I recently analyzed a database of more than 30,000 oil analysis reports from diesel engine samples (Class 8, long-haul trucks). With so much information at my fingertips, I was like a kid in a candy store.

Today’s database software products empower users with versatile analytical tools that can rapidly search, sort, graph and statistically analyze data. With the right queries, one can turn huge amounts of raw oil analysis data into new interpretation guidelines, fault trees and rule sets for the oil analyst.

Naturally, after a couple of hours of slicing and dicing this rich database, I discovered many interesting facts. One such fact relates to copper. In diesels, copper is second only to iron as the most abundant wear metal.

The post Copper and Your Diesel Engine Oils appeared first on Tesibis.

In recent years, the cost of inappropriate drain intervals to the economy, to the environment and to car owners has received closer inspection. In the United States, the average car owner changes his/her oil at just less than 5,000 miles. Conversely, in Europe the average oil change interval is more than 10,000 miles.

Assuming 10,000 miles is a more optimum interval, approximately 300 million to 400 million gallons of engine oil (worth about $1.5 billion, not including labor) in the United States are consumed unnecessarily. With increasing environmental and economic pressures, the potential waste can no longer be easily glossed over.

There are, however, negative consequences to overextended oil drains. In diesel engines for instance, overextended oil drain intervals have been shown to increase engine wear by more than 20 percent with a corresponding reduction in horsepower and fuel consumption. One could safely project that overextended drains in passenger car applications would have a similar negative outcome. This of course presents a real dilemma to the car owner.

The post Determining Proper Oil and Filter Change Intervals: Can Onboard Automotive Sensors Help? appeared first on Tesibis.

Dipstick oil analysis may sound a little goofy, but it works. Not to mention it’s also cheap and quick. There’s only one problem – figuring out what the oil on the dipstick really means. No worry. Sit tight for five easy lessons on reading your oil dipstick.

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