Diesel and Petrol Engine Oils

Engine oil performs several crucial tasks for both diesel and petrol engines to maintain optimum performance. The following diesel / petrol schedules have been derived. Scheduled oil analysis is the best way to maintain the balance between the premature and reactive maintenance.

Testing Schedule
Schedule 1	An analysis schedule that provides information to assess to condition of the compartment with respect to contamination and wear metal generation. Condition of the lubricant is not under scrutiny.
Schedule 2	Provides an assessment of the equipment condition as per Schedule 1 plus and overview of the lubricant condition and compliance to viscosity grade .
Schedule 3	Provides key performance indicators of the oil and the compartment condition with rewspect to contamination and wear and characteristics. Ideal schedule for ensuring compliance with OEM or maintenance warranty conditions.

RECOMMENDED TESTING SCHEDULE		DIESEL AND PETROL ENGINE OIL	TESTING LEVELS
Analysis	Method	Explanation	Schedule1	Schedule2	Schedule 3
Moisture Content	JOAP and ASTM E2412	Moisture determinations using coulometric Karl Fisher (KF) method ASTM D6304C (sometimes referred to as KF water) expressed in % mass on in-service samples covering a broad range of water content are used as calibration standards so that moisture content can be determined using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR).	YES	YES	YES
Wear Metals	ASTM D5185	The analysis of wear metal concentration in sample using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).	YES	YES	YES
Contamination Metals	ASTM D5185	The analysis of contaminant metal concentration in sample using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).	YES	YES	YES
Additive Metals	ASTM D5185	The analysis of additive metal concentration in sample using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).	YES	YES	YES
Fuel Dilution	OILCHECK OL1007	Measures Diesel Fuel Contamination by Gas Chromatography. Accurate to 0.1% fuel content and can detect the presence of either raw fuel, indicating injection system inefficiency or unburnt fuel residue which may, depending upon the amount present, indicate compression problems with the engine.	YES	YES	YES
Oxidation and Nitration Values	JOAP	By examining the "fingerprint" of a lubricant by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) its characteristics can be established. Oxidation and nitration values in new oils reflect the presence of additives and base oil compositions.	YES	YES	YES
Total Base Number	ASTM D2896	An oil's ability to counteract the effects of corrosive gases caused by exhaust gases from blow-by past the rings is called the Total Base Number (TBN). This reserve alkalinity was more important in the past when fuel sulphur levels were upwards of 2000 to 5000 mg/kg resulting in a significant amount of corrosive gas formation of sulphur and inherently nitrogen oxides. With fuel sulphur levels being legislated down to 500ppm maximum, and soon to be 50 ppm, the importance of TBN has decreased.	YES	YES	YES
Pentane Insolubles	ASRM D4055	Pentane Insolubles (PI) Content determines the amount of material in an in-service lubricant greater than 0.8 micron in size using membrane technology. The insoluble matter comprises mainly soot plus some gum residues and varishes from oil oxidation. Actual PI determinations expressed in % mass on over 1000 samples of in-service samples covering a broad range of PI content were used to establish a calibration equation so that PI content can be determined using Fourier Transform Infrared.	YES	YES	YES
TGA Soot	FTIR	Actual soot determinations using Soot by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) method ASTM D5967 expressed in % mass on over 1000 samples of in-service samples covering a broad range of soot content were used to establish a calibration equation so that TGA Soot content can be determined using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) up to 6 % mass.	YES	YES	YES
Viscosity @ 100°C	ASTM D445	Oil tested at 100°C to assess compliance to specification for SAE oil grade.		YES	YES
Viscosity Index	ASTM D2270	Viscosity Index (VI) is a mathematical calculation of the rate of viscosity drop with temperature. VI requires a viscosity measurement at 40°C in addition to the 100°C value to enable the calculation. An oil with a high VI defines a multi-grade engine lubricant.			YES
PQ Index	OL1028	When wear occurs in an engine, the wear particles at or below 10 microns in size are measured by ICP-OES and these results are used to develop wear trends. In some instances, larger particles can be present due to delamination wear, fatigue, pitting or spalling. These particles can be detected when the oil in which they are present is placed inside a very strong magnetic field. The metal particles, usually ferrous metal causes a distortion in the magnetic field and the amount of distortion is reported as an idex number. The larger the distortion, the larger the PQ Index.			YES

ADDITIONAL TESTS
RULER Analysis	ASTM D6810 & D6971	The accurate determination of the amount of active anti-oxidant (AO) additives in the in-service lubricant as compared to the new oil. Anti-oxidants are included as sacrificial additives in formulations as they are the first additive to deplet. By having more than 30% of active AO in the in-service lubricant, protection is supplied to the base oil against oxidation which can result in varnish formation and subsequent sludging. RULER is an excellent tool in situations where oils are required to operate for extended periods. This allows an engine to be changed out on condition and not necessarily on time. RULER is an acroynm for Remaining Useful Life Evaluation Routine.
TGA Soot	ASTM D5967	The actual determination of soot by Thermographic Analysis.

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