Who do you use for oil sampling? Im using Baldwins kit PN OTK5063. Between 25 and 30 bucks. Anyone using Cat SOS and what the pricing is? Would like to be able to utilize the built in sample ports.
Blackstone for the last 10 years
Cat sample prices depend on your dealer we sell our own bottle and labels but it’s processed by the oil lab at a neighboring dealer. I’ve heard it’s cheaper than Blackstone and other similar labs. Comes with the sample bottle, outer bottle, and a label and mailing baggie, and if you drop it by the dealer they will include it with the samples they are sending off in a large box.
Have bought Cat Samples by 48 bottle box and was way cheaper. If you use them up it makes it quite good for reasonable price. Simon C
Have always used Cat for oil sampling. Our dealer does it in house. Last time I checked it was $30 or so per sample. Some of our newer machines are still on the bottles they gave us when we bought the machine. They provide a nice report.
IIRC you can buy the 162-8872 plastic sampling probe/tube assembly to fit Cat oil sample ports in a box of something like 50 pieces whether you use Cat SOS analysis or not, or buy the brass 8T-9208 probe and use bulk tubing with it. Failing that the 177-9343 Cap & Probe Group is available. TBH it's cheaper to pay for the analysis and get the kit supplied than it is to attempt to buy the individual parts. Cat SOS is one of the few systems I have come across that actually does an interpretation of what the analysis means instead of just providing the raw numbers.
Chevron Lubewatch (ALS) is under $20... well, at least that's what we sell them for, not sure elsewhere. It's same sort of info that SOS is as far as I know. I can send you some if you're interested. Might take a bit to get out to you coming from northern AK though.
I think Caterpillar has the best network and reports. They have a huge library of trend analysis from various Cat products. But, I use the Chevron ASL lab in Portland. Good folks. I forget the fella’s name. There is a top notch tribologist there. Setting up an account is easy. https://www.alsglobal.com/en/oil-analysis
Thanks to everyone for the recommendations.
Does cat also work for gasoline engines?
Yes
I was at the Cat dealer yesterday and picked up a pack of 10 sample kits. Works out to about $24 a sample. Includes the prepaid ups label and shipping envelope that will hold multiple samples. Simple and no mess using the ports on the machine and the probe in the kit. Would love to install the Cat sample port on my 2021 x-15 Cummins to take engine oil samples- and the Mack too. Has anyone done this. Looks like there may be a plug I could remove on the Cummins oil filter housing And install the sample port?
You can buy a sampling pump from Cat. Run the tube down the dipstick and suck out a sample. I always mark the tube from the dipstick, to just get into the oil. You don't want to suck oil from the bottom of the pan.
We had drain valves on pans, I would let it drain about 2/3 then shut off and just crack it open to fill a bottle. But that was a real rare occasion.
I’ll need to confirm with a Cummins expert but there is a plug on the filter housing of my X-15 that looks like a promising location. A web search of “Cummins sample port” didn’t rerun much. I did come across a company by the name of Trico makes a nice sample port with a thread on cover when not in use.
There is a pump that will fit onto the top of the bottle to draw a vacuum on the bottle to suck in oil. A piece of clear 1/4" tubing is fixed onto the pump. Just throw the tubing out after each usage and cut another piece from the roll.
Do they simply provide the raw analysis data or do they also provide interpretation of the results.? In my experience oil sample analysis interpretation is a skill in and of itself based on parameter trends.
Yeah they give a little discription