Oil Tester | TruckersReport.com Trucking Forum

I get a Bimonthly farm paper called Farm Show, and they ran an article about the Lubricheck oil analyzer. I did a little research and found this article, but was wondering what yall thought about it. I'm not so sure a $50 tool is good enough to base oil change decisions on, but according to this guy it is just as accurate as the commercial testers. maybe it would work as kind of a baseline tho, sort of know a little closer when to send in an oil sample?


[h=1]Lubricheck Engine Oil Analyzer.[/h] Written: Mar 20 '13 (Updated Mar 20 '13)
Pros:Inexpensive, Accurate, A real time and money saver. Cons:China! Come on guys!The Bottom Line ro's will love this portable unit. Novices will too if they can come to grips. I'm only giving it a four star for the China build.

When oil testing came about a few years back I was a skeptic. I admit it. I was old school. Change that oil every three to five thousand miles. Clean oil keeps the engine clean and well lubricated. When my boss came down and said no more wasting oil, that we would do oil testing and he was going to invest thousands of dollars in the equipment. Well, needless to say I raised a stink, but went on to comply. This was a good sized fleet operation and we tracked vehicles every breakdown, preventive maintenance schedule and service life. Running the oil as long as we could through the use of oil testing and analysis did not seem to pose any problems with the vehicles longevity whether they were gasoline or diesel powered. I soon started using the shop tester to max out my own vehicles engine oil.

Fast forward a few years. Now teaching automotive technology, I like to stay at the cutting edge of what’s going on. Although I have been talking about oil testing to my students, I have not been able to show them. The school is not going to put down thousands of dollars to do a few oil sample tests a year. Then along comes Wave on technologies with their Lubricheck portable tester. I first found about this tester in Professional Tools and Equipment News magazine about a year ago. I was shocked. Forty dollars for an oil analysis tester… NO WAY! I put my name on the waiting list as they had not been released yet and waited. Finally I got the word, ready to ship, I sent my forty dollars and it came a couple weeks later in the mail. I couldn’t believe it. It came in an envelope.

Opening the Lubricheck unit I found a card sized device inside. Packing material and instructions included. The back of the tester even slides off and turns around to protect the face, sort of like a small pocket calculator. Four buttons on the face, 1. Flashlight (Really?), 2. A Gasoline/Diesel engine selector, 3. On Off switch, 4. The test button. On the lower half of the case is the oil test sensor with a dish around it. Surrounded by that are the ten “condition” level LED’s that tell you the status of your oil.

My previous experience with electronic oil analyzers was with large ten pound half suitcase sized monsters that big fleets could afford to invest in. Interestingly they used an identical style sensor pad. They also use similar readouts to the Lubricheck unit. To believe that this was going to work had me a bit on edge. But I followed the instructions (very easy: turn it on, select gas/diesel, put a couple drops of oil on sensor from dipstick, press test) and tested my first sample. Nothing! Then another and another and so on. I was ready to throw it out and cut my losses. Instead I contacted the company and said hay, what’s up with this? I got an immediate response that went something like this.

“These first pieces we shipped didn’t include in the instructions the need to wait about 15 seconds for a result. Try it one more time and if it fails let us know”

So I went back and counted backwards from 15, and just as they said. At about 2 I got a reading. My heart jumped right into my throat.

I’ve been testing oil like a mad man since. My students love it, my student’s parents, my co workers and so on. This is an amazing device at an amazing price. So why do I like it so much? Well first off I can maximize the use of my motor oil. That’s a money saver as I change it a whole lot less often now. That’s time saved as well. Of course the greenies probably love that I’m dumping less oil out in the grass or down the drain (have a sense of humor guys) which is good for the environment. At the cost of oil, and for as many vehicles as I have to take care of, this has already paid for itself.

I hesitated on my review of the Lubricheck as to my dismay, although it is an American company, it has made in China stamped onto it. That right there scares me, so I figured I better use it for awhile before giving a thumbs up. I’m not keen on made in China and even if the price was doubled on this and it said made in USA, it would be more than worth the extra money spent. Come on Lubricheck, don’t support Commies! You could have even gone to India and had this made. Anyway aside from that thorn in paradise, this is a powerful little tester. I was going to add a bunch of technical spec stuff and how it works to this, but you can access all that info right on Lubricheck’s web site, so it would be too much redundancy.

I think the clincher on the accuracy of this device was following my wife’s car and its maintenance schedule. She drives a VW 2.0 Diesel that advises a 10,000 mile oil change interval. As it was nearing that 10Kmark, I followed along with the Lubricheck, and sure enough just before it reached the indicated mileage, the Lubricheck indicated a reading of 9. That put it right in the change it range. I had foresight enough to be double checking some of my vehicles against a commercial analysis tester and the results were close enough to not even need to call it a standard deviation. So the accuracy is there. I think convincing those that are “doing what Dad told me” will be the toughest sale. These guys are running on emotion. Pure science tells us that oil analysis does work and my own experience as a fleet manager also tells me that it’s a valid maintenance practice. From what I’m seeing of the Lubricheck, it is accurate and reliable. So for those that use sense over sensitivity, this is a must buy tool.

Quick rundown.

For the professional technician. No more taking the oil to the tester. The tester will go to the oil.Cheap enough that every tech can keep one at handAccuracy on par with the commercial machines, although it takes longer to read out


For the Novice. Priced right and easy to use.Like anything else it has a learning curve. You must be able to spot outside problems that can throw a reading off. I.E... contaminates on the dipstick that aren’t coming from the base, but poor methods. Water from condensation. Are you putting on enough miles to expel it to begin with? And so on.

May have to get by emotional barriers, Dad’s advice, Jiffy Lube mans hard sell, and trust in science.

In the end could save you a bundle.

Recommended: Yes


Nearly two years later, we get our hands on Lubricheck's "blood tester"


In May of , we ran a story about a small company seeking backers for an innovative do-it-yourself device engineered to measure the level of contaminants in a vehicle's motor oil. Armed with the knowledge, consumers could extend oil change intervals, save money and help the environment. Things apparently went well for the startup, as its Lubricheck hit the market this year and it wasn't long before a sample landed in our hands.

About 25 percent smaller than an iPhone, the self-contained plastic tester has a small recessed button on its lower face that serves as a tray to receive a few drops of used oil – we used the dipstick. Sensors measure the capacitive and resistive properties of the oil (the lubricant degrades with use and the changes cause a variance in capacitive and resistive properties) and then score the fluid with a number between 1-10, indicated with an illuminated LED. Oil with a low score is still good, but oil with a high score is contaminated and needs replacing.

In practice, the Lubricheck ($39.95) seemed to work as well as promised. We tested a handful of cars, a lawnmower and a pressure washer, and the scores all appeared to be spot-on with the known life of the oil. We liked the size of the device, how simple it was to execute the test and how quickly the results appeared (less than a minute). Our only complaint was that the user needs to be careful to not drip oil into the unprotected slide switches - easier said than done when shaking oil off a thin metal rod (we accidentally got oil in the ON/OFF switch, but apparently to no ill effect).

Overall, the little plastic device impressed us, and it appears to provide consumers the information they need to extend oil change intervals. Of course Lubricheck isn't as accurate as spectroscopy, flash point, viscosity and chemical-based oil testing – we will still mail samples to Blackstone Labs for that.


Posted 22nd March by Captain on GREY GOOSE
http://2knowabout.blogspot.com//03/lubricheck-engine-oil-analyzer-more.html

Something else I found someone emailed lubricheck about a test unit...

more info received in response to my request to test Lubricheck:

===
To: Jon Slider
Sent: Friday, February 13, 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: test volunteer

Jonathan,

Thanks for offering your testing services! We have sent dozens of samples in to Blackstone for analysis for our own research purposes. The results have been very helpful to us. It was Blackstone data on very well worn oil that helped us establish the calibration standards we use on all of our units. As you may know, oil labs run several sophisticated tests, including gas chromatography to identify most of the material found in your oil sample.

The Lubricheck measures the dielectric constant of the oil sample The dielectric constant is a value that has been used in the industrial world for decades to determine even small changes in a lubricant's conductivity and is considered an integral part of transformer oil condition testing.
Consequently, Lubricheck results are hard to directly compare to a full lab analysis. Lubricheck is not an analytical instrument, and can not give you specific reasons why your oil registers a particular level on the Lubricheck. It is designed to provide a composite rating of your oil by primarily reacting to dirt, carbon, metals, water, coolant and acid. It is not capable of detecting any specific contamination. The value of Blackstone and other oil labs is to give you specifics about your oil, often including an informed opinion of their findings from a lab staff member.

But the Lubricheck is great in helping you determine if you have a problem that bears further investigation. For example, you may have just changed your oil 100 miles ago, and Lubricheck gives you a #10 rating. Such a reading may be due to a leaking water pump or gasket leak, or simply 'winter water' building up in your engine due to prolonged idling in very cold weather, etc. In this case, further inspection of the engine, or sending in a sample for analysis may be wise.

On the other hand, if you test your oil with Lubricheck regularly, and find your Lubricheck rating rising steadily until after 12,000 miles, when the Lubricheck gives you a #10, there would be no cause for panic. It should be obvious that you simply should have changed your oil before it hit #10.

So, given the complexity of making direct comparisons between Lubricheck and lab test results, we must respectfully decline your request for a test unit. But other customers have made this comparison, and like us, have found the lab results consistent with Lubricheck. Here is a link to a Porsche owner that started as a skeptic, but was 'won over'. http://rennlist.com/forums/911-forum/-lubricheck-received-for-chirstmas.html

Here is a statement from Matt Spurlock, an oil analysis expert that recently endorsed the Lubricheck and wrote this statement for our use after using the Lubricheck in factory maintenance training.

Lubricheck Engine Oil Tester Lives up to it's Name-

The Lubricheck oil tester relies on comparing the dielectric constant to that of a new engine oil. The dielectric constant is a value that has been used in the industrial world for decades to determine even small changes in a lubricant's conductivity and is considered an integral part of transformer oil condition testing.

When used to monitor engine oils, the dielectric value is particularly sensitive to the unique conditions posed on an oil by any engine, gas or diesel. Changes in the lubricant that might affect the dielectric value include- oil oxidation (lubricant degradation), moisture contamination, glycol contamination, fuel contamination, and wear debris from pistons, rings, and bearings.

The Lubricheck is by far the most cost effective tool on the market today to determine if an engine oil is still suitable for use. The ease of testing and overall accuracy of the unit is something that even the novice automobile owner can wrap their hand around."

Matt Spurlock, CLS, CMRP, CRL

Sorry to be so long winded, but we here at WaveOn Tech get a bit passionate about dirty oil and saving the World!

Warmest regards,

Chad Erickson, CEO
WaveOn Tech

Predictive maintenance is a helpful pathway towards a better understanding of the uninterrupted functioning of machines, allowing for intervention to be carried out before costly malfunctions occur. Oil analysis is a crucial component of this strategic approach. This technique helps to increase the machine’s longevity, avoiding idle hours, and optimising operational procedures.

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What Is Oil Analysis?

Oil analysis (OA) is a key component in predictive maintenance. It involves a lab-based analysis of the attributes of the lubricant involved, identification of contaminants, and wear debris to provide valuable and accurate information about the lubricant and the overall health of the machinery. 

Oil analysis gives an insight into the overall health of a machine and not just the lubricant. While it focuses on the oil, the information revealed can tell you a lot about the condition of the components within the machine.

Maintaining a record of oil analysis helps understand the recurring operational behaviour of the machine and thereby assists in the prevention of costly repairs and maintenance. The study of machine wear, also known as tribology, is usually carried out or interpreted through the data obtained from oil analysis. Oil Analysis can be categorised into three dominant categories:

• Analysis of oil properties
• Identification of contaminants
• Interpretation of wear debris

By understanding these three categories, users can fine-tune the times between lubrication, extend the lifespan of the equipment, and improve operational performance and efficiency. This will shift the focus from preventive Maintenance to Proactive Maintenance, allowing you to keep things in a better condition before problems arise.

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1. Pinch Valve Mechanism – How They Work
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Understanding Equipment Specifications and Applications

The lubrication history of each machine is reflected in the oil. That is why Oil Analysis is often said to be the blood test of the equipment. Carrying out a thorough understanding of the apparatus is essential for interpretation, which involves analysing the functional process and operational circumstances, such as the speed, load capacity, pressure, temperature, etc., along with the classification of the equipment.

Furthermore, detailing the areas of lubrication and circulation helps build a robust system for oil analysis. Understanding the machinery components in constant interaction with the oil and the patterns of wear and tear is of great importance as it gives a clear picture of an equipment’s health.

Beyond this wear and tear, some factors affect the performance of oil. External factors like a dusty environment, leaks, harsh weather conditions, extreme heat or pressure may demand frequent testing as these can make the oil deteriorate faster. So, how can we diagnose these problems and keep the equipment running smoothly? Here are some key elements:

• Regular oil analysis: Scheduled oil tests at regular intervals offer invaluable information into the oil’s health and possible internal issues.
• Trend analysis: Keeping track of changes in wear debris, levels of contamination, and other parameters helps pinpoint emerging problems before they get worse.
• Correlation with operational data: Matching the oil analysis results with operational conditions such as load, speeds, etc, reveals specific components under stress.
• Expertise and collaboration: Consulting lubrication specialists and leveraging their expertise will provide diverse perspectives to diagnose and resolve issues.
• Understanding external factors: the environment, maintenance practices, and any unusual working conditions can help you better understand wear patterns.

Demystifying Oil Analysis Techniques

Oil analysis consists of multiple tests to conduct a comprehensive machine health check:

• Wear particle analysis: This detection tool facilitates the identification and study of the size, shape, and material composition of wear debris in the oil. This enables the user to locate specific component wear and proactively anticipate failures before they grow into critical problems.
• Elemental analysis: This technique measures the concentration levels of wear metals (such as iron, copper, and aluminium) and specific additives (such as calcium, phosphorus, and zinc) within the oil. This provides an insight into the wear rates of components and lubricant consumption.
• Viscosity testing: By evaluating the oil’s thickness and flow properties at different temperatures, this test provides information on changes in oil viscosity, which could indicate oil degradation, contamination occurrences, or incorrect oil selection.
• Contaminant analysis: This testing method facilitates the detection of the presence and concentration levels of harmful contaminants like water, fuel, and coolant within the oil, hence preventing corrosion and wear of components.
• Oxidation and nitration testing: This procedure measures the level of oil degradation due to exposure to heat and oxygen, providing information on the remaining serviceable life of the oil and potential problems within the lubrication system.

Incorporating Oil Analysis Tests into Predictive Maintenance

Oil analysis can offer numerous benefits for effective equipment management and operation.

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• Optimisation of drain intervals: The ability to predict the remaining service life of the lubricant enables its optimised use. This approach minimises unnecessary changes, leading to a decrease in lubricant consumption and impact on the environment.
• Extension of equipment lifespan: Timely detection of wear and contamination helps intervene effectively to minimise damage and prolong equipment life.
• Prediction and prevention of equipment failures: Predictive identification of potential issues through oil analysis allows scheduling preventive maintenance. This data-driven decision-making helps resolve minor issues before they become problems, reducing downtime and production losses.
• Reduction of maintenance costs: Proactive rather than reactive maintenance, driven by oil analysis data, decreases cost. Studies have shown that oil analysis can lead to a 20-30% reduction in maintenance costs by preventing unplanned downtime and costly repairs.
• Enhancement of environmental sustainability: Optimising drain intervals through oil analysis can reduce used oil by 1,000 litres per year, saving both money and the environment. Prevention of leaks and equipment failures also protects the environment from harmful pollution.

Oil analysis is like a predictive maintenance tool that helps derive valuable insights for preventive actions. With baseline data, alert thresholds, and trend analysis, it is possible to identify potential mechanical problems and mitigate them before they become significant.

Benefits and Limitations of Oil Analysis Tests

Oil analysis serves as an indispensable diagnostic tool for condition monitoring. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the operational health of a system by highlighting potential abnormalities. Through these three main categories of oil analysis – fluid properties, wear debris, and contamination -we can get valuable insights into the physical and chemical characteristics of lubricating oils. Analysis of oil composition allows for the derivation of various information about machinery:

• Lubricant degradation: Oxidation products, nitration byproducts, and viscosity deviations indicate the remaining service life of the oil and point out possible lubrication system problems.
• Contamination: The presence and concentration of wear metals, along with the absence of harmful contaminants like water, fuel, and coolant, indicate healthy component conditions and provide information about potential wear and ingress points.
• Wear mechanisms: The analysis of size, shape, and material composition of wear debris points out specific component wear patterns and predicts failures.
• Additive depletion: Measurement of the concentration of wear metals and additives within the oil helps gauge wear rates and lubricant depletion, enabling timely replenishment.

However, whilst having various benefits, Oil Analysis has a few inherent limitations. Implementation requires an initial investment, including the cost of testing equipment, training personnel, or outsourcing services. Accurate interpretation of oil data demands technical expertise and experience.

Furthermore, while oil analysis indicates symptoms of equipment issues, a detailed investigation may be necessary to identify the root cause. This process could involve specialised tools and techniques beyond the scope of mere oil analysis.

Oil Analysis Tests: Essential Tools and Strategic Application for Ensuring Machinery Efficiency

The continuous condition monitoring services of oil conditions is integral to the optimal performance of machines and mitigating the risk of costly malfunctions. The wise selection of oil analysis instruments, coupled with the strategic use of these tools, becomes vital for ensuring the operational efficiency of the machinery. Portable oil analysis devices facilitate rapid onsite examinations for primary components such as viscosity and water content; this is particularly beneficial for preliminary appraisals or persistent supervision.

Comprehensive laboratory evaluations provide intricate data on wear remnants, deterioration of oil, and elemental composition, which is particularly beneficial for critical machinery or complex circumstances. Appropriate balance in testing frequency should be considered by evaluating indispensable factors such as equipment urgency, operational conditions, the variety of oil used, and past data. 

Machinery with significant influence under heavy workloads calls for an increased frequency of monitoring, adhering strictly to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Tracking the outcomes of the analysis over a timeline results in the ability to detect patterns and make proactive adjustments to testing schedules. The process of oil analysis unfolds invaluable knowledge in three significant domains:

• Lubricant condition analysis: This pertains to evaluating the oil’s continued suitability for service while preventing unjustified alterations.
• Contaminant recognition: This includes identifying the incidence of contaminants like dirt and water, indicative of potential system complications.
• Equipment wear analysis entails studying wear particles to anticipate likely system failures and schedule proactive maintenance windows.

In a nutshell, by prudently selecting appropriate tools, applying a tactical approach to testing, and appreciating the precious information that oil analysis provides, the optimal performance of machinery can be maintained while averting costly downtime.

The Future Perspective of Oil Analysis Tests

Oil analysis is anticipated to develop at an unparalleled level through prioritising the integration of automation and artificial intelligence for on-the-spot supervision and evaluation. The progression of superior sensing equipment with custom-engineered oil compositions is designed to meet the individual demands of various machines and operational situations. Notably, these include mechanisms for lubrication and filtration, which are expected to revolutionise preventive maintenance approaches significantly.

Moreover, oil analysis is more than just a beneficial diagnostic tool. It is evolving into a crucial constituent of preventive maintenance. A complete understanding of your machinery’s lubrication, implementing appropriate testing procedures, and efficiently interpreting the results can significantly amplify the deployment of this technology. Leveraging the potential of oil analysis allows a shift from responsive to anticipatory maintenance tactics. As a result, direct advantages such as enhanced operational efficiency, financial savings, and increased equipment reliability are achievable.

Oil Analysis as a Multifaceted Solution from Oceanme

Oil analysis serves as a resourceful instrument to encourage anticipatory maintenance strategies, strengthen machinery durability, and promote operational productivity and environmental sustainability. Despite recognised constraints—like initial investment, the need for expertise, demand for data interpretation, and the uncertainty of diagnostic outcomes—the merits of oil analysis outnumber its disadvantages substantially. By adopting this technology and continually refining its applications, it is possible to unlock maximum operational performance, minimise downtime, and extend the lifespan of equipment across various industrial settings.

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