Oil Sample report

Just for kicks here are the oil sample results I took last month for my FL 120, BW Velvet drive, and Westerbeke gen set.
Looks like the Doc says we'll live for another season.

Looks good. Cu and Pb in tranny is just from clutch facing material. Every time you engage a gear it will shed a bit of Cu and Pb. All other numbers look great.

Ski in NC said:

Looks good. Cu and Pb in tranny is just from clutch facing material. Every time you engage a gear it will shed a bit of Cu and Pb.

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That's what I figured also. Being singl screw it gets shifted a lot especially those seasons we cruised the canals.

BTW, that's the tranny I rebuilt about 1200 hours ago and have been using 5-30 synthetic since that time.

Greetings Mr. L,

Thank you for sharing.

I really like the interactive comments that appear specific to your ongoing analysis with that lab.

I'm wondering if others find this with the labs they use? We haven't had NWD long enough to have a regular lab report, and didn't utilize oil testing on our last boat. I intend to with NWD. Our mechanical surveyor used a Chevron lab and the commentary was pretty generic, and I'm not sure what quality or customization I would receive from them over a long term. Not being a mechanical or metallurgical expert, that sort of feedback would be valuable input to me.

Here are the comments I had with the Chevron LubeWatch lab from our initial oil analysis

"All wear levels appear within acceptable limits for first
sample. Silicon level (dirt/sealant material) satisfactory.
Water content acceptable. Fuel dilution satisfactory.
Viscosity within specified operating range. Action:
Resample at next recommended interval to monitor
and establish wear trend."

While I can certainly interpret these results, at first blush I don't think the LubeWatch system is designed with the small customer in mind the way your lab appears to think. With the cost being virtually equal to Blackstone, at first blush I'm thinking my next oil interval will be to send a sample to them to start a base line, as I really like that customer interaction. What length of relationship have you had with them to develop that?

I don't intend to hijack your thread on how to choose a lab, but I must confess your lab result has me considering jumping ship - instead of following up with the baseline lab from survey...We will hit our next oil change sometime in late winter, assuming we get to do a few fall/winter trips.

Thanks

Here's another example of Blackstone comments......

While I can certainly interpret these results, at first blush I don't think the LubeWatch system is designed with the small customer in mind the way your lab appears to think. With the cost being virtually equal to Blackstone, at first blush I'm thinking my next oil interval will be to send a sample to them to start a base line, as I really like that customer interaction. What length of relationship have you had with them to develop that?

I don't intend to hijack your thread on how to choose a lab, but I must confess your lab result has me considering jumping ship - instead of following up with the baseline lab from survey...We will hit our next oil change sometime in late winter, assuming we get to do a few fall/winter trips.

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My previous samples at a different lab had results similar to what you experienced. Yada, yada, resample at normal intervals.
I don't have normal intervals.
I only "picked" Blackstone because someone or some thread here said they give you the sample kit free, and you pay only when they do the analysis.
I think I had the kit for 2 years before I remembered to take a sample in 2017. LOL
I like the "personal" touch in their comments and almost think it's a little comical. But what's life without a little humor. I also like them giving an opinion of how things are since they see thousands of samples and I only see a handful.

Great reports. I just got my sample reports back too (also Lehmans) and they are about identical to yours. I've never done the trannies.

Ken

Blackstone is worth any extra effort required, if any. They do an excellent job analyzing and interpreting. Strongly recommend finding a lab, them or other, and sticking with them to collect a good history. By switching you don't just lose the comments, you really lose comparability. It's like medical labs where two different labs will get different readings and have different standard ranges.

Whaot I dpon't like a8bout Blackstone is that they don't report the TBN without an extra fee. Total Base Number is very important to oil health. It is the measure of the oil's ability to continue to absorb the acids produced in the combustion process. A TBN in excess of four (4), a very conservative baseline, means the oil is still quite usable. Diesel lube oils generally start out with a TBN of 9 -12.

jleonard said:

Just for kicks here are the oil sample results I took last month for my FL 120, BW Velvet drive, and Westerbeke gen set.
Looks like the Doc says we'll live for another season.

Click to expand...

Old post but new question I couldn’t find an answer. Just sampled my new 6.7L Cummins and got great results. Do you drain the sample hose or throw it away and use a new one? 1/4" hose is cheap. Thanks.

New one

An oil analysis, of course, is just a snapshot in time. Where they really get interesting is when you have had a series done over several years. If you know metals, friction, combustion and by products (I don't) you can almost see things wearing, burning collecting, etc.

I had an expert read the information on my analysis and give it to me in layman terms, really interesting.

pete

Off subject, but....

A single screw is shifted more than twins. And I like to shift below 800 rpms, 750 or less.

I have 6k hours on my BWV. Replaced flex plate last year.

What caused you to rebuild the tranny, and what were the hours? Did you see it in the oil report?

Excellent string.

Choices said:

Off subject, but....

A single screw is shifted more than twins. And I like to shift below 800 rpms, 750 or less.

I have 6k hours on my BWV. Replaced flex plate last year.

What caused you to rebuild the tranny, and what were the hours? Did you see it in the oil report?

Excellent string.

Click to expand...

It had a little over 3000 hours and it was the end of my first season owning this boat. I took an oil sample just prior to winter haulout and it showed 3000 ppm of iron.
Talking with ADC I was told by Bob Smith that my tranny was totally shot and needed to be scrapped out for a new one because they recommend rebuilding when the PPM is 300 and I was 10 times that.
Then I talked with my local BW distributors and they called "BS" on Bob's theory.
So I bought a manual and took it apart. Clutch plates (old ones were paper) were totally shot, but the bearings looked fine. Slight rust on the reversing cylinder.
I also found what gave me a "false" iron level....there was a magnet epoxied to the bottom of the sump. NOT shown in the manual by the way. So I made the assumption that I took my sample from the magnet thus the high iron.
Anyway I bought new parts including bearings and rebuilt it.

Bob Smith truly is an expert, but that does not make him infallible. I have received poor advice from him.

Maybe with a little time he will become as good as Brian, his dad.

pete

Pete Meisinger said:

Bob Smith truly is an expert, but that does not make him infallible. I have received poor advice from him.

Maybe with a little time he will become as good as Brian, his dad.

pete

Click to expand...

I think you got those names reversed.

To add to my post above (since I cannot edit it) the rebuild was pretty easy and straight forward. I had to borrow snap ring pliers from a maintenance guy at work, because I didn't have to correct style for one of the rings.
And I had to make a tool to torque the end nut.
I spent just over $400 on parts including the manual and having it bench tested before I put it back in the boat. The $50 for the bench test was well worth it because the old timer that tested it gave me a wealth of information.
I could have saved $$ on parts but I bought everything thru the BW distributor since the guys there were so helpful.