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Latest & Popular Articles

See the latest and most popular articles on oil analysis that have been posted to find out more about how oil analysis works and the benefits it could be doing for you.

This is a common question I get asked and it's not as simple to answer as you might expect, but please keep with me.

Lubricating oil properties are derived from a combination of the base oil used and the additives used to enhance or remove certain desirable/undesirable characteristics. There are 5 groups of base oils – there are no good or bad groups and all the base oils have their purposes for different industries and applications. Groups 1 and 2 are mineral oils, and tend to be good solven...

Is my oil mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic? Learn what the information on your engine oil container means.

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For as long as insurance companies have existed they have been looking at new and innovative ways to determine risks of a claim when setting insurance rates. In recent years this has even extended to apps on your mobile devices to track your car driving habits.

For decades now, insurers have been using oil and fuel analysis to confirm the validity of claims. This can be confirming actions arising from oil analysis have been implemented, but also, from larger claims, has involved insurers collec...

Could your marine insurance claims be too high or rejected through not testing your oil?

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Copper is one of the most interesting wear elements in my opinion as it requires more skill to interpret it's significance. Values in the thousands of ppm can be totally normal, yet a value of 50ppm can be a sign of serious component wear in the same machine.

This is not normally seen to the same extent with other wear metals, so what makes copper so special?
Engine LeachingWhen an oil is added to an engine, it usually contains an anti-wear additive. The most common of these is ZDDP or Zinc dia...

Copper the awkward wear element that can be high and normal and low and critical

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This article will answer the following questions:


Why does soot not settle out in an engine oil?


What is a Total Base Number?


Why is there calcium in my engine oil?


Is my engine oil alkali or acidic?




The answer is they both contain Calcium. Now before you start considering whether it is best to go for a semi–skimmed or fully–skimmed on your next car service, or start pouring a 15W40 on your breakfast cereal I must remind you that is where the similarities...

What do engine oil and a pint of milk have in common? Calcium is the most widely used additive to neutralise acids in your engine oil.

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This article will answer the following questions:


How clean / dirty is my oil?


How can I get my oil to last longer?


How can I prevent abrasive wear in my machinery?


Make your equipment run up to 7 X longer with clean oil.

With oil analysis you can independently identify the condition of your lubricant and set yourselves targets to improve the fluid cleanliness with filtration suppliers.

Particle counts can vary dramatically between manufacturers and methods, so to...

Extend and Improve equipment life 7 times with clean oil. Test for lube contamination with oil analysis

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This is a common question I get asked and it's not as simple to answer as you might expect, but please keep with me.

Lubricating oil properties are derived from a combination of the base oil used and the additives used to enhance or remove certain desirable/undesirable characteristics. There are 5 groups of base oils – there are no good or bad groups and all the base oils have their purposes for different industries and applications. Groups 1 and 2 are mineral oils, and tend to be good solven...

Is my oil mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic? Learn what the information on your engine oil container means.

Read More

This summer I was visiting a client in the Middle East to assist them in an oil analysis project they were interested in doing for one of the big shipping companies in the area. The end client had been hesistant in taking up the project as they still were not convinced it was something they could afford to do as they already maintenance the equipment well and so their machines never fail. I had hence been asked to come explain the benefits of the project by my client.
On the day of the meeting, ...

Has your maintenance budget suffered a puncture? Are maintenance costs & machine failures too high then change it with oil analysis.

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Why Oil Analysis Matters?

Oil Analysis is used by people just like you all over the world to reduce machinery downtime and improve equipment reliability. A small sample of oil from your machinery can provide as much information as a full machine strip down at a fraction of the cost and has been a proven technology for over 60 years to reduce forced shutdowns and failure repair costs. Want to understand how oil and grease analysis works and how it applies to you then watch this short video below.

How Much Can Oil Analysis Save Me?

Oil analysis is a brilliant tool that can save you money each time you sample. The returns on investment vary depending on your machinery type, so feel free to use our sister sites cost saving calculator at the bottom of their FAQ Page.

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By registering for free to our quarterly newsletter and logging in you can read the industry leading textbook series on oil analysis “Learn Oil Analysis”

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Ask a question on oil analysis directly to the site author. This can also include requests on how and with whom to start fluid sampling. You can also contact the author on linkedin.

See our Training Courses

Register for free and get access to some of our great short oil analysis training training courses. Content is updated regularly and includes explanation of tests, sources of wear, how to take a sample and the benefits of oil Sampling. You can also book a dedicated training day for you and your team too or enquire about our deluxe online training programmes.

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Get your oil tested

If you have never had your oil tested before then what are you waiting for and get in contact with a lab today. There are many reputable labs all across the world that offer excellent oil analysis services you can use including our sister lab – Oil Analysis Laboratories, which is the only lab in the world to offer the LubeWear test. LubeWear identifies abnormal wear far earlier than traditional wear metal analysis techniques meaning you can catch faults earlier to keep your machine reliability at its highest. A brief video explanation of the rest can be viewed below.