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Oil Tester

S

Shoegoo

Member
Member
This is a copy an email message I received from a person I trust so I thought I would pass it on to the forum for comments. I know there are some very knowlwdgeable oil folks on the forum and I would like some feedback because I plan to invest in this product.

"Hey there CyberBuddies, I receive an eMagazine whose staff scours the world for new stuff, very frequently, cutting edge stuff. A recent issue had an article about “Lubricheck.” This small device is purported to “test” motor oil and give you an indication that the oil is still good or that it should be replaced. What I saw was that a number of LEDs will indicate higher or lower values associated with whatever it is that Lubricheck checks, so, the indication is not just something as simple as GO, or NO GO. The device is somewhere along the path to production and the three guys behind it explain something of its workings at their Web site. Here’s why I’m sending this message: you know the old saying that “misery loves company”, so when I went to the Web site, http://www.lubricheck.com/ and, since it won’t be the last time I throw money away, especially small amounts, I “bit” and sent them some money. I was a bit skeptical about this being on the up and up, but that concern went away when I saw that Amazon is serving as the billing company for “contributions.” At first, I was going to send them the smallest amount they listed, but, when I got to the point of actually committing to sending money, and when I saw that it was through Amazon, I actually went “Back” and changed the amount to a larger one, then I went forward to the Amazon page, entered my password (I buy all kinds of stuff from Amazon) and sent my money, which will be taken from my credit card by Amazon (I’m guessing Amazon Marketplace) soon. I just checked and the charge is not yet at my credit card’s Web site. One thing my “contribution” will get me is one of the first production runs of Lubrichecks, whenever they start. If not, well, I won’t miss the amount I sent."

 
Sometimes risks pay off, other times it doesn't.  Time will tell.  Hope it works out.  Never know, could be the next big thing.

Heck, I've lost 13 grand on loans to a brother.  Talk about a loser deal.  :'(
 
I don't put a lot of faith in a device that only does an electrical capacitance check of a small drop of oil to try to determine how much particulate and fluid contamination has occurred. To properly evaluate oil, you really need a gas chromatgraph, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollar.  A simple electrical conductivity test is simply not going to be able to tell you what is really going on in the oil.

I also disagree with the folks who try to convince you that you can "reduce your carbon footprint" by extending your oil change intervals. In fact, I believe the exact opposite is true. By changing your oil earlier, you insure your engine is clean and running well and producing less tailpipe pollution, which is the biggest impact your "carbon footprint" has. And you should be recycling your used oil anyway, so extending your oil change really doesn't do much, if anything, in terms of ecology on the environment.

Changing your oil is the only way you have available to clean out your engine and get the contaminates out of it. It is the single best thing you can do to insure your engine is well lubricated and running properly, and will not only extend the engines life, but will help its performance, gas mileage, and reduce emissions. 

Don't get sold into the notion of extended oil change intervals by charlatans trying to convince you that you can save $50 a year in maintenance on a vehicle that costs tens of thousands of dollars to replace.  It just doesn't make sense to try to save $25 on an oil change a few times a year on a motorcycle that costs $14K. The phrase "penny wise and pound foolish" comes to mind.

It's really pretty simple. Change your oil and filters frequently, just like you always have for the past 20 years. There are no "magical" oil formulas that can somehow repel dirt and contamination. The oil still gets both fluid and particulate contamination in it, and the only way to get it out is to drain it and refill with fresh oil. Take care of your bike, and it will take care of you.
 
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