LightMan:

I applaud your effort to understand your engine's condition using an oil test. My point is that for the results to have relevance beyond comparing your engine's results now and later with another test(s) on it, is comparing the test results of your engine with test results from the same engine (actually engines) tested scientifically (both on engine stands and in vehilces, like when an oil company tested their oil in NY taxis - a very rough environment). By refering you to the existence of Southwest Research Institute, the hope was that you would look for info from them, another testing facility, or M-B's own tests (however, the public release of this info from any source may have never occurred because it is a trade secret, unless a company did it on its own without M-B's input or $).

My other coments were not meant to "pile on" with comments from others. I've done a lot of testing (college - chemistry was tough - and real world for a variety of things) and know the need for standard procedures that need to be followed to get accurate data that can be analyzed and the same procedures followed in the future for useful comparisons with past tests.

Good luck with future tests and I look forward to reading the results!

Buciraco:

Interesting test info. Although comparing gas to diesel engines is not directly related, it is interesting to see the differences. Why did you have the oil tested? Is the Mobile Delvac synthetic or dino oil?

Tom

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1977 300D: 300,000+ miles

American Honda: Factory Trained Technician & Honor Grad.
Formerly:
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