Now the truth is, with the kind of money we spend on a diesel, the cost of oil analysis is just pennies. Why not take care of your equipment and make it last? Oil analysis is one of the best ways to do this.
You can see rust on a truck body, the visible outer shell of your machine. But what's happening on the inside? Oil analysis uses science to determine the condition of your oil. It will also provide clues as to the condition of your engine, whether you have smooth sailing ahead or macabre mayhem. Dan Arcy, in a 2019 Fleet Equipment story, describes it as an "early warning system." And it is.
In short, what Cummins is saying is that oil analysis has real value. It's a cost effective tool for extending the life of your equipment.
What a good oil analysis does is identify wear metals in the oil. The experienced lab has vast quantities of historical data which enables them to identify what is going on based on the wear metals in your oil. Arcy notes that high levels of iron might point to cylinder wear. Unusual levels of chromium, aluminum, copper or tin will help identify other problems.
Some wear is normal. An experienced lab will point out for you what is not normal, and what this means.
Your oil analysis report will also give you insights into the fluid itself. Do you have glycol in the oil? Water? Is your viscosity correct? Have you had fuel dilution?
Silica is a nasty and unwelcome guest in any engine. You can also find copper, potassium or lead as well. Each item on the lab report is there to teach you something.
According to Mike Wyant of PetroChoice, the two most common problems are dirt (inadequate or improper filtration) or water (leaking through seals.) Each of these require attention, the sooner the better.
Click here to see a sample of a 2015 report from PetroChoice.
Photo Credit: Science in HD
