[JohanV]

Had the Pajero now for 7000km (22Jan2011 to now) and decided to send a sample away for testing when i did the service last week. Test was done on 224938km reading.

Got the report back today and must say feel much more at ease with the state of the engine

[SimonB]

Johan

What did you pay for the test?

[donitav]

HI Simon

I did it thru the work. we have big construction machines that is being tested daily. it cost me about R150.00 for the testbottle. draw the oil at work at send it away.

And you can get it done thru Wearcheck. they have branches thru out South Africa - you can have a look on there website.

[tonton]

Mooi gesond, nê!

Please tell us how much it cost?

Thanks,
Anton

[JohanV]

HI Simon

I did it thru the work. we have big construction machines that is being tested daily. it cost me about R150.00 for the testbottle. draw the oil at work at send it away.

And you can get it done thru Wearcheck. they have branches thru out South Africa - you can have a look on there website.

Hi Anton,

swambo het dit deur haar werk laat doen. Het my R150 gekos vir die toets sample. die toetse is gedoen deur http://www.wearcheck.co.za/

en ja dit gee mens nogal baie meer gemoedsrus

[KaiV]

Guys,

Be careful....... DO NOT RELY ON SUCH TESTS.

They measure for all sorts of "contaminants" like metals (brass, copper, zinc....) water, viscosity and other nice stuff. Great, for information purposes, but thats it.

The overall performance of oil is in the cleanliness and viscosity of the oil, in other words the ability of the oil to lubricate the engine.

The wearcheck report you got back is either just the first page, or its an abbreviated one??? Normally they list all the contaminants they find compared to what oil you send for a sample. Meaning, they know that the Caltex Delo 400 oil you sent in has to have certain properties and additives, most of which can be looked and tested for. All the report gives you, is the "difference" between the old and new oils and any other call them additives they find, which would come from wear and tear.
I find it interesting that people rely on such reports (No offense Johan) as unless the oil checkers (like wearcheck) know exactly what materials make up an engine, meaning that if they find brass, meaning its possibly from a bearing (gearboxes) or chrome from cylinder bores, all they are reporting on is their findings. Great, now you have a higher metals content, which might be acceptable (also questionable what is "acceptable range")

In the industry that I came from, customers would rely on oil analysis. There are so many important things to look at. How was the sample taken (hot or cold)
Was it still in suspension, or did the heavy particles already sink to the bottom

me personally, change the oil, and don't rely on reports of "wear metals being within an acceptable range and no abnormal contamination's". its all too open ended for me.

[4ePikanini]

An engine will wear - period!

They rate of wear however has many factors and chiefly, is the oil quality.

VW for instance, designed their latest engines to last 1 Million kilometers if taken care of.

I pulled the sump of my (now sold) jetta 1.8 to fix a leak and I could still see the honing marks at 310'000km.

If you look after the engine (cooling, lubrication, filtration) it should outlast the body everytime!

[JohanV]

I find it interesting that people rely on such reports (No offense Johan)

None taken
that is only the summary on the first page.

The report is a two pages showing a list of wear metals, contaminants, additives and lubricant condition.
Also the sample was taken while the engine was at working temp and the oil in suspension with an enema type pump via the dipstick.

I did the test as i had a water leak on the cooling system of the Pajero with antifreeze disappearing and wanted to know if some may have ended up in the oil.

[4ePikanini]

I did the test as i had a water leak on the cooling system of the Pajero with antifreeze disappearing and wanted to know if some may have ended up in the oil.

That is a very valid reason for having that test done! Did they find coolant in the oil?

Is it not pushing the coolant through the rad cap into, and out of the expansion bottle?

[JohanV]

Is it not pushing the coolant through the rad cap into, and out of the expansion bottle?

no water or antifreeze were in the oil.
i found the leak at the back bottom right (Battery side) of the engine (close to where the engine meets the gearbox) where supposedly a pipe of the heating system in the car, fits into the engine block. that connection was starting to get bad and had to refit and seal it. we have now done 800km and the level on the expansion tank hasn't move at all.