First Oil Change: 1.5l MPC from 2025 Outer Banks

[stemplar]

Attached is the PDF of my oil analysis report from Blackstone Labs for my 2025 Bronco Sport Outer Banks with the 1.5l MPC engine. I didn't have any concerns leading into the oil change, such as coolant consumption, so the report is somewhat on the boring side. But I like to track each of my vehicles and thought I'd share for those of you who might be curious. One thing I want to point out is that I paid extra for the TBN which is a measure of how much of the oil's original additive package is left (to fight acidity, detergents for cleaning the internals, etc). At only 1400 or so miles I knew the oil would be fine, but I'll use the TBN in future samples to determine a good change interval for my engine with my oil of choice and my driving style and local conditions.

Sponsored

 

[cprcubed]

That's the main thing when using oil analysis, getting a baseline to start with. You are able to then detect trends early on. Cheers!

 

[jkernitzki]

Good stuff. Already bookmarked their site.

Googling TBN, it suggests that fresh oil should be 6.0 to 13.0. Assuming that's reliable it would appear that you've lost anywhere from 19% to 63% TBN life at 1,435 miles (I'd believe the lower values myself). Even though it's unlikely to be a linear dropoff, I'd say 5,000 miles is a good number to use for changes and leave you with a TBN in the neighborhood of 2.6 at the change. I'm assuming you'll be sending another sample at your next change?

You think it would be worth the $50 to send them a sample of fresh out of the jug for a baseline?

 

[stemplar]

Good stuff. Already bookmarked their site.

Googling TBN, it suggests that fresh oil should be 6.0 to 13.0. Assuming that's reliable it would appear that you've lost anywhere from 19% to 63% TBN life at 1,435 miles (I'd believe the lower values myself). Even though it's unlikely to be a linear dropoff, I'd say 5,000 miles is a good number to use for changes and leave you with a TBN in the neighborhood of 2.6 at the change. I'm assuming you'll be sending another sample at your next change?

You think it would be worth the $50 to send them a sample of fresh out of the jug for a baseline?

Let's try not to speculate like that. I understand where you're coming from, but this is just one data point and as such trying to draw conclusions can be a recipe for misadventure. This is an oil thread, and people read things that may or may not be true, they absorb half, and get half of that wrong when they regurgitate it in the next oil thread they see. And around and around it goes.

Anyway, as for TBN of virgin oil, not all oil is the same. For example, reading the data sheet for Amsoil Signature Series I see that the TBN for that oil is 12.5 regardless of viscosity. I don't know what the TBN is of the motorcraft oil that was in my engine from the factory so I can only guess. You mentioned that the degradation likely isn't linear and I'm inclined to agree, but frankly I don't know so I'd rather not speculate. Either way, I'm not comfortable trying to draw conclusions from that one data point as I mentioned.

I will absolutely get more samples analyzed and I try to eventually figure out how many miles it takes to get the TBN down to about 2 or so. Over the last few decades I've only had a small handful of engines that were "odd" with their intervals; one was a bmw inline-6 that chewed the oil to the extent that any brand was beat after about 5,000. Mind you, the factory recommended interval was 10,000 or 12,000. Ironically, my mercedes diesel is gentle as heck on its oil and still has a TBN over 4 somewhere in the 10k-12k mile range. Eventually I'll be comfortable with having found the right change interval and I'll sample less frequently, but by then I'll start caring more about the rest of the data on the sheet that tells me how the engine itself is wearing in...

 

[jkernitzki]

Let's try not to speculate like that. I understand where you're coming from, but this is just one data point and as such trying to draw conclusions can be a recipe for misadventure. This is an oil thread, and people read things that may or may not be true, they absorb half, and get half of that wrong when they regurgitate it in the next oil thread they see. And around and around it goes.

For me, it was more a fun exercise in trend/predictive analysis than something I'd base recommendations--or even suggestions--on, and I should have emphasized that.

I like to take first data points and extrapolate from an initial known value, knowing full well I'll likely be wildly off. For me the game is seeing how right or wrong I was and trying different methodologies from there, continually refining as I go.

Most people have a trusted friend that they tell, "delete my browser history" on their death. For me it's more "delete my spreadsheet folder".

 

[Mark S.]

I'd say 5,000 miles is a good number to use for changes and leave you with a TBN in the neighborhood of 2.6 at the change.

I think it's premature to make judgements about change intervals. The engine is still breaking in, and the oil from the factory will be different from that used from now on.

 

[jkernitzki]

I think it's premature to make judgements about change intervals. The engine is still breaking in, and the oil from the factory will be different from that used from now on.

Agreed, and which I addressed in my response.

 

[Mark S.]

Agreed, and which I addressed in my response.

Saw that; I typed my post before I read the full thread. Rookie mistake...

Sponsored