When SOS Oil Services receives your test sample, we analyse your oil and send you a status report. The primary task is to determine the state of the engine, rather than the state of the oil. The test tells you about any abnormal wear and unforeseen problems - at an early point in time! The report will also give advice about necessary adjustments that could prevent major damage. Additional tests can be carried out as required.
Because irregularities are discovered before they cause serious damage, you can achieve great savings in maintenance of your engine. You can also prolong its lifetime through correct oil changes and filter replacement. You can find a brief description of standard oil analyses in the SOS programme below.
Wear analysis
shows the degree of wear by finding and identifying the amount of metallic particles in the oil. An increase of number of particles in the oil from test to test is just as important as the quantity of particles in the oil. This is the reason for it being necessary to take oil samples at regular intervals in order to form a reliable picture the development of wear in each individual lubricated system.
Purity oil analysis
uses the particle counts in lubricating oils, except the engine oils. The particle count finds both metal particles that are caused by wear and any impurities that have entered the system from outside the engine. Information from this test, together with the wear analysis, allows a comprehensive evaluation of the hydraulics system and drive line systems. The combination can identify potential problems that the wear analysis alone cannot.
Oil pollution analysis
uses spectrometric analysis to determine the amount of silicon in the samples from the lubricated systems. The presence of silicon indicates that impurities are entering the systems. Additional tests find any pollution from fuel, water and glycol (coolant).
Oil state analysis
shows the size of reduction in viscosity of the oil. The instrument that is used compares the properties of the oil against new oil, using infrared analysis. This test allows technicians to decide how much of the oil has decomposed and if it will retain its specified properties until the next oil change.