Oil analysis results

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russ

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Results were all very good except for a higher than average iron content in the oil. The comments were possible worn pistons.
Engines only have 421 hours on kad32.
Oil pressure was steady at 60psi and other at 63ish psi.
No smoke except on start up.
Should I be overly concerned at the results on engines with such low hours in their 14 year service?
 
I will get my Popcorn

I am confident you will regret the day you asked that question
 
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russ said:
Results were all very good except for a higher than average iron content in the oil. The comments were possible worn pistons.
Engines only have 421 hours on kad32.
Oil pressure was steady at 60psi and other at 63ish psi.
No smoke except on start up.
Should I be overly concerned at the results on engines with such low hours in their 14 year service?
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How much higher than average? Is the reading so similar for both engines? What does your engineer say?
 
The trouble with having the oil analysis is knowing what to do with the results.

What was the result exactly and was it the same in both engines and what would be considered an average result?
 
+1 oil analysis is tricky and best examined from multiple analysis over years. Also issues can arise depending sample size and when/how it was taken. If the pistons are worn I would expect higher aluminium content too.

Oil pressure sounds good, smoke level sounds about right. Does the boat hit max RPM? if it does and can hold it without overheating, blowing clouds of smoke, oil/coolant spraying out etc, the engines are fine.

I would be more worried about the/any outdrives.
 
MartynG said:
The trouble with having the oil analysis is knowing what to do with the results.

What was the result exactly and was it the same in both engines and what would be considered an average result?
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Report says; Port, Iron 82, wear 10
Stb, Iron 98, wear 30
Survey has been booked and samples were taken by myself after an hours trial.
 
rubberduck said:
Cost of correction, bring into price negotiations & hope it doesn't happen. I did this with a gearbox on a car, never went with us or next owner, so thats some 10 yrs.
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So you screwed that car price down and some might say ripped off the seller based on a falsehood …… Nice
 
As others imply OA is really for long term trends in mission critical machinery.Genys on oil platforms that kinda stuff or maybe plane jet engines etc .
There’s nothing stopping you sending a on off sample from a lawn mower purchased for a tenner at the church fund raising bring and buy which was demonstrated working .

My guess at iron would be corrosion from it being stud unused in as it happens no surprises here a salty environment :)
 
As already mentioned, best results from oil analysis are obtained by routine sampling over a period of time. That said we got samples analysed when we were buying our current S34 with KAD 32s on the basis that I wanted to know if there were any high levels that might set alarm bells ringing. Engines had last been serviced about a year beforehand so well used oil that would hopefully yield more meaningful results than more recently changed oil.

Ours were done by the Oil Lab and they simply report spectrochemical analysis results in ppm and don't show a figure for 'wear' - not sure what that means? Overall they reported that levels were 'satisfactory' and that 'wear metal levels and physical properties within our recommended limits.' Our engines had done circa 1000 hours and iron levels were 24ppm and 25ppm.

Their guide to help interpret the results says the following in relation to iron:

'Iron Generally results from ring, bore, cam, tappet or crankshaft wear. If the concentration quickly reaches 50 ppm inspect to determine the cause. Permissible maximum is about 100 ppm.'

So assuming that your results are in ppm they are just within the permissible maximum. To understand the results better I guess knowing how old the oil is and how many hours the the engines have done would be helpful. If it is old oil that has done a few hours then maybe a bit more reassuring than if it was changed the week before your trial.
 
russ said:
The comments were possible worn pistons.
Engines only have 421 hours on kad32.
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Comments 'worn pistons'
Thats rollocks
Any 'engineer' should know that
Anyway, what is higher than average iron content?
421 hours is more a worry 42100 hours
Most probs with pleasure craft comes from lack of use I reckon
Boats with outdrives in my experience give owners more trouble with said propulsion units than the motors themselves
'Worn Pistons' is a daft analysis
'Worn rings' maybe, or both
Then the thing they run and down against could be an area for concern!
421 hours?
Give me strength
Some of these 'marine surveyors'!
Almost RANTING now!
14 years service but not really
Yes, engines etc 'age' but for gods sake
Sorry, it's just this Post has hit a nerve end in a way
That's another Story!
'Outdrives'
Well, that's another one!
I best cease now
Yep
I have some popcorn Bigplumbs
Not quite enough though
I shall nip to the Local Spa in a mo for some more!
Be a while, cos its Mother's Day
Oh! two birds with one
Could get a bunch of flowers there too
'Sell by ' ones would do
Plus some cheap 20W/50 for Her car, its needs topping up
I did change the oil 40 million miles ago
Be OK for a bit!
:encouragement::eek:
 
I once bought one of the first merc ( cars ) with the spanner lights for service now indicators .
Previously we were on the std 12000 miles or annual service / oil change .
We going back to around y 2000 .
20 ,000 miles soon came round so I volunteered and took it back to the dealer .
They refused to touch it.
They went on to explain on Merc test beds and live field trials the same engines were run to 1 Million Km s, YES one Million on the same oil , the. Stripped and measured etc = no issues .
Synthetic oil mind .It had just come on stream .

Obviously those mules are running regularly as well .

So 14 years and 400 odd hrs old VP engines and a one off sample shows marginally high Fe ?

I,d be looking back at the service history expecting to particularly examine the lub change Fq .
You see despite the 30 odd hrs / year you get acid build up which is the silent killer unless the oil is frequently changed .Along with If stud in cold environments internal condensation = minor corrosion as I mentioned.

All we know the current oil it’s about a year old .
If it’s had annual changes perhaps missed the odd one , prefer to see all of them done btw then don,t worry about it imho .

If it’s an outdrive boat that’s where the future spend is gonna be on those 14 y old bits dangling in the sea .

You unlikely to be spending on “ pistons “ before the outdrives begin to deplete your resources.

It’s a case of being able to see the wood from the trees :)
 
Portofino said:
I

If it’s an outdrive boat that’s where the future spend is gonna be on those 14 y old bits dangling in the sea .

You unlikely to be spending on “ pistons “ before the outdrives begin to deplete your resources.

It’s a case of being able to see the wood from the trees :)
Click to expand...
:encouragement:
 
russ said:
Results were all very good except for a higher than average iron content in the oil. The comments were possible worn pistons.
Engines only have 421 hours on kad32.
Oil pressure was steady at 60psi and other at 63ish psi.
No smoke except on start up.
Should I be overly concerned at the results on engines with such low hours in their 14 year service?
Click to expand...

Who did the sampling , send results to my email I’ll take a look
 
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