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Lube Oil Analysis Kit

Name: Lube Oil Analysis Kit
SKU: LUBEKIT1
Price: 35.09 GBP
Availability: InStock

Store / Oil Testing / Oil Analysis

£35.09

Bulk pricing available for quantities of 3 units or more

Lube Kits

UK Only

International (Non-Prepaid Postage)

Tubing

Standard Tubing

Narrowbore (Engine Sampling)

In stock

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Quantity	Price per item	Discount
3 items	£31.58	10% off
11 items	£29.83	15% off
51 items	£28.07	20% off
101 items	£26.32	25% off

Product Details

Our LUBEKIT1 is the go-to analysis kit for monitoring lubrication oils at your facility. This versatile kit is suitable for various lubrication oils, including engine, hydraulic, gearbox, turbines, and more. Every sample will undergo a comprehensive assessment for wear, contamination & chemistry.

Each kit includes a convenient 60ml sample bottle, our standard analysis only requires 60ml of liquid, and for our UK customers we provide a PRE-PAID return address labels, ensuring a hassle-free return of your samples with no additional cost to you. International buyers are responsible for the charges on postage back to the UK for analysis.

The LUBEKIT1 is equipped to carry out a range of tests, including:

Wear Debris Analysis

The following wear tests are carried out on all lubrication oil samples we receive.

Elemental Analysis – This involves examining a diverse array of metals, including aluminium, copper, iron, lead and much more. This process aims to detect signs of wear on engine components. The results are presented in PPM (Parts Per Million), providing valuable insights into the presence and levels of these metals, aiding in the assessment of potential component wear.
FW/PQ Idx – The FW Idx is a quantitative measure of the ferrous material present in your sample. Samples with numerous fine ferrous particles or a substantial number of large ferrous particles will yield a higher FW index.

Contamination Analysis

When testing for contaminates in oil the following tests are carried out on all lubrication oils we receive at our laboratory.

Water K.Fischer – The Karl Fischer test precisely measures the quantity of free and dissolved water molecules present in an oil sample, reported as a percentage. For engines, the specification is typically less than 0.2% water. It’s crucial to note that exceeding this limit doesn’t necessarily indicate a fault, it could be due to factors like condensation. Therefore, it should be assessed in conjunction with other parameters and operating conditions. Its important to recognise that chemically absorbing filtration is required for complete water removal, as coalescing alone may not eliminate all emulsified and dissolved water.
Boron - Functioning as a corrosion inhibitor, anti-wear, and antioxidant additive, boron is a versatile element found in varying concentrations depending on the oil brand. Additionally, boron is utilised in extreme pressure compounds and dispersants. It may also appear as a contaminant, introduced through the manufacturing of coolant conditioners. Sources of boron include water, coolant, worn seals, or airborne dust.
Silicon - While silicon is commonly associated with dirt entry, it can have diverse sources. It is a component of chemicals added to oils to prevent foaming, making it an additive. Typically, new engine oil samples may contain silicon in concentrations ranging for 5 to 10 ppm, reflecting its role as an additive rather than indicating dirt contamination. Additionally, silicon can be present as a contaminant in the case of internal coolant leaks, along with sodium.
Sodium - The presence of sodium is often the initial sign of an internal coolant leak, as most common chemicals contain this element. Coolant conditioners may also introduce chemicals with elements like molybdenum, phosphorus, chromium etc. Furthermore, elements constituting the physical structure of the cooling system, such as copper, tin, lead, and silver, can potentially leach into the oil, either from the water or oil side of the cooler. While sodium can be an additive in certain engine oils, it’s less common today, often replacing calcium or magnesium.

Particle Count (ISO) – Particle counting serves as a test for assessing particle contaminant levels, focusing on overall contamination rather than specifically distinguishing between wear debris and dirt particles. In cases where nonferrous contamination remains stable, any increase in particle count is indicative of wear. To isolate ferrous debris, a magnet can be employed to modify the particle count, holding back ferrous debris while nonferrous debris is flushed from the sample. This allows for a dedicated ferrous debris particle count. Results are typically reported according to ISO 4406:2017, providing a three-digit solid contamination code (ISO). Its crucial to perform the test accurately, and comparisons should only be made between results obtained using the same method. Its important to note that this test is not conducted on engine oils and is only performed on gear oil upon request.

ENGINE OIL ANALYSIS ONLY (Recommended LUBEKIT1-NB)

IR Soot - This is produced as a result of the incomplete combustion of fuel. It is made up of black, impure particles of carbon. High soot can occur due to an incorrect fuel-air ratio in the combustion chamber of an engine and also a blocked air filter. Faulty injectors can also lead to an increase in soot. High soot levels can cause sticking rings, piston damage and bore polishing. Reported in percentage allowable.

Chemistry Analysis

When testing the chemical make-up of an oil the following tests are carried out on all lubrication oils we receive at our laboratory.

Elemental Additive Detection - Testing for Calcium, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Zinc and Manganese to ensure the correct additives within the oil are present ensuring the oil condition and is fit for use. Values are reported in PPM (Parts Per Million)
Oil Viscosity - Monitoring oil’s viscosity is a critical factor in extending a machines life and overall reliability, accurate monitoring and managing of oil’s viscosity can also prevent costly breakdowns. The viscosity of an oil is the most important physical effect of an oil and plays a role in energy efficiency. Measured in centistokes.
Standard Test @ 40 degrees Celsius - Viscosity, or oil weight, examines the thickness or thinness of the sample oil. The test measures the time for a volume of liquid to flow under gravity, determining the kinematic viscosity of oil at 40°C. Equipment manufacturers specify viscosity when indicating machine tolerance, bearing loads and the rate of heat removal.

Additionally, Viscosity can be determined with the 100°C and index however these are not covered in the standard oil analysis and are chargeable

Additional Tests

The following tests can be included in our lube oil testing on an adhoc basis:

TAN – Total Acid Number A common misconception is that a TAN oil analysis is used to determine the acidic strength of an oil. Actually, TAN oil testing is used to find out the amount of acidic components present within the oil, i.e. the acidic concentration. To put this into context, a single molecule of animal fat would give the same TAN reading as a single molecule of hydrochloric acid, even though hydrochloric acid is by far the most corrosive of the two. Indeed, the acid present within a synthetic turbo oil is about the same strength as household vinegar! TAN Oil analysis is crucial to maintaining the mechanical integrity of equipment and to prevent internal damage to components. An oil's TAN will increase with the passage of time or if exposed to high running temperatures - the oil becomes oxidised (high temperatures cause oil molecules react with the oxygen within the air). Oxidation severely affects an oil's ability to protect internal components and can also affect the viscosity. In synthetic turbo oils, hydrolysis (a chemical reaction involving water) can also cause an increase in the TAN, especially when the oil is subject to heat. The TAN is defined as the weight (in milligrams) of a standard base (e.g. potassium hydroxide, KOH) that's required to neutralise all of the acidic components within the oil. Its unit is mg KOHg-1 (milligrams of KOH per gram). An initial decrease in TAN is no cause for concern - some of the lighter acid compounds present within the oil when it was manufactured will evaporate away which will in turn reduce the TAN.

TBN-Total Base Number Oils are continually exposed to acidic compounds which cause the oil to turn more acidic. This is particularly true of crankcase oils. In an attempt to combat this problem, manufacturers give the oil a 'reserve alkalinity' which is designed to 'cancel out' any acidity which forms in the oil during use. The TBN determines how effective the battle will be against any acids formed during the combustion process. A higher TBN means the oil has more reserve alkalinity available which can be used to reduce the corrosive effects of acids. A low TBN can also reduce the detergency of an oil and can therefore lead to fouling within the crankcase. As a general rule of thumb, if the TBN is measured at 2.0mg KOH g-1 or less, or if it's 50% of the virgin oil TBN, the oil is considered unfit for engine protection and there is a risk that corrosion could take place. The use of a high sulphur fuel will decrease the TBN at a faster rate due to the increased formation of sulphuric acid.

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