Oil Testing & Analysis

Consistent sampling at regular intervals, utilizing a repeatable procedure, will reduce the noise within the data to make it easier to spot any deviations from normal results, providing the earliest, and proper, notification of necessary action.

Sampling Procedures

Oil Sampling Using a Drain Plug/Pipe
For oil sumps/reservoirs, without fixed sampling hardware installed where dipstick or fill-cap access is unavailable. The oil sample is collected by gravity drain into a sample jar.

Oil Sampling Using a Sample Pump
This is the sampling procedure using the Fluid Life 38U Sample Pump. This procedure can be used for oil sumps/reservoirs, where dipstick, fill-cap, or other access is available.

Oil Sampling Using A Pushbutton Valve & KST-Series Valve
For components installed with a pushbutton valve or KST-Series valve.

Oil Sampling Using a Sample Valve
For a pressurized and non-pressurized fluid applications equipped with a “Thread-on Probe” style sample valve ( i.e. Fluid Life B-Series Sample Valve).

Oil Filter Sampling
Following these guidelines will ensure samples arrive intact and uncontaminated, and will allow the most accurate results.

Sampling Hardware

Fluid Life offers a variety of sampling hardware options including customized solutions to fit your needs.

Fluid Life offers three methods for registering your samples:

• Mobile App
  • Watch tutorials on how to use the mobile app to register samples. As well, you can learn how to scan VIN/PIN numbers for sample registration.
• Web Registration
  • You can use the scan method or via print label method to register samples on the web portal.
• Printable Sample Card Forms
  • Download English sample card
  • Download French sample card
  • Download sample card guide

Note:

If you’ve requested sample cards for your kits, Fluid Life’s white outer sample containment bags come with the card information printed directly on the bag. To ensure accuracy and maintain sample integrity, please complete all sample details as thoroughly as possible. Fully completed information allows your sample to be processed faster and more efficiently.

Need printed cards? Simply download the PDFs noted above, print them, and place the completed card inside the white sample bag for processing.

Reading an oil analysis report

Learn how to read a sample report produced after a sample has been analyzed – Download Reading the Oil Analysis Report.

Component Wear

• Some component wear is to be expected and is normal though wear rates tend to increase as components age
• Filtration may give the impression of ‘steady-state’ wear
• Most abnormal wear can usually be explained by:
  • Harsh Operation (frequent stop-and-go, rapid acceleration, braking or reversal, driving through deep puddles)
  • Ineffective Maintenance (extended, ineffective, or missed PM services, wrong oil added, poor cooling system)
  • Poor Oil Condition (wrong oil for conditions, low oil level, extended oil drains, dilution with another oil)
  • Excessive Contamination (excessive dirt or water ingression, ineffective filtration)
  • Mechanical Issue (break-in wear, reaching end-of-life, malfunctioning system)

Oil Condition

• Oil degradation is complex; oxidation, hydrolysis, thermal degradation, shearing, etc. can lead to physical and chemical changes in oil
• Poor oil condition can cause a number of issues:
  • Premature oil degradation
  • Performance loss
  • Varnish formation
  • Excessive corrosion or wear
• The key goals for monitoring oil condition are:
  • Confirming that the correct oil is being used
  • Identifying when oil should be changed
  • Maintaining oil condition for as long as possible or as long as needed

Contamination

• Contamination control is important
  • Hydraulic oils: 80% of all failures caused by contamination
  • Engine oils: Fuel dilution or glycol contamination can lead to failures
  • Turbine oils: Varnish can lead to unplanned downtime and high costs
• Oil contamination can be due to a variety of issues:
  • External ingression (dirt, water, cement dust, wood fibers, etc.)
  • Cross-contamination (diesel fuel, glycol, other oils, etc.)
  • Oil breakdown (varnish, seals, etc.)
• How much contamination is too much?
  • When developing your oil analysis protocols, it’s important to define what constitutes “too much”
  • You may decide to define a threshold for allowable contamination
  • Alternatively, you may monitor for an increase from the trend
  • Or, you may decide that any amount of contamination is too much