Reading oil samples

[Canadian_digger]

I have been looking at some used equipment and they give an oil sample for the motor and hydraulics. Thing is I have no idea what the numbers mean. Are there any charts that would tell me what kind of wear is on the components?

 

[Ross]

Well all the "Finning S.O.S" samples I read come in plain English.

Including a Brief description of any abnormal element count in the oil sampled.

What numbers have they provided?

Ross

 

[Dozerboy]

Really one sample doesn't tell you much other then the oil was find when they sent the sample in, but who knows if they sent that sample in 2 days after they changed the oil. You need a series of samples to tell anything.

 

[Canadian_digger]

Ohh ok

Well this is what they give.

date of analysis Dec 19, 2007 Dec 19, 2007
Engine oil Hydraulic
Silicon 7 PPM 5 PPM
Lead 2 PPM 3 PPM
Tin 1 PPM 0 PPM
Copper 4 PPM 6 PPM
Aluminum 1 PPM 2 PPM
Silver 0 PPM 0 PPM
Nickel 0.8 PPM 0.1 PPM
Chromium 1.4 PPM 0.3 PPM
Iron 31 PPM 6 PPM
Glycol NEG N/A
Water NEG NEG
Fuel <5% N/A

 

[DPete]

PPM means (parts per million) looks pretty clean. You could contact the local dealer about the readings

 

[bobcat ron]

The first number is the acceptable limits, the next number is how much there is in each of what it's been tested for.

Example:
Chromium 1.4 PPM 0.3 PPM

1.4 is the limit and the 0.3 is what you got, lower numbers aren't always better but then again higher isn't always good either.

 

[DPete]

The first number is the acceptable limits, the next number is how much there is in each of what it's been tested for.

Example:
Chromium 1.4 PPM 0.3 PPM

1.4 is the limit and the 0.3 is what you got, lower numbers aren't always better but then again higher isn't always good either.

I believe the first number is for the engine sample and the second for the hydraulic system

 

[Wulf]

Digger... the numbers look good as they are presented but there are so many factors involved in taking and analysing a sample.

Dozerboy summed it up perfectly... oil sampling is OK when used for identifying trends but one sample doesn't really help identify machine condition and value.

BTW... Does it indicate anywhere on the report how many hours are on these oils?

 

[surfer-joe]

Good numbers mostly for both compartments tho iron is a bit higher than I'd like to see in an engine, but as others mentioned, number of hours on oil and several samples going back a thousand hours or so would be much better indication of present condition.

Trouble is in situations like this, is that the seller often changes all the oils, then pulls a sample and says, "see, all very clean!"

You will have to operate the machinery and let your seat of the pants feel tell you if anything isn't right. Try to get your hands on previous maintenance records or at least talk to someone familiar with the machine.

Good Luck!

 

[noordzuid dairy]

ya i agree

 

[noordzuid dairy]

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[noordzuid dairy]

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[Paystar]

I got a book from Toromont Cat that explains all the results. It pretty much explains every detail. They have all kinds of publications you can order.

 

[AtlasRob]

oil samples

I have been looking at some used equipment and they give an oil sample for the motor and hydraulics. Thing is I have no idea what the numbers mean. Are there any charts that would tell me what kind of wear is on the components?

The Terex sample kits I use, give machine id, machine hrs, oil hrs, PPM, and highlight anything they consider excessive.
As stated a history is a much better indication of wear, and also maintenance, which is why I do sampling as it is another way of showing I have actually done the maintenance, as on O/op I hope it will give me a better resale value.
I actually shreaded the last lot after my last machine had been sold, but here is the pic I had on my web site during the sale, to show I had the sample results if the buyer wanted to check through them. There are 3 pages laid on top of each other, both rear hubs and rear axle.

 

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums noordzuid dairy! :drinkup

 

[Johnsoils]

General Guide for Oil Sample Elemental Interpretation

Forum Members, I have attached an "Elemental Interpretation Guide" for interpreting oil analysis results. This charts are to be used as a guide only.

As others on this Thread have posted, you really need multiple samples to gage the machines overall condition, as the equipment dealer or individual selling the machine could have changed the fluid(s) recently giving a healthy report. It kinda like the car dealer that always changes all the fluids before putting the car on the lot, you don't know what you got till you drive it while.

It the machine in question had several hundred hours on the the oil samples with results like this, the sample reports results would be reporting a healthy machine and lubricating system.

My advise if you buy the machine is to pull oil samples every 100 to 200 hours and trend the findings. If the wear metal start to jump dramatically and hit the alert levels in a few hundred hours, then the machine might have a system component that will be failing in the near future, and you may have time to trade the machine off or repair it before it fails.

As always oil analysis is worth every dollar you spend on it. Becoming educated on oil analysis and learning how to interpret the results of your samples are worth every minute you spend learning about your analysis program. I can email you the complete Oil Analyzers Inc. users guide to oil analysis services if anyone would like a copy. It is a good place to start learning about oil analysis and interpreting the results.

 

[Iron Horse]

That's a handy chart , i think the Silicon content is the most telling component in oil . It means you have leaking air intakes or perforated filters etc . If it is high in an engine , chances are the rings and cylinders are now dusted because of the Silicon (sand) entry . If sampled reguarly , the report will tell you too check intake clamps/filters etc and dusting can be avoided .

 

[joeeye59]

Forum Members, I have attached an "Elemental Interpretation Guide" for interpreting oil analysis results. This charts are to be used as a guide only.

As others on this Thread have posted, you really need multiple samples to gage the machines overall condition, as the equipment dealer or individual selling the machine could have changed the fluid(s) recently giving a healthy report. It kinda like the car dealer that always changes all the fluids before putting the car on the lot, you don't know what you got till you drive it while.

It the machine in question had several hundred hours on the the oil samples with results like this, the sample reports results would be reporting a healthy machine and lubricating system.

My advise if you buy the machine is to pull oil samples every 100 to 200 hours and trend the findings. If the wear metal start to jump dramatically and hit the alert levels in a few hundred hours, then the machine might have a system component that will be failing in the near future, and you may have time to trade the machine off or repair it before it fails.

As always oil analysis is worth every dollar you spend on it. Becoming educated on oil analysis and learning how to interpret the results of your samples are worth every minute you spend learning about your analysis program. I can email you the complete Oil Analyzers Inc. users guide to oil analysis services if anyone would like a copy. It is a good place to start learning about oil analysis and interpreting the results.

Yes please, can you email me a copy of the complete Oil Analyzers Inc.
here is my email, not sure if I can post it here? joeeye@sbcglobal.net

Sorry I don't mean to hijack this post.... but I'd like to ask a question if I can?

Thank you for the great advice in this post, I just got my 1988 JD 310c backhoe, it has 9100 hours.... it runs and sounds very good, it was a well cared for machine. I have the complete maintenance file for the machines repair and service history records from the prior company who owned it since it was new..... so I called them to find out they used Castrol for the hydraulics and for the engine, he did mention it was the conventional Castrol 15w-40 for the engine and not the synthetic. I wish he did use the synthetic for the engine, even tho it sounds and runs good, it does have the normal typical signs that its not a new engine ....It would have been nice to have seen this backhoe engine if it had used synthetic oil all it's life to see what shape an engine with 9100 hours on it would run and look like.

I think I'll use both engine oil types, the conventional and a synthetic, and when I change the oil I'll do the oil sample analyzing to see the protection difference.

I put new synthetic fluid in the hydraulics, it did not work out well, when it gets moderately hot I get a squealing howl type noise with the loader hydraulic, and over all it don't sounds nice and tight like the sound it had before I changed it.

 

[Johnsoils]

joeeye I emailed the oil analysis user guides to you tonight. Thanks for the info request.

 

[dirthog28]

I'm still a little confused about oil anaylsis. The chart shows for automotive diesels, is there any difference when it comes to equipment. I was looking at a machine with iron of 29ppm in a small cat diesel engine with 1,100hrs is this good or bad for relatively low hours.