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What Used Oil Tells Us
By
BRETT WINBERG
Engine
oils and other fluids are designed to reduce friction,
build a film strength between metals, dissipate heat,
keep internal parts and surfaces clean, prevent corrosion,
transfer power, and hold foreign particulates (like
dirt and wear metals) in suspension, hoping to filter
them out from the oil, and keep them away from critical
moving parts.
The
composition and concentration of these deposits or foreign
fluids (like water and glycols) can provide valuable
wear data to determine root cause problems before a
down time occurrence happens.
As an engine operates, microscopic pieces of wear metals
such as Iron, Lead, Aluminum, Copper and more develop
from engine components on a daily basis during operation.
These
metals are measured in parts per million (PPM), too
small to be recognized by the naked eye, but detected
in oil analysis through FTIR and Spectrometer Analysis.
The lubricant suspends these metals, deposits, and other
foreign matters until oil or fluid change service is
performed.
A sample (approximately 4 oz or 100 ml.) is sent to
the SPECTRA analysis laboratory for testing. The lab
could perform the following tests to show the condition
of the oil and equipment. Below are these test options:
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Wear metal analysis: This test monitors component
wear by measuring and identifying metallic elements
such as Iron, Lead, Aluminum, Chromium and more.
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Physical Properties Test: This will detect,
among other things, water, fuel dilution or glycol
in the oil.
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Infrared Analysis: This determines the amount
of soot, sulfur, oxidation and nitration in the oil.
This test can provide valuable clues as increased
wear metal contamination, filter plugging and corrosive
damage can occur in the engine, allowing for early
detection of any problems in the future.
-
Kinematics Viscosity Test: This test will identify
increased viscosity due to excessive soot, oxidation
or coolant contamination. However if the viscosity
has lowered, the oil could have thinned due to improper
combustion or the presence of fuel. This test is very
important for evaluation of the engine to determine
a cause fault analysis.
Recommendation
OEM's: Sample Every Oil Change
One
of the major ideas behind fluids analysis is to establish
trends showing how the parts in an engine wear. The
progress of engine wear over time provides the most
valuable information for maintenance budgets and more.
Determining a cause effect will help determine life
expectancy of your equipment.
Is
this "New Think Technology"?
No, oil analysis has been a practice for over 30 years.
Fluids analysis and oil analysis have been used for
commercial, trucking, construction and industrial applications
for many years.
These valuable concepts have recently caught the attention
of truck, RV, car, motorcycle, and marine owners. In
addition, some people will not purchase a used vehicle
before a Spectra Analysis is performed.
Used car dealerships use oil analysis to determine the
condition of an engine and transmission of the trade-in
vehicle and sell tested cars for a premium price, if
all is in good shape. Oil analysis decreases engine
downtime and provides valuable maintenance information.
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