chuyrobles

Anyone have oil analysis reports to share? I'm using the Wix kit available on Amazon for under $20. I'd like to see if a particular oil filter is significantly better than others in removing contaminants.

Below is the first sample from my wife's 07 ES350. It has 170K miles and this oil sample had 11000 miles with no make-up oil added. I used a K&N filter; it now has a Fram Ultra oil filter. I'm using 10/30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance. Looking at the TBN of 2.8 I could easily extend the oil change by 2K miles. This Mobil 1 is guaranteed to 15K but I'm going to slowly increase the mileage. A TBN of 1 is the lowest you should go, but I don't want to go below 1.5.

mrh1965

Looks good to me, thanks for sharing. Have you posted this over at BITOG?

Call me crazy but I'm doubtful oil filters actually do much. People think there are shards of metal floating around in the oil or something but that is an old fashioned idea. With modern manufacturing tolerances wear is virtually microscopic and I doubt filters can filter to that level and still let the oil flow. I'm not even sure it's necessary. I buy inexpensive Purolator filters and sleep well.

Don't get me wrong, I look forward to future results but, with background noise and other factors, it will be hard to tell if any one filter is working better than another.

mrh1965

I was just over at BITOG reading an old thread (started in 2002!) that's been recently revived. Here's a few thoughts on oil filtration:

"Good oil is more important than the filter. Bump for Newbees who think they need a high end filter."

"With today's engines and today's oils I often wonder if filters are like the human appendix, a useless appendage that we have to deal with. Filters cannot catch the really small stuff and are more of catastrophic failure cans than useful engine components. So, a filter with the highest flow rate is the one I vote for, flow over filtration as IMO they really filter out very little if any harmful contaminants."

"..of course you are correct, but good luck convincing anyone else....Right now the BITOG masses are looking to buy the filter with the lowest micron filter rating and the highest cost..."

I'm a big fan of that second comment in particular.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...opics/215545/1

chuyrobles

Are those opinions backed by the scientific method? I hope to provide some; after all, it's not going to cost me much. But, it will be a long process - change filter every 10K miles.

mrh1965

Be careful about that 'scientific method', I mean your car is not exactly operating in laboratory conditions. Anyway, here's one BITOG contributor's experience with Mobil1 vs. Fram filters:

"Here is the latest on my mineral molybond oil at 6845 miles on current oil. Still running it on the same Fram filter and oil."

[ M1 filter ] Fram filter
blend blend Molybond
miles 10,500 4,022 4,000 6,845

Wear Metals
copper 10 19 8 10
iron 30 17 12 16
chrom 0 0 0 0
alum 2 2 2 2
lead 18 36 2 7

Hard to read, sorry. The gist of it is that the Fram is doing just fine.

I might turn your question around, by the way, and ask if manufacturers of higher-priced filters have any evidence to justify taking more money from your pocket.

And I don't mean to be a jerk about all this, just having a little contrarian fun. I wish you the best with your project! And thanks again for sharing your results, looks good.

chuyrobles

2nd oil analysis using same oil - Mobil 1 Extended synthetic. Used K&N filter first time; Fram Ultra 2nd time. TBN value looking good. May switch to Valvoline MaxLife for next sample.

hypervish

Looks good. I've stuck to 5,000 miles on M1 Extended Performance. Will slowly bump that up. Haven't done a Blackstone Oil Analysis yet on the ES350, maybe next oil change.

Blue Moose Engineering

That's some serious dedication. I've never actually met someone who analyzed their oil. Wow

hypervish

You should check out BITOG sometime, I spent some time over there (over 500 posts). But, had enough of that. Too many things in this world to worry about other than engine oil. lol

12jimmyjam

Thanks for this. I'm going to use a wix oil kit which doesn't provide comparison levels as it's a less expensive one. Now I have something to compare it to. Some idiot (me) didn't properly tighten the oil canister back on after an oil change and I lost most of my oil on the highway. Everything seems good now but I want a closer analysis. I'm gonna do another on the next oil change to see if I'm good with 10k oil changes on mobile 1 extended since I'm a mega commuter.

chuyrobles

Here is latest oil analysis; put 8600K on Valvoline Max Life. The additives package does not match Mobil 1 Extended. The low TBN value shows the Valvoline oil has some life left but most likely not past 10K. Mobil 1 Extended is clearly a better oil. FYI, the Wix oil kit is $12.53 on Amazon. This is the lowest I've seen it.

ESh

Currently I’m running on GC 0-30 and I’m thinking about swutching to M1 5-30 EP. Anybody here with M1 EP inside?

ThumperPup

I am thinkign of switing over to full syne M1 5-30 because thats the full synthetic the dealer near me uses they have a 2 full syn package oil change inspection rotation and car wash for 110 dollars i get two of these so thats what im planning on switching to.
however i will still have my oil filter changed every 5k and have an inspection and tire rotation done every 5k why ? because i feel for my safety id rather be safe and know i have a good operating vehicle and also i dont trust oil filters to go 10k

brucelee1

iTrader: (2)

Not sure why you want to experiment on a 3K engine? Be generous, change your oil.

ThumperPup

i wouldn't call it expirmenting
i call it going form 5k conevntional oilchanges to 10k oil changes with full synthetic
checking my oil level like i always do
its always clean and every time i have had the oil changed someone tells me they cant belvie how clean my engine is on the inside it doenst burn oil
so what do you mean by what you said ?
now what i would not turst is a Oil Filter to last more than 5k i just dont trust that