Black CTS-V: Oil Report

Black CTS-V: Oil Report

I have my oil analyzed at Blackstone Laboratories every few years. The last time I submitted a sample the cost of the analysis was $35 and the test kit includes a pre-paid mailer. You used to be able to mail them in any blue collection box but as of October, 2019 items that measure more than 1/2 inch in thickness may not be deposited into collection boxes. (Most collection boxes have been modified to enforce this new policy!)

This means you have to take your sample in to the post office. Which can turn into a huge hassle. One time I tried to mail from a satellite post office and was told flat out that motor oil is flammable and could not be accepted under any circumstances. I went to the main post office. It took three employees 15 minutes in a backroom consultation before it was agreed my sample could be mailed. (Quoting from the Blackstone Laboratories website) the key is that, "A liquid with a flashpoint above 200° F (93° C) is not regulated as a hazardous material and may be mailed subject to the general packaging requirements in DMM 601.1-7, provided it possesses no characteristics of another hazard class." The lowest flashpoint of any sample I have sent in was 395°.

All of the samples I've taken have been of Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic oil.

Here are the report results:

Elements ppm	@ 26513 miles (unknown)	@ 32593 miles (6080)	@ 37889 miles (5296)	@ 43492 miles (5603)	Universal averages
aluminum	9	9	8	9	7
chromium	1	1	1	1	1
iron	29	43	37	41	22
copper	3	4	4	3	5
lead	0	0	0	0	6
tin	0	0	0	1	1
molybdenum	144	88	82	77	131
nickel	0	1	4	7	0
manganese	4	5	4	2	5
silver	0	0	0	0	0
titanium	2	0	0	0	2
potassium	0	2	3	1	3
boron	28	40	42	35	67
silicon	20	16	10	15	14
sodium	25	13	10	9	23
calcium	1468	1292	1152	1081	1673
magnesium	385	559	715	747	437
phosphorus	684	640	697	687	822
zinc	841	751	776	789	942
barium	0	0	0	0	0

Tested properties	@ 26513 miles (unknown)	@ 32593 miles (6080)	@ 37889 miles (5296)	@ 43492 miles (5603)	should be
SUS viscosity @ 210°F	57.9	62.6	57.5	56.8	55-63
cSt viscosity @ 100°C	9.63	10.96	9.50	9.30	8.8-11.3
flash point in ° F	420°	405°	420°	400°	>385°
fuel %	<0.5	<0.5	<0.5	<0.5	<2.0
antifreeze %	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
water %	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
insolubles %	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	<0.6