Is this a good idea or just smoke and mirrors

Engine oil diagnostic kits are nothing new but I've never heard of one based only on drop on a pad w/ results then & there. Most kits require a small quantity of oil sent in for analysis by a lab of some sort.
 
Tom,

On a modern 4 stroke outboard, I'd pass on this. After a hundred hours, any engine oil will have trace amounts of metal, contaminants and fuel. That's why we do oil changes.

For hard working diesels that cost many thousands and run many thousands of hours, a lab oil analysis is a good idea.
 
If the NMMA gave it an award, I would say they saw some value in it.

The real value isn't in one test, but in monitoring your engine, and testing over time to evaluate changes.
 
I have this kind of analysis done every year on my plane. Of course the aircraft engine's operation is more critical to my life than my Honda 90 :smileo
That said I'd agree with Matt - it seems like short money, less than the cost of one spark plug, for a little more peace of mind.
 
Matt Gurnsey":qfl9kgb9 said:
If the NMMA gave it an award, I would say they saw some value in it.

The real value isn't in one test, but in monitoring your engine, and testing over time to evaluate changes.
Click to expand...

Or the NMMA had a free ad on their site. The USN has used this for a long time, little value IMHO. By the time you see someting significant, it's too late... :crook

Charlie
 
Hi,
For me unless you were buying a used piece with lots of hours and wanted to see what was going on with the motor might be useful to some. The new outboard are built to last provided they get clean oil, clean fuel without the water and don't get overheated. If your outboard has less than 2000 hours I'd say this is a waste of time and money for the average boater. A good idea for the diesel guys if they are trying to find out when it's time for a rebuild.
D.D.
 
When I was working in aviation we did this on a regular basis. Trend monitoring as it's called is useful in detecting a problem before it turn into a costly repair or an engine or component failure in flight. When an oil analysis came back with a significant difference in contaminants from the previous test it would point us in the right direction to what engine component was starting to fail from the alloy that was found in the oil. For this reason it is useful for marine puposes as well IF you plan on spending the time to determine what component is failing from what is found in your oil. The problem with this is how do you determine what is normal wear and what is unacceptable, of course in aviation there is a system in place for this and it was also a full time job, so unless you have alot of time and money to throw at you engine to change suspect parts this system is like having a gauge for every engine parameter and all you do is watch and worry with every slight change.
My advice would be change your oil at regular intervals, use the best oil you can afford and enjoy your boat, no worries.
 
Reminds me of a comedy sketch I saw once: An ace mechanic has a glass of used oil in his hand and does the wine taster thing. Much swirling, sniffing, holding up to the light and sipping. All the while declaring: Definately an early Chevrolet, 8 cylinder, hmm, leaky valve on 2 and 6, fram filter, gaskets in fair condition, late timing with average bearing wear.
 
Back
Top