Ensuring Lubricant Quality with Lube Sampling and Testing Services
If diesel fuel is the lifeblood of the American economy, then industrial lubricants are the lifeblood of the machines that power it. Everyone knows that lubricants are necessary for modern machines to do their work. Until we invent some miraculous, ultra-durable frictionless material we can coat metal parts with—high-quality industrial lubricants will be a necessary part of the equation.
Maintenance and Lubricants for Long Life and Reliable Service
Proper maintenance is the key to maximizing the performance, dependability, and longevity of your investment in trucks and other machinery. When it comes to diesel engine and machinery maintenance, oil changes and servicing with lubricants are the first things that come to mind.
But is simply changing the oil and filter in your truck or boat’s engine on time and following the manufacturer’s recommendations for lubrication enough? We’d say it’s the minimum any person responsible for managing a fleet of trucks or other equipment should do—-but there’s more.
Periodic lubricant testing can provide valuable insights and help ensure lubricant quality. Here’s how:
What is Your Engine Oil or Lubricant Trying to Tell You?
Regular oil changes and lube refreshes for machinery help ensure a better return on investment and can help avoid costly issues, like engine or pump failure, down the road. However, if you dispose of used engine oil or lubricant after the job is done, you may be losing valuable information about the health of your machines.
You might think of used motor oil or industrial lubricants as blood or urine samples. Sure, we don’t need every drop of the stuff to be saved, but we want a doctor to analyze it periodically. Why? Because we know this will give us insights into our physical health and can alert us to problems early so we can intervene to prevent them.
Lubricant testing isn’t much different, believe it or not. Your engine oil or lubricant may be trying to tell you something—-but you’ll never hear it if you’re not getting your lubricants tested periodically.
The Nuts and Bolts of Lubricant Testing and the Insights It Provides
Below is an overview of the significant types of lubricant testing and an explanation of what actionable information you can gain from each test.
Industrial lube and oil testing can reveal everything from a snapshot of lubricant quality to premature engine wear or failing parts in a hydraulic system. These tests are based on API recommendations and standards, and those folks understand lubricants perhaps better than anyone else.
1. Viscosity Testing
- What It Is: Measures the oil’s resistance to flow.
- How It Works: A viscometer assesses how thick or thin the lubricant is at specific temperatures.
Insights Gained:
Changes in viscosity can indicate contamination with fuel or coolant, oil degradation, or incorrect oil grades. For instance, if the oil becomes too thin, it might not provide adequate film strength, leading to increased metal-to-metal contact.
2. Spectrochemical Analysis (Wear Metals Analysis)
- What It Is: Detects trace metals and additives in the oil.
- How It Works: Spectroscopy identifies and quantifies metal particles suspended in the lubricant.
Insights Gained:
This lubricant test can alert you to elevated levels of certain metals, indicating specific component wear. High iron levels might signal gear wear, while increased copper could indicate bearing or bushing issues. Wear metals analysis can be especially useful for testing diesel engine oil because it can reveal premature engine wear.
3. Particle Counting
- What It Is: The number and size(s) of particulate contaminants.
- How It Works: Optical or laser counters tally particles in various sizes.
Insights Gained:
This lubricant test assesses the cleanliness of your engine oil or other lubricant. Excessive particles can cause abrasive wear, affecting precision components like hydraulic systems.
4. Total Acid Number (TAN) Testing
- What It Is: Measures the acidity level of the lubricant.
- How It Works: A titration process quantifies acidic compounds in the oil.
Insights Gained:
An increasing TAN suggests oxidation or breakdown of the oil, which can lead to corrosive wear and sludge formation. Simply put lubricants that are not at the proper pH cannot do their job as well, which can accelerate corrosion, wear, and sludge buildup.
5. Total Base Number (TBN) Testing
- What It Is: This industrial lubricant test evaluates the oil’s alkalinity reserve.
- How It Works: Determines the oil’s capacity to neutralize acids formed during combustion.
Insights Gained:
A decreasing TBN indicates depletion of protective additives, meaning the oil is less effective at preventing corrosion. Just as TAN testing reveals the acidity of your diesel engine oil, the TBN tells you how much of the wear-prevention compounds are left in your oil.
6. Water Contamination Testing
- What It Is: This engine oil test detects water content in used motor oil.
- How It Works: Methods like the Karl Fischer titration precisely measure water levels.
Insights Gained:
Water in your oil is never a good thing. Water can cause rust, reduce lubrication efficiency, and promote microbial growth. If there is water in your diesel engine oil, you’ll want to know about is as soon as possible so you can head off costly problems.
7. Flash Point Testing
- What It Is: This engine oil analysis determines the temperature at which the oil vapor ignites.
- How It Works: Your engine oil sample is heated gradually until any vapors catch fire under controlled conditions.
Insights Gained:
A lower flash point may indicate contamination with volatile substances like fuel, which can reduce the effectiveness of your engine oil, cause accelerated wear, and be a safety hazard. Although diesel fuel has much higher lubricity than gasoline, which is more solvent-like, you still don’t want it in your engine oil.
8. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
- What It Is: Analyzes the chemical makeup of the lubricant.
- How It Works: Infrared light passes through the oil sample, detecting molecular bonds.
Insights Gained:
The chemical makeup of engine oil is complex, and it becomes even more complicated as the oil is used. FTIR lubricant testing identifies oxidation, nitration, soot levels, and additive depletion, providing a broad and detailed picture of the oil’s health.
9. Ferrous Density (PQ Index)
- What It Is: This motor oil testing method measures the concentration of ferrous (iron) particles.
- How It Works: Magnetic sensors detect iron content irrespective of particle size.
Insights Gained:
Higher-than-normal ferrous levels may indicate severe wear of iron components like gears, bearings, crankshafts, valvetrain components, or turbochargers. The bottom line: If your engine oil contains excessive iron, you should know about it ASAP, as not knowing could cost you thousands of dollars.
Mansfield Service Partners: Fuel and Lubricants Since 1932
For over 90 years, Mansfield Service Partners has been delivering industrial lubricants and fuel to customers nationwide. We operate around the clock to keep American businesses in motion. From dependable 24-hour fuel delivery to lubricant analysis and oil testing, Mansfield Service Partners has you covered.
Contact Mansfield Service Partners for your business today. Reach us at (800) 683-1331 or email any inquiries to info@mansfield.energy
