Oil Analysis - Free Handbook, Just PM Me

[M.D. Holloway]

I posted this on the Tech side, but you OTers might be interested as well.

Seems like there is a bunch of interest in oil analysis.

In simple terms, oil analysis is analogous to a blood test. A standard blood test can yield volumes of information pertaining to your general health and welfare. The same can be said for oil analysis. The two uses for oil analysis are to use the test results as a diagnostic tool to identify potential issues that could be emerging in an engine or transmission.

Oil analysis can also be used to set the appropriate oil change intervals. every engine and transmission is different. Using rule-of-thumb reasoning will shorten your engine and transmission life and end up costing you more in parts and labor than a very small investment in time and money using oil analysis.

Oil analysis is the only true method that can accurately determine if the oil in the sump is still functional or if it is need of changing. There are four areas in which a typical oil analysis addresses:

Wear Analysis - monitors machine wear by detecting the amount and type of metal wear elements.

Additive Depletion - monitors the reduction of metals commonly found in performance additives.

Chemical and Physical Tests - detects the physical presence of unwanted fluids (water, fuel, antifreeze) or particles (dirt, metal, etc…) in the oil.

Oil Condition Analysis - test viscosity and acid neutralization ability (TBN or TAN) identifies the loss of lubricating properties by quantifying combustion by-products (soot, sulfur, oxidation and nitration products).

I have spent many years working with it and have written a handbook on the subject. Feel free to PM me with your shipping address and I will mail it to you. It makes sense of a rather complicated topic. You do not need to have a science or engineering background to understand the handbook. It spells it all out rather nicely if I do say so myself!

Also, if anyone wants to get started using oil anaylsis, let me know, I have also spent a bunch of time qualifying various test labs in the country. I have no connection with them other than on a professional level. No kick!

The tests normally can go for $25 to $35 each, because of my volume with my customers, I can get them at $15/each using the best lab in the US - 48 hour turn around time on results, sent to you via fax, e-mail or you can look them up on the web. You do need to get a sample extraction handpump, normally they can run $35 to $45 each but I may be able to get them cheaper as well - I will have to explore that through.

let me know...it's cheaper than a rebuild or an oil change!

[dhoward]

Thanks Mike, you have PM...