3/5/2015

Oil Analysis 
Tests

Oil analysis is a series of

laboratory tests used to
evaluate the condition of
used lubricants and
equipment components.
By studying the results of
the used oil analysis tests,
a determination of
equipment/component
condition can be made.
Primarily, this is possible
because of the “cause
and effect” relationship of
the condition lubricant to
the condition of the
component sampled.

When the oil speaks, you should listen!

Lubricating Oils

Six Functions of Lubricating Oil

• Reduce Frictional Resistance

• Protect Against Wear and Corrosion
• Assist Sealing
• Contribute to Cooling
• Removal of Contaminants
• Transmission of Power

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What do laboratories look for?

Detecting

• Dirt
• Water

• Glycol/Coolant

• Soot

• Fuel

• Sulfation and Nitration

• Particles

Dirt Entrainment (Si)
CAUSE
ICP Spectrometric Analysis
•poorly maintained air
intake systems
•faulty air cleaners.

•damaged gasket and

seals

EFFECT
•component wear damage
•potential failure

SOLUTION
•Check air filters
Example
•Check air intake
In Figure ICP-1 the severe
silica (Si) level indicates dirt
ingress. The resulting •Check gaskets and seals
severe iron (Fe) and
Aluminum (Al) levels are as
a direct result of abrasive
wear from the dirt particles
to the cylinder assembly.

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CAUSE
Water KF-Karl Fischer ●Low operating temperature
●Defective seals
●New oil contamination
●Coolant leak
●Improper storage
●Cracked head
●Weather/moisture
●Product of combustion
●Oil cooler leak

EFFECT
●Engine failure
●High viscosity
●Poor lubrication
●Corrosion
●Increased engine heat
●Acid formation
●Weld spots
●Reduced additive effectiveness

SOLUTION
●Tighten head bolts
●Check head gaskets
●Inspect for cracked head
●Inspect heat exchanger and oil
coolers
●Evaluate operating conditions
●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
●Avoid intermittent use
●Check for external water/moisture
sources
●Change oil filters

Glycol/Coolant ICP Spectrometric Analysis CAUSE

●Cracked head
●Leaking gaskets
●Cracked liner
●Coolant leak
●Oil cooler leak

EFFECT
●Engine failure
●High viscosity
●Poor lubrication
●Corrosion
●Increased engine heat
●Acid formation
●Weld spots
●Reduced additive effectiveness

SOLUTION
One of the worst enemies of lubricating oils is glycol. ●Tighten head bolts
Found in most anti-freeze solutions, glycol can enter oil ●Check head gaskets
supplies in many of the same ways water does. When ●Inspect for cracked head
mixed with oil at operating temperatures, the glycol/oil ●Inspect heat exchanger and oil
coolers
mixture changes chemically to form highly corrosive ●Evaluate operating conditions
sludge deposits. ●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
●Avoid intermittent use
●Check for external water/moisture
When sodium and potassium levels surpass 300 ppm and 200 ppm sources
respectively, a coolant system inspection is advised. ●Change oil filters

Soot Fourier-Transform Infra-Red CAUSE

●Improper air/fuel ratio
●Improper injector adjustment
●Poor quality fuel
●Incomplete combustion
●Clogged air induction
●Defective injectors
●Improper equipment operation
●Low compression
●Worn engine parts/rings

EFFECT
●Poor engine performance
●Poor fuel economy
●Increased operating cost
●Harmful deposits or sludge
●Increased wear
●Shortened oil life; Poor lubrication
Soot is a product of diesel fuel combustion resulting from ●Lacquer information
●Carbon deposits
blow-by, low temperature and overload operation, rich- ●Clogged filters
mixture excessive idling and/or poor ignition. Engine
"sootiness" levels reveal the engine's overall combustion SOLUTION
efficiency. ●Ensure injectors are working properly
The presence of soot causes overall degradation by ●Check air induction/filters
increasing oil viscosity, promoting sludge and deposit ●Change oil
●Evaluate oil drain intervals
formation when moisture is present. Additionally the ●Check compression
function of many oil additives can be seriously impaired. ●Avoid excessive idling
While some soot contamination is normal and expected, ●Analyze driving/operating conditions
excessive amounts rapidly increase wear and shorten ●Check fuel quality
component lifetime. ●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
●Evaluate operator experience/training

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Fuel Dilution Gas Chromatography

CAUSE
●Incorrect air to fuel ratio
●Extended idling
●Stop and go driving
●Defective injectors
●Leaking fuel pump/lines
●Incomplete timing

EFFECT
●Metal to metal contact
●Poor lubrication; Oil thinning
●Increased overall wear
●Cylinder ring wear
●Decreased additive effectiveness
●Risk of fire or explosion
Cold starts, over-rich mixtures, dribbling injectors, leaking fuel fittings and seals, ●Reduced MPG
ruptured pump diaphragms, inadequate operating temperatures, use of improper fuel, ●Decreased oil pressure
excessive idling, over-choking and faulty carburetion all contribute to oil "fuel dilution" ●Reduced engine performance
problems, by not allowing the fuel to completely vaporize. ●High operating cost
●Shortened engine life
Lubricating oil thins out (lower viscosity) when fuel contamination is present. This
results in inadequate lubrication and scuffing of engine parts. Bearing failures,
increased fuel and oil consumption, oxidation, sulfanation, oil detergent loss, lowered
SOLUTION
operating temperatures and power loss can all be associated with "fuel dilution" ●Check fuel lines, worn rings, leaking
problems. injectors/seals, pumps
●Analyze driving/operating conditions
Fuel additives, combustion by-products, lead and sulfur compounds all contribute to ●Check timing
the development of corrosive acid deposits, providing increased probability of ●Avoid prolonged idling
accelerated engine wear and shortened component life. ●Change oil and filters
●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
●Check fuel quality
●Repair/replace worn parts

Sulfation & Nitration Fourier-Transform Infra-Red

CAUSE
●Improper scavenge
●Low operating temperature
●Defective seals
●Improper air/fuel ration
●Abnormal blow-by

EFFECT
●Accelerated oxidation
●Nitrous oxides introduced into
environment
●Acidic by-products formed
●Increased cylinder and valve area
wear
●Oil Thickening
Sulfation - The sulfate index measures the extent to which ●Combustion area deposits
●Increased TAN
sulfur-based acids have entered the oil. A rapid increase in
the sulfate index could be due to depletion of oil additives,
poor combustion or over-cooling. SOLUTION
●Increased operating temperature
Nitration - The nitrate index measures the build-up of ●Check crankcase venting hoses and
nitrogen compounds in the oil.. These compounds cause oil valves
●Ensure proper air/fuel mixture
thickening and deposits that interfere with lubrication. ●Perform compression check or
Nitration is influenced by incorrect fuel/air ratios, improper cylinder leak-down test
spark timing, high loads, low operating temperatures and
piston-ring blow-by.

PC - Particle Count ISO 4402/4406 CAUSE

(OF HIGH READING)
●Water contamination
●Machining burrs
●Filling techniques
●Oil oxidation
●Contaminated new oil
●Worn wiper seals
●System generated debris
●Built in contamination
●Defective breather

EFFECT
●Performance degradation
●Intermittent failure
●Wear
●Plugging
●Leakage
Particle count measures the cleanliness of an oil. ●Pressure overshoot
Particles are quantified at 5 size ranges and reported per ●Momentary hesitation
1 ml of fluid. All particles are counted including wear ●System failure
particles, process and environmental contaminants. This
test is of particular importance to clean oil systems, e.g., SOLUTION
hydraulics, transmissions, turbines, compressors and ●Filter new oil
●Change hydraulic fluid
other fluid power systems. It has been shown that 70-85% ●Inspect/replace filters
of hydraulic component failures is due to particulate ●Check particle sizes
contamination with up to 90% of these failures due to ●System flushing at high pressure
abrasive wear. ●Check air breather
●Evaluate equipment vs. design
●Evaluate operating conditions
●Evaluate for proper service techniques

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Mobile Oil Contamination Reaction Chart
Detecting
• Viscosity
• Oil Oxidation
• Acid Number
• Base Number
Viscosity @ 100°C /40°C ASTM D445
Viscosity refers to the oil's
flow characteristic. Under
normal operating conditions,
oil viscosity (thickness)
increases gradually because
lighter base oil fractions
evaporate while the
contaminant and degradation
product levels build-up.
Viscosity measurement will
determine the extent to
which the oil has become
contaminated and/or
degraded.
Example
In the example below we see that the increase in fuel dilution from 0.0% to 12.0% has
resulted in a corresponding drop in the viscosity at 100°C from 14.0 cSt (the typical value for
this oil) to 7.96 cSt.
(this sample is from a Caterpillar 3176 diesel engine. The engine was showing a substantial
increase in the iron level by the time the oil showed 12.0% fuel dilution.)
SOLUTION
●Check air to fuel ratio
●Check for incorrect oil grade
●Inspect internal seals
●Check operating temperature
●Check with lube supplier for advice
3/5/2015
CAUSE
High viscosity
●Contamination soot/solids
●Incomplete combustion A/F ratio
●Oxidation degradation
●Leaking head gaskets
●Extended oil drain
●High operating temperature
●Improper oil gradeviscosity
●Additive shear
●Fuel dilution
●Improper oil grade
EFFECT
High viscosity
●Increased operating costs
●Engine overheating
●Restricted oil flow
●Accelerated wear
●Oil filter by-passed
●Harmful deposits/sludge
Low viscosity
●Engine overheating
●Poor lubrication
●Metal to metal contact
●Increased operating costs
●Check for leaking injectors
●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
●Evaluate operating conditions
●Use trained operators
●Change oil and filters
●Check for loose fuel crossover lines
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Viscosity Equivalents

Oil Oxidation Fourier-Transform Infra-Red

CAUSE
●Overheating
●Extended oil drain
●Improper oil type/inhibitor additives
●Combustion by-products/blow-up

EFFECT
●Shortened equipment life
●Lacquer deposits
●Oil filter plugging
●Increased oil viscosity
●Corrosion of metal parts
●Increased operating expense
●Increased overall wear
●Decreased engine performance

All engines, transmissions and drive-axle component oils oxidize.

A chemical reaction between oil molecules and oxygen takes
place at high operating temperatures. This reaction increases SOLUTION
viscosity, causes formation of insoluble engine deposits and ●Use oil with oxidation inhibitor
corrosive acids which further increases component wear. additives
●Shorten oil drain intervals
Higher operating temperatures, fuel consumption, rapid additive ●Check operating temperatures
depletion and substantial loss of power can also be expected ●Check fuel quality
when oil oxidation takes place. When severe, oxidation makes the ●Evaluate equipment use vs. design
oil very hard to pump causing lubrication starvation to moving ●Evaluate operating conditions
parts, with inevitable results. Oils that are oxidized have a very
pungent, sour odor.

AN - Acid Number ( formerly TAN ) ASTM D664/ D974

CAUSE
(OF HIGH READING)
●High sulfur fuel
●Overheating
●Excessive blow-by
●Extended oil drain
●Improper oil type

EFFECT
●Corrosion of metallic components
●Promotes oxidation
●Oil degradation
●Oil thickening
●Additive depletion

SOLUTION
Acid Number (AN) measures the level of acid and acid- ●Drain oil
products present in the oil. The corrosive acid level tolerable ●Reduce oil drain interval
before damage occurs to a component varies with both the oil ●Verify correct oil type in service
and application. A high AN in oils correlates with increased ●Check for overheating
●Check fuel quality
wear and could signal high oxidation or overheated oil.

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BN - Base Number ( formerly TBN ) ASTM D2896/D4739

CAUSE
(OF LOW READING)
●High sulfur fuel
●Overheating
●Extended oil drain
●Improper oil type

EFFECT
●Increased TAN
●Oil degradation
●Increased wear
●Corrosion of metal parts
●Acid build-up in oil
Base Number (BN) is an expression of the amount of alkaline additives in
the lubricant which are capable of neutralizing the acidic products of
combustion. A new oil starts with the highest BN it will possess. During the SOLUTION
time the lubricant is in service, the BN decreases as the alkaline additives ●Use low sulfur fuel
●Follow manufacturer’s
neutralize acids. BN is an essential element in the establishment of oil drain recommendations for oil drain interval
intervals since it indicates whether the additives are still capable of providing (ODI) and decrease if engine is operated
sufficient under severe conditions
engine protection. ●Verify BN of new product/use correct
oil type
●Change oil/top off with fresh oil
●Test fuel quality

Mobile Oil Condition Reaction Chart

Wear Detection ICP Spectrometric Analysis

Spectrometric Analysis for wear is the oldest use for oil analysis. In the
1940s the railways used Atomic Absorption units to detect iron,
chromium, copper and lead in railway engines. Today modern ICP units
can analyze for over 20 elements in under 1 minute.
Wear metal analysis by ICP can detect potential problems sometimes
months before they actually show up in vibration analysis.

Example
Trending of the wear metals quickly identifies
abnormal wear as in this gearbox sample
illustrated in the graph (top right).

In the example at the bottom right the iron (Fe),

chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al) and tin (Sn) levels
are abnormal to severe indicating cylinder
assembly wear in this Detroit 6V71 diesel engine.

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Mobile Oil Wear Reaction Chart

Basic Steps for a

Quality Used Oil Analysis Program

1. Select the a Laboratory for your location.

2. Determine the correct test package for your equipment.

3. Take samples regularly

4. Ensure you are consistent in your sampling process.

5. Provide the laboratory with good , factual information about the

equipment and the lubricant.

6. Do not hold samples—send them to the lab ASAP.

7. Review, analyze and use the reports sent to you by the laboratory.

8. Call the laboratory if you have problems or questions.

9. Be an informed user of oil analysis. Use the manuals and

materials provided by the laboratory.

10. Remember! This is your program and it will work for you
if you use the information provided.

Thank You!
Questions?