JEEZE - WHAT do those oil analysis categories MEAN?

[Gary - K7GLD]

Some guys, new to oil analysis, are baffled by some of the terms and numbers seen on their analysis reports - Chromium is high - what does it mean, and where typically (for instance) does Chromium come from in an engine?



Here a decent explanation, lifted from over on BITOG:

I am trying to interpret UOA's. I get info through others comments but like most newbies I don't know alot and get confused by certain elements etc. So Ityped this up for all to print out and have next to them for guidance. To be added/edited as we all see fit.



Mods please move if this is unappropriate for this particular forum.



WEAR METAL SOURCES



IRON………. CYLINDERS, GEARS, RINGS, CRANKSHAFTS, LINERS, BEARINGS, HOUSINGS, RODS, and PLATINGS



CHROMIUM……………. . RINGS,ROLLER/TAPER BEARINGS, RODS, PLATINGS



LEAD………. BEARING OVERLAYS, ADDITIVES IN GEAR OIL AND GASOLINE



COPPER…………………BUSHINGS, BEARINGS, THRUST WASHERS, FRICTION PLATES, OIL COOLERS, ADDITIVE IN OIL



TIN…………………………………. BEARINGS, BUSHINGS, PISTONS, PLATINGS



ALUMINUM………PISTONS, BEARINGS, PUMPS, BLOWERS, ROTORS, THRUST WASHERS



NICKEL……………………………………………………………………VALVES



SILVER…………………………………………. BEARINGS,BUSHINGS,PLATING



MANGANESE………. TRACE ELEMENTS IN LINERS AND RINGS, ADDITIVE IN GASLOLINE.



TITANIUM………………………………………………………. TRACE ELEMENT



VANADIUM……………………………………………………. . TRACE ELEMENT







CONTAMIMENTS & SOURCES



SILICON……………………………………. ELEMENT USED TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF AIRBORNE DIRT AND ABRASIVES IN THE OIL. (SOMETIMES USED AS AN ANTI-FOAM AGENT)



BORON…………………………. PRESENT IN MOST PERMANENT ANTI-FREEZE SYSTEMS AND COOLING SYSTEMS INHIBITORS (SOMETIMES USED AS AN ADDITIVE)



SODIUM…………………………………. PRESENT IN MOST PERMANENT ANTI-FREEZE SYSTEMS AND COOLING SYSTEM INHIBITORS (SOMETIMES USED AS AN ADDITIVE)



POTASSIUM…………. PRESENT IN MOST PERMANENT ANTI-FREEZE SYSTEMS AND COOLING SYSTEM INHIBITORS (SOMETIMES USED AS AN ADDITIVE IN GEAR OIL)







ADDITIVES AND THEIR FUNCTION



MAGNESIUM………………………. DISPERSENT/DETERGENT ADDITIVE



CALCIUM…………………………. . DISPERSENT/DETERGENT ADDITIVE



BARIUM…………………………... DISPERSENT/DETERGENT ADDITIVE.



PHOSPHORUS…………………………... ………. . …. ANTI-WEAR ADDITIVE

.

ZINC…………………………………... ……………. …. ANTI-WEAR ADDITIVE



MOLBDENUM………………………... …………. …… ANTI-WEAR ADDITIVE





FUEL DILUTION = UNBURNED FUEL IN THE OIL MAY SIGNAL FUEL SYSTEM LEAKS OR INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION.



FUEL SOOT = A RESULT IN INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OR BLOW-BY. HIGH DRAIN LEVELS AMY INDICATES COMBUSTION PROBLEMS OR OVEREXTENDED DRAIN INTERVALS.





VISCOSITY = THE KINEMATIC VISCOSITY DETERMINED AT 40°C AND/OR 100°C IS A MEASURE OF THE FLOW RATE OF AN OIL IN RELATION TO TIME. THIS DATA IS USED TO ASSIGN AN SAE GRADE TO OIL.





SAE GRADE……………. MIN-cST-100°………………MAX-Cst



10w………………... ..... ……4. 10………………... ..... …………. xx



20w……………………... . …. . 5. 60……………... ... . …………. 9. 29



30w……………………... . ……9. 30……………..... ………. . …12. 49



40w…………………..... ……. 12. 50……………. . …………. …16. 29



50w………………... . ………. . 16. 30…………………... ………21. 89

 

[amsoilman]

The OA Lab I use has this printed on the back side of each report.



Wayne

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The OA Lab I use has this printed on the back side of each report.



Wayne

YUP - some do, some don't and we still see the fairly regular analysis questions like, "where does the copper in my analysis come from?"... :-laf