Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85616
Oil analysis programs can offer valuable insight into the health of any engine ANALYZE THIS at an oil analysis as the blood test. But rather than focusing on things like cholesterol or sugar, this in-depth look at used engine oil can examine everything from the health of the engine, to the condition of the oil and unwanted contaminants in the mix. Lilo Hurtado, application I engineer at ExxonMobil, lists several questions the related reports can answer: "How is my engine oil doing? Is my oil drain interval set properly or not? Is my engine feeling sick? Are there some underlying issues that are popping up that I want to take care of today, or I want to plan to take care of soon?" Th e engine wants to tell a story. Th e oil analysis report gives it the power to speak. Th e questions are hardly lim- 20 TRUCK PARTS & SERVICE | April 2012 f you think of a vehicle inspection in terms of a medical check-up, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to look ited to aging equipment, either. Owners of late-model engines oſt en will focus on contaminants that can be traced to EGR coolant leaks or other costly issues with new aſt ertreatment devices. "Anything that is coming back in the engine is ultimately going to go out the exhaust," Hurtado says. As important as this insight can be to a fl eet, it also can play a key role in a shop's customer loyalty program, adds James Gambill, Chevron Lubricants' manager – direct marketing. "Making another contact with the customer about their equip- ment really can help a loyalty program. It shows you really care and provides useful information to them. Th ey still make the busi- ness decision, but you provide information so they can make a better decision," he says. "Being that business consultant will grow trust, and when you grow trust your business will grow. " At their best, oil analysis programs look beyond individual readings and are used to identify trends that can appear before costly problems like a catastrophic engine failure. Increases in sili- con can spot unfi ltered air, and climbing levels of potassium can identify coolant leaks. "It's like an insurance policy, " says Dan Arcy, Shell Oil's OEM technical manager. "You catch those things early, you save an engine. " But identifying issues like these will require shops to consider every engine's unique characteris- tics, as well as how long the oil has been in service. "Th e readings are really wild on many wear metals in the fi rst three (oil) changes on a new engine, and then they come down to very low levels, and you can begin to see the trending," Gambill explains. "They can be five to eight times as high as what you would