Used Oil Analysis
The longer you maintain your machinery, the longer it will run properly. This means fewer repairs and less need for replacement. Having used oil analysis done regularly can mean knowing if repairs need to be made or if the equipment will soon need to be replaced. This used oil analysis can also save on unnecessary oil changes, if the oil is uncontaminated and undiluted.
Understanding the components of used oil analysis will help you to better understand its importance to your machinery and equipment.
What is Analyzed
One important part of used oil analysis is finding the components that are present in the oil. Since the oil comes into contact with just about every internal part of your machinery, it will pick up sediment and components that are present and these can be found in that analysis. These components can then tell you about chemical processes in your machinery, about parts that may be breaking down, and about changes you may need to make in order to maintain the machinery properly. So what elements are typically found through used oil analysis?
Usually ash, carbon, lead sales, dirt contamination, fuel dilution, antifreeze, and elements like this are obvious from that used oil analysis. They can tell you if there are leaks in various parts of the machinery or if some parts are not running optimally. Fuel dilution also means that the oil cannot do its job properly and this leads to wear and tear of the parts. These are standard readings from used oil analysis.
What to Do With an Analysis
When you get your used oil analysis back from the company that runs the analysis, they may explain the results to you. However you may also need to consult with your own techs to better understand the results and how they apply to your machinery in particular.
It's good to remember when you receive your used oil analysis that some sediment and buildup of materials in the oil is normal; this is standard wear and tear of engines and components. But an excess of these components may signal a leak, lack of lubricants in some areas, or grinding of gears and other parts. Any type of larger machinery should be inspected regularly and you should understand how to maintain it properly. This used oil analysis can give you a clue as to repairs that need to be made, but of course it's up to you apply this analysis and ensure your machinery is running optimally.
