stirred up and a hot sample yields the best data asto what is in the oil.#3. Take the sample cold. This logic suggests that after an engine has sat over night, most of the contaminates have found their way down into the sump andthis process will provide better data than when gathering a hot sample.#3-B Allow the engine to sit overnight. Place a heat source (such as a floodlight, or clamp a hair dryer aimed at the sump and turn the hair dryer onlow) after the oil has warmed up, take the sample at first stream.This is kind of like Let's Make a Deal with Monte Hall. Do you want what's behind Sample 1, Sample 2 or Sample 3?I'm looking forward to seeing debate on this subject... Regardless, Blackstone Labs (260-744-2380_ looks like they are hard to beat when it comes toprice.________________________________________________________________________________Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 10:29:15 -0500