PowerBoost UOA Kirkland 5W-30 @ 9,900 mi -- Blackstone Oil Analysis Report

[Snakebitten]

I'm just saying that no matter what Blackstone labs tells me about my oil, I would NEVER mention to my dealership service department, if I had a problem that prompted them to query my oil change information, I change my oil at 11,000 miles.

That's not a reflection on my opinion of Blackstone, nearly as much as its a reflection of my opinion of Ford service departments.

I have Blackstone reports of my factory fill that I dumped at 1500 miles. And on 2 of the next 3 changes at ~3000 miles each. Just establishing a baseline for the the motor.

If Ford service looks up my VIN, they will see my uploaded records with pictures of receipts. (cool feature, by the way)

An oil change cost me less than taking my crazy kids and grandkids for tacos. Thank goodness I don't change my oil as often as I DO feed the gang. Lol
(we ride in a Ford Transit350 15 passenger van. Purchased exactly for the 13 passenger outings. It's an adventure every time!)

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[Gros Ventre]

11,000... I'm still considering whether to go to the Blackstone Labs recommendation of 12,000... Another key item is if you have something happen, maybe you should do a sample mid-interval just to ensure something in the lubrication side of of your engine hasn't changed significantly.

 

[RT21KRH]

You ignore my point. Tossing good oil is dumb. The idea of oil analysis is to identify that point you deem representative of when the oil is no longer serviceable and then change it a bit before that point. As I have done oil analysis the recommendation of Blackstone has been to progressively extend intervals. Their current recommendation is 12,000 miles... If your tires looked like they'd have a 40,000 mile service life why replace them at 10,000 miles? Your brake pads have a minimum serviceable thickness of 3mm. So why replace brake pads when you have 15mm?

Your example of tires and brake pads is different than oil. It’s easy to observe or decide they function “adequately“. Are you turning, stopping, sliding? Yes but not quite like new. Oil, well just exactly what does good enough mean? Internal engine wear exactly as when you poured the oil out of the bottle? I don’t think so… I’m sure someone has quantified this. The ecoboost engine has been around awhile and there are a lot on the road. A master tech I know says Mobil 1 every 5000 miles and you’ll be good. He beats the sh-t out of his and still going strong. I try to follow that but must admit if I’m leaving to tow 1000 miles and have 3000 miles on the oil I change it before the trip. I imagine if I open it up the engine looks like new, like a 4 runner Ha Ha.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Hence my point about oil analysis. That is how you measure the performance of your oil. Unless you had a major shock to the engine (such as a collision) the engine will tell you what's going on inside itself with the analysis results. It'll tell you well before any failure. So, at the end of the day, if you're using oil analysis you can tell what's going on and run out to near the true end of life of the oil. The reality is it is just ike tire wear or brake pad wear. On the other hand if you're "just changing the oil" without analysis... every 3,000 or 5,000 is just fine. My 30 year old Suburban had it's Mobi One oil and filter changed every 3,000 miles until I started oil analysis. Once I was doing analysis it became clear that such short intervals were tossing good oil. You might reflect on the fact that something could go wrong at 1,000 miles since last change and the engine could lunch itself well before 3,000 miles on the oil. So checking the dipstick and looking at the condition of the oil on it is a necessary thing. Do you cut open your filters to see what's inside them?

 

[RT21KRH]

Hence my point about oil analysis. That is how you measure the performance of your oil. Unless you had a major shock to the engine (such as a collision) the engine will tell you what's going on inside itself with the analysis results. It'll tell you well before any failure. So, at the end of the day, if you're using oil analysis you can tell what's going on and run out to near the true end of life of the oil. The reality is it is just ike tire wear or brake pad wear. On the other hand if you're "just changing the oil" without analysis... every 3,000 or 5,000 is just fine. My 30 year old Suburban had it's Mobi One oil and filter changed every 3,000 miles until I started oil analysis. Once I was doing analysis it became clear that such short intervals were tossing good oil. You might reflect on the fact that something could go wrong at 1,000 miles since last change and the engine could lunch itself well before 3,000 miles on the oil. So checking the dipstick and looking at the condition of the oil on it is a necessary thing. Do you cut open your filters to see what's inside them?

Not routinely although I have didn’t find anything. My ecoboost oil looks like crap on a dipstick by 1000 to 1500 miles that’s one of the reasons I change it. Drives me crazy but they keep going so far. I also have Toyotas, Porsches, Chrysler, and turbo VW none of which do that. A Toyota V6 in a 4 runner oil looks clean as a whistle on dipstick to ~7500 miles. Ditto Porsche but the new ones don’t even have a dipstick!

 

[trojandawg3]

I understand oil

Not routinely although I have didn’t find anything. My ecoboost oil looks like crap on a dipstick by 1000 to 1500 miles that’s one of the reasons I change it. Drives me crazy but they keep going so far. I also have Toyotas, Porsches, Chrysler, and turbo VW none of which do that. A Toyota V6 in a 4 runner oil looks clean as a whistle on dipstick to ~7500 miles. Ditto Porsche but the new ones don’t even have a dipstick!

This is why I try to change mine by 3500 miles. It looks and smells pretty bad after about 2000 miles. I buy whatever oil I want (usually Mobil 1 extended or Pennzoil plat) and take it to the dealer. They charge me like $35 for the factory oil filter and labor (which includes the oil and filter change, tire rotation, fluid top off, and inspection). To make it better, they almost always give you $10 coupon for the next visit. So, I end up with like $35 in oil and $25 paid to the dealer....and I don't have to get my jeans dirty!

 

[RuggedGoods]

Or, as I put it earlier, I like to see GOOD oil coming out of the sump. I'm glad it's still good. It better be!
And to be honest, even at 3-4000 miles, it really doesn't look all that nice from an Ecoboost. I sure as heck wouldn't pour it back in!

Agreed. If you've ever done an oil change on a neglected vehicle, or one with problems, and seen only a low amount of nasty sludgy black oil come out.... it's a sickening feeling, to think that was what was protecting against internal wear. I'd also much rather it come out nice and amber still.

 

[Snakebitten]

Ditto Porsche but the new ones don’t even have a dipstick!

Actually, it's 17 years old and Porsche already removed the dipstick. Those engineers. Lol

But yea, the oil looks much nicer (3000 as well) draining than the Ecoboost trucks I've owned. And man do I wish my truck had that removable sump plate!

Talk about getting a LOOK at what your oil looks like and what's going on in the motor! Such a nice feature.

 

[RT21KRH]

Actually, it's 17 years old and Porsche already removed the dipstick. Those engineers. Lol

But yea, the oil looks much nicer (3000 as well) draining than the Ecoboost trucks I've owned. And man do I wish my truck had that removable sump plate!

Talk about getting a LOOK at what your oil looks like and what's going on in the motor! Such a nice feature.

Nice! … I consider any Porsche less than 25 years old “new”.

 

[Snakebitten]

Touché

 

[KTM753]

Classic oil thread lol

 

[EricR]

For those feeling the need to change their semi or full synthetic oil every 3 months, so be it.

Though you might not want to bother with used oil analysis.

 

[Snakebitten]

The oil analysis is still applicable if you are watching for change or deviation. Which is really all I'm concerned with once a baseline is set.

I have a baseline for the 3.5 Ecoboost that now extends back 6 years. So an analysis every other oil change is just a comparison exercise. I already know that the oil is in great shape, but what contaminants are in it and at what ppm?

 

[Gros Ventre]

That comparison exercise is cheap insurance. In going to the intervals recommended by Backstone I do analysis every oil change. Again, cheap insurance.

 

[DcnPat]

...
I received a flyer from the local dealer for a 2022 Ford Escape- Oil, filter & rotation for $126.95, Jiffy Lube $128.99, other Ford dealer, $164.95. I'll guess it's more for the F150. I'm not a penny pincher by any stretch, but imma not paying $130+ for an oil change/tire rotation. Today.
But wait, I paid darn near that much ($122) for my own oil change and the UPR valve!
Call it inconsistent frugalities. We all have them.

This is exactly what convinced me to purchase a maintenance plan from Grainger. The plan covered full synthetic oil change and filter at 5k intervals plus wiper blades, brake pads, and other wear items they didn't used to cover "back in the day" and cost averaged out to about $150/visit. That is about what a full synthetic oil change costs today ($130 at the local Jiffy Lube without tire rotation). With the service and maintenance plans on the truck I no longer need to get my jeans dirty unless I want to.

At $300+ per axel for brake pad replacements (local rates, ymmv) if I get one set of brakes in addition to the oil/filter changes over the life of the plan I'm definitely ahead on the deal. Wiper baldes will be a bonus.

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