Take a sample of used oil from an engine (it can also be a transmission mechanism or other equipment) while it is hot and put it in a special analyzer, which checks the oil from several points of view, which we present them below.
- Concentration of suspended metal particles (in units of parts per million, ppm, by weight).
This concentration of suspended metals is very important. The various components of an engine, transmission mechanism or equipment are made of different metal alloys. For example, some motors may have bearings made of alloys containing copper, chromium and lead, all combined.
For each of these components a certain wear is provided, which is determined over time, starting from a statistical database for the analysis of used oil, for that specific equipment. If the analysis of the used oil shows a higher concentration of these metals than expected for a certain make and model of equipment tested, this may indicate the beginning of a mechanical problem.
In most cases, this problem can be easily remedied before a catastrophic failure and irreversible damage occurs. Thus, thousands of dollars will be saved, money that would have been spent on repairs, and the period in which the component or mechanism will not work will be shorter.
- Viscosity (parameter that indicates the state of a fluid as a lubricant) and viscosity index (parameter that shows how well a lubricant behaves in a certain temperature range).
The lower the viscosity and viscosity index compared to these parameters in the new oil, the more the oil deteriorates in terms of performance as a lubricant. This damage is caused by flue gases entering the lubrication system, metal particles entering the oil due to wear and tear, and mechanical and thermal damage to the oil.
TBN (total base number) indicates the degree of oxidation of the engine oil (the lower the TBN, the lower its ability to neutralize acidic compounds and the more likely it is to be corrosive). Acidic compounds are caused by flue gases entering the lubrication system and metal particles entering the oil as a result of the wear process. When the TBN number is less than 2, it is recommended to replace the oil.
- Other chemicals that indicate specific engine problems (such as coolant penetration into the lubrication system, fuel ingress, dust penetration through the ventilation system, etc.).
These test data are compared with those in a database that contains test results accumulated over the years for that equipment (model and brand), the status of which we want to establish.
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