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Oil + TBN
Get a TBN with your standard engine oil sample! The standard sample with TBN includes:
- Spectral exam
- Viscosity
- Insolubles (total solids)
- Flashpoint (checks for fuel and other contaminants)
- A Total Base Number, which measures the amount of active additive remaining in the oil. Good for exploring extended oil changes.
You do not need your customer number or an account to pay for a sample. We will match up your payment with your sample. Let us know if you need a kit.
Description
Save money on oil changes – bundle a Total Base Number with your standard analysis for a complete evaluation of whether you can run your oil longer than you normally do. The TBN is only for engine oil – not transmission or gear oil.
The TBN measures the amount of active additive left in the oil. It’s a good test if you want to run your oil longer than you have been (we call this “extended oil use”).
Typically a TBN starts out around 6 or 7 in gas-use oil and 9 or 10 in diesel oil. As you run the oil, the active additive gets used up. Once a TBN reaches 2.0 or less, we consider that too low to continue running the oil.
Interestingly, the TBN doesn’t drop in a straight line down. If you were looking at a graph, the rate of TBN depletion would be more of a curve. The TBN drops quickly at first, and then more slowly after that.
You don’t necessarily need a TBN for us to give you a recommendation on how long you can run your oil, but it can be a helpful guide to determine if the oil is up to extended use.
