Continuous Oil Monitoring System

That one only tells you the static level, just like the modern cars with fluid level check systems before startup. Personally I prefer the higher tech cordless one my 308 came with.

 

No- it does more then just tell you the oil level. It says to measure the change in quality of the oil by it's dielectric constant.

Not a new technology. But interesting to offer it as a retrofit.
$500

 

Sheesh, change the oil at prescribed intervals and all will be good! No need for all this fancy-dancy stuff.......

 

I was going to say something like that, but thought better of it.

 

Dear Tivosi,
I thought I should clear the chat on what intellistick does and does not do for those who really care about their engines. Intellistick can set the record straight as to how fast the additives in the oil deplete. So despite what the advertisements suggest about what oil is better than the other, there was no way for people like you and me to know for sure. Not only that, the 3000 mile oil change suggestion has absolutely nothing to do with how your vehicle is operated or the conditions it is operated in, or what about the age of your engine. Intellistick works by recording electrical properties of the oil, including the temperatures, which, if too hot, age the oil much faster than regular cruising. Those of us who use all the horsepower we can get will appreciate the facts that when oil has its full additive package, we are maximizing our engines' horsepower potential as well as its full economy, as if that matters with 12 cylinders. In addition, if intellistick is used continually, recorded changes in the depletion of additives and/or rate of oxidation can point to other needs that the engine may have, such as time to change an air filter or pcv valve for example. Today, intellistick does not provide electric level measurement, it only provides a warning if the oil is too low (typically 2 quarts low) or if there is a problem with other engine components, such as a bad head gasket leaking into your oil or leaking fuel injectors or flooding via a bad carburetor.
For most people with a toyota, yes 3000 miles is good enough for them. However we find that even the best oils have no anti-wear additives after 1000 to 2000 miles, so for those who are interested in understanding the life blood of the engine, its oil, this is the lowest cost means to do so in real time. There are other suggested ideas that it can show as well, for example, do those oil additives really have any effect on your oil. Well just because the product manufacturer says it does, doesn't mean it does anything (i.e. Slick 50 and others now out of business), so how would any one know if these products do any good, or how to compare one to another? This product can provide the evidence you need to make an informed decision and see if there is any difference in terms of the oil life. Again plenty of people will change at 3000 miles, but for those who are innovators, they will quickly see the usefulness of this product and the various aspects of what can be done with the information.


Very soon there will be a version with electronic level

 

Still sounds like a bunch of bunk to me. I say this after having driven for close to 50 yrs, and have never had an engine problem due to oil contamination, or lack of lubrication. I've owned Jags, Lambos, Astons, Ferraris and many others.

I say snake oil, just another gimmick to make you waste your money !

 

I wont say its snake oil, it probably works well enough to some extent. And for the person who wants to extend oil changes beyond factory recommended intervals to save money and keep from maintaining thier car more than they feel is necessary, for $500 I say go for it.

 

Alberto,
The science behind this is based on research and patents by Professor Robert Kauffman of the University of Dayton. His research in oils and fuels has spanned nearly 30 years and he is recognized amongst the top scientists in this field. He developed this technology for the US Army in an effort to reduce their maintenance costs on humvee's and aircraft engines in addition to knowing when aircraft engines might fail since the oil quality readings help determine premature failure.

The science of Intellistick reads dielectric, conductance and temperature of the oil. This information is transformed into ratios which are saved into the memory of the Intellistick unit. Every week or two, this data is downloaded onto a PC or smartphone or PDA where this data becomes visable in a graph form. This graph is used over time to review the oil condition. That is really the key, since the sensor compares measurements to what has been previously recorded. Therefore the unit really cant be transferred easily because the data saved would likely jump all over the place and it would be difficult to make sense of but I suppose if the baseline of data is known from one vehicle to another, it is possible to transfer it.

IntelliStick does not measure the percentage of metals found in the oil, such as what is done by FTIR oil analysis that a lab performs when oil samples are sent somewhere.
The measurements taken by IntelliStick occur every 10 minutes once the oil reaches operating temperature. This is how it can determine when oil was changed, as it can sense the increase in additives via the conductance and dielectric. Again because the measurements occur every 10 minutes, the data is compared to previous recorded information. This creates a trend line (called the Kauffman curve) which is observed through the PC and that is how it determines new oil vs old oil. It really isnt a device to say when to change the oil, although it does provide that when the observed with a long history. It is a device that lets you determine exactly when to change your oil based on what you care about. If you really want to preserve your engine, you should change oil at the time its anti-wear additives have depleted, or you can add some oil additive, typically known as ZDDP. If you simply want to know when to change for extending oil change intervals, one can follow the data curve until it reaches a maximum level and begins to "round off". The intellistick website will have several of these curves to help better explain this with a visual aid.

However if wanting to know the percentage of such and such metal, it doesn't do, what it does do however is indicate when metal is present, as the oil will begin to oxidize as the metal particle percentage begins to incur in the oil. What we find interesting is that when changes in IntelliStick data is seen (when compared to previous data recorded), it can point you to other service items, such as an air filter change or tune up is required. When the oil begins to oxidize, it is losing its ability to lubricate, however it is still lubricating up to a point. This oxidation is not a measurement of acidity in terms of a percentage. It is simply providing data that indicates that acidity is occuring and can show the rate it is increasing. Again since these occur over time, particularly in a car, it takes a while to register the data. The typical user is seen in trucking, where oil changes occur about every 3 weeks for long haul operations. These oil changes cost owner operators about $300 each, so if by tracking his history, the intellistick can usually save them 2 to 3 oil changes a year, when compared to mileage or time, thus easily seeing a return on the investment within one year.

I think everyone knows that fresh oil usually results in higher horsepower, but it is really the additive packages that provide the best protection and provide the increase in horsepower and MPG. I realize that the Camry owner probably doesnt care, but if you are a car guy, it is a way to compare oils and filters for your car. We are always asked what oil is best, well it is hard to say, but the synthetics will last longer, but most have their additive packages depleted fast. Intellistick is one way to compare and know for certain. It can also show things like how good an oil change was, for example, if the oil wasnt drained all the way, or a filter was not changed. So for those who are interested in more details about what their engine is doing, there are several other things it can provide.

The Intellistick website talks a little more about the science of the product and oil questions can be submitted to Professor Kauffman via the website to those interested in learning about the science of lubricants.

 

Lower the price by $ 250 and I'll give it a go, PM me if interested>>

 

+1

 

For Car Clubs, talk to Darryl Longobardi, he has a discount program available where the price is $349.00

Darryl can be reached at 949 812 5900 x 269