I think they have been used superficially as marketing tools, whether for
laboratory services or lubricating products, more because they appeal to the
minds of many people who are impressed by high technology than that they
offer a good diagnostic technique.

At the prices many of these oil tests cost, thorough and rigid chemical
analysis is
not very likely, and interpretation of the results is questionable.

Errors often crop up at the taking of the sample, the stabilization of the
sample,
the preparation for analysis, and finally the analytical technique used.
Often compounds of interest are lost, changed, or formed in this process,
making the analysis doubtful.

Even if procedures are followed and reproducible numbers are generated, it
does not mean that usable and meaningful data results.  ( This happens in
well perceived commercial laboratories at times.  It is not the unique realm
of garage labs, or cheap-o analytical groups)

As a general example, iron is a particularly interesting element to analyze.
It can exist as micronized iron from friction processes, as either ferrous
or ferric ions, or as oil soluble iron soaps or water soluble complexes.  It
can fall out of dispersion,
stick to the sample bottle wall (partially irreversibly in some cases),
change form,
etc.

Unless you know exactly what you are expecting, separate the entities, and
analyze the component parts, you simply get a total iron figure.....which
may or may not have value.

I am not accusing anyone or any company directly.  Simple chemistry just may
not be the best parameter to used for testing waste oils.

That's possible.  It's also possible that Ford can tap into any number
of different suppliers that can meet their requirements (quality,
production, and price).  It wouldn't suprise me at all if the product
on the shelf one month comes from a completely different supplier
the next month.

I remember Target brand motor oil used to have production code
markings that looked identical to the Valvoline bottles in the same
store.  Of course Target has cut back heavily on their automotive
items.

Yeah, you can't tell who makes the oil but most of the MSDSs (material
safety data sheets) for oil often publish the types and percentages of
the base stocks used plus other chemical markers that may give you an
idea if two different oil products/brand are basically the same.

Mario

--
engineoilselector.com

Whoops.

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