In fairness, blackstone and other labs are certainly not always correct. For example, lead in the oil must be bearing material. That’s what the labs all say the high lead is. On an ecoboost though, nope. They have no lead Babbitt layer on bearings in these engines, and we use aluminum steel backed bearings from ford. So why do they call it bearing material like they are certain. This is partially where these tests fail. Now we don’t used an aluminum steel backed bearing for other reasons, so lead plays a factor and is looked at.
They are very quick to jump to conclusions is my biggest complaint, and it can go both ways. Doom and gloom and or all is well.
Now I am a fan of analysis and I do use oil analysis often, particularly on race prepped engines we build that have a low TBN and analysis is required.
I’d take what they say with a grain of salt. Especially when I’ve had customers analysis come back “looks great” and then unfortunately the customer has a fault and hurts a piston for example. Upon tear down twenty miles after analysis when the oil looked great, the inside of the engine shows oil is totally baked overheated and coked all over the inside of the engine. Sometimes even blocking pickup screen, and vct solenoids. They didn’t pick that up.
What do we physically see the most problems with? Specifically, synthetic blend motorcraft. Not the case all the time, and personally I’d look for probably iron first. Usually iron runs linear with age of oil, and to be honest I’m not sure why oil analysis many of times haven’t picked up an absolutely disgusting inside of s stock engine which ran semi and 10,000 oci. Worth thinking about for sure.
Just my $.02
