lubricheck

Did a search and did not find much. For those of you that use blackstone, any thought to trying lubricheck?

http://www.lubricheck.com/home/product

I have about 13,300 miles on the truck and change oil in June and December just based on age. I always wonder how much life is left in the oil, especially since it is still honey brown when I change it.

 

How many miles are on the truck when you have changed it?

 

Looks interesting.
No use if your truck is still under warranty, but for those of us running synthetics under more ideal driving conditions, it could be a money saver considering it costs less than two oil changes or two Blackstone sample checks.

Toyota used to run 5k/7.5k intervals, but as they added the "idiot light" to the dash displays in the early 2000s, they eliminated the 7.5k interval, since the light is simply a 5k timer and there is no "intelligence" behind it.
The General Motors OLM takes into account engine temperature, load, fuel burned, RPM, and run time... the OLM on my '06 Duramax never triggered before 8k, and went as high as 12k.

I just ordered a Lubricheck. For less than $50 it's worth it if only as a curiosity.

 

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2230914
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1746552&page=1

It's a reincarnation of the Oilyzer (not that it's a bad thing).

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94-98-powertrain/563139-lubricheck.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/756181-lubricheck.html
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/17/nearly-two-years-later-we-get-our-hands-on-lubrichecks-blood/

 

Followup...

Ordered September 15th, never received a confirmation email, still no product.
I just sent them an email asking what's up.

 

subd

 

Since I got my Taco in 12, I've been sending my oil off to Blackstone for analysis. The results have gotten better with each sample sent, and I've got one more free oil change left to go. Each of the samples have come back with the recommendation to extend my oil change interval beyond the 5k limit. I will continue to use the factory oil as it is the cheapest around and I will see what extending my oil changes and sending in my samples for testing.

 

For under $50, this seems to good to be true. Very interested in hearing some reviews.

 

I have sent my oil out twice now for analysis. 10k mile intervals with Eneos synthetic oil and OEM oil filter. I was given a recommendation of 12k intervals. 2010 A/C 4x4 SR5 V6. 47,000 miles.

 

Canned response, but plausible...

 

Said it's a reincarnation of the Oilyzer, which did what it was supposed to do.

Many of the onboard OLMs on European cars use the same technology.

 

Sub'd

 

Aaaand.... it's here.

I'll check it tomorrow on:

2004 Rav4 that just had the maint light pop on a few days ago.
136k, Mobil-1 5w30

2008 Tacoma with 100k, Mobil-1 5w20, about 4300 on this change.

 

Subbed

 

Awesome. I'm hoping this thing is valid. I'm putting synthetic in 3 vehicles and if this thing works it could save me a lot of money and time. Plus I won't get that feeling that I'm getting bent over by the oil companies when I follow their conservative oil change intervals.

 

Marginally worthless.

Because of the turns in the dipstck tube, it was difficult to fill the sample spot to the line.

I could not get ANY oil to drip off of the dipstick on the Rav, so it was impossible to get a reading.
It took at least 10 trips back to the dipstick tube to get what I believed to be enough from the Tacoma, but I don't trust the result and really don't know if I had enough in there... read on....


Here's the Tacoma's reading. Mobil-1 5w20 with about 4300 miles on it. It's got 700 left before it's due for a change, and by all rights, the oil SHOULD be good for another 5700.....





Okay, maybe it's out of calibration. What does it show for brand new 5w30. Grabbed the half-quart of M1 5w30 left from the last time I changed the oil in the Rav...




Okay... #3, 3-7 is "good oil" so at least it's not worse than 7... but I would have expected brand new oil to have been a 1.

Ahh... here's a 5qt jug that I haven't taken to Vatozone to dump yet. I have no idea if this is from the Rav or the Tacoma, I do know that this oil has between 7500 and 10,000 miles on it because I went over on the last change for the Taco, and my wife is not good about telling me when her maint light comes on. It gets noticed when I'm riding with her.



Okay... that looks more like it and more what I would expect from an oil that's been running for 7500-10k.


But... Like I said, the problem is getting a decently sized sample to test. I have the Fumoto, so I could easily crack the valve and drain a few drops of oil to perform the test, and I might do that to see if anything shows differently, but I only have a Sure-Drain on the Rav, so it would be difficult to pull a small sample.

As far as I'm concerned, it's good for verifying whether or not I should have changed the oil at 5k (and from the last picture, I would imagine that it would read "8" all the way from 5k to 10k).
Without a suction device to draw oil out of the dipstick tube, there's just no reliable way to get enough oil out of either of my vehicles to sample.

When I change the oil in the Taco in a few weeks, if the Lubricheck shows the same as above, I'm going to send a sample to Blackstone just to be on the safe side.
The oil does seem quite dark compared to what I'm used to seeing at this mileage.

 

BTW: Yes, the 2nd picture was shopped.
The LEDs are flashing and I was not able to capture the green LED when it was on. I got lucky on the two red indications.