Anybody here know how to read one of these?
The truck is a 2008 F250 V-10, it has 9850 miles total. The oil had 9 months on it, I was planning a 5000 miles oil change interval since that is Fords recomended interval for anything other than "normal" driving.
After looking at this sample especialy a TBN of 1.5. Maybe the miles or time is a little too much. I believe a 4000 miles interval may suit my driving better.
Blackstone says this engine is still breaking in.
I changed my first oil at 1800 miles and second at 5034 miles.

Sample Date..............10/21/08
Miles on oil:..............4816(178 engine hours)
Oil.........................Motorcraft semi-synthetic
Grade.....................5W-20
Miles on Car:.............9850 (342 engine hours)
Make up oil:..............0

Aluminum:...............5
Chromium:...............2
Iron:......................40
Copper:..................7
Lead:.....................0
Tin:.......................00
Molybdenum:...........49
Nickel:...................1
Manganese:............2
Silver:....................0
Titanium:................0
Potassium:..............2
Boron:....................75
Silicon:...................31
Sodium:..................28
Calcium:................1631
Magnesium:.............30
Phosphorus:............589
Zinc:......................701
Barium:...................0

Sus Viscosity at 210F:...49.4
cSt Viscosity at 100C:...7.10
Fashpoint in F:...........385ºF
Fuel Percentage:.........<0.5
Antifreeze:................0.0
Water:.....................0.0
Insolubles:.................0.3
TBN:........................1.5

Blackstone's comments: Nothing unusual was found in the first sample from your F250. High wear and silicon are common finds in new engines, such as yours. The high iron is due to new parts breaking-in, while silicon is from sand-casted parts and sealers used when assembling your engine. Both should improve with subsequent oil changes. Universal averages for the 6.8L are based on an oil run of ~4,500 miles. The TBN was low at 1.5, which shows that this oil had little active additive remaining. 1.0 is low. Check back in another 4,000-5,000 miles to see improvements.

 

I'd step up to a good quality syn such as Mobil 1 or Royal Purple. They tend to have more robust additive packages and are better suited to high heat and high load situations than conventionals or semis.

 

Good information!

Maybe we should start an oil analysis thread?

 

Just ordered my free kit from blackstone-labs.com - takes a week or two they say.

We'll see how my V10 is doing after I get the results.

 

Just did the same since the kit is free. It will be intresting to see what they find.

 

A UOA thread is a good idea.

You guys talked me into it, ordered the kit also. A UOA costs what an oil/filter change does, thats why I never bothered before. Got me curious now, so I'll check the ole V10.

 

My main reason for this UOA was to see if the Motorcraft 5W-20 could last the 5000 miles that Ford recomends for everything but "normal" driving. The results seems to indicate that the oil can not last that long with the type of use the truck normaly sees.
The next oil change will be after 4000 miles. I will probably get a UOC after that change too.

 

Your oil had only 4800 miles, but 9 MONTHS on it.

The rule of thumb is 1000 miles for each month. In other words, the time you left the oil in there was equal to 9000 miles.

I wonder if it would have been better at 5000 miles, but only 5 months. Acid/combustion-leftovers work over time, depleting the additive package.

The elapsed time on the oil might have done more for the additive package than anything else.

 

Nine months is a while especially if the truck is parked outside. Adding a small bottle of the Valvoline synpower additive can give the additives in the oil a boost. I usually go every 3k miles between changes mainly because I do shorter trips, pull, trucks parked outside and the 2V only takes 6 quarts.

 

Don't recall where I read this, might have been bob-the-oil-guy's site, that even though the modern oils/syns last longer the weak link is in the paper element filter "isn't" designed for extended periods.

What I have done before in my Ranger several times is use Mobil 1 10w-30 for up to 6000 mi between changes and changing only the filter around half way when I reach the 3000 mi mark.

 

Question guys, by me changing my oil every 3 months I take it that its a waste of money and time? Im useing Motorcraft semi-synthetic 5W20 & Motorcraft filter.
I always wanted to try an oil analysis for my truck.
Thanks ~Gage~

 

The only way you'll know is if you get your oil analyzed

 

That is what I was thinking the 9 months is a long time, I was rechecking the maintenance schedule and it says "Perform at specified mileage interval or every 6 months, whichever occurs first" I never noticed that footnote before, so it looks like every 6 months is the limit for me.
The truck is in the garage when not in use.

 

Ya the last time I changed the oil I had a little over 600 miles on it. Seems like a waste.
~Gage~

 

I figured I would post my UOA results from Blackstone labs. Oil was in truck for 5 Months 20 Days. Fl-820S filter. 0 quarts added between changes.

MAKE/MODEL: Ford 6.8L 415 CID V-10

OIL TYPE & GRADE: Motorcraft 5W/20
OIL USE INTERVAL: 2,997 Miles

Wear looks good in the first sample from your F250. This oil certainly wasn't run too long and we don't think that you'd have a problem going longer on the next oil, as nicely as your engine wears. Universal averages for the 6.8L are based on an oil run of ~4,500 miles. The only thing that kept this from being a perfect report was a minor amount of fuel dilution. This level isn't a problem and is likely due to taking the sample without getting the oil up to operating temps first. The TBN read 3.6 so some active additive still remaining. 1.0 is low.

Hes right about the fuel dilution thing. I ran the truck several hours prior to changing (Up to operating temp) but changed it cold. Started the truck up for a minute to move it into the oil changing spot about an hour before changing the oil.

ALUMINUM 3
CHROMIUM 0
IRON 9
COPPER 3
LEAD 0
TIN 1
MOLYBDENUM 40
NICKEL 0

MANGANESE 0

SILVER 0
TITANIUM 0
POTASSIUM 0
BORON 148
SILICON 19
SODIUM 3
CALCIUM 2070
MAGNESIUM 10
PHOSPHORUS 647
ZINC 795

BARIUM 0

cSt Viscosity @ 100°C 49.9

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F 7.24
Flashpoint in °F 355
Fuel % .8
Antifreeze % 0
Water % 0
Insolubles % .3

TBN 3.6