Engine Oil Analysis

You might try this web site.

http://www.noria.com

The manufacturer of the engine must advise you what is inside the engine made of aluminum and bronze, and they can look at the oil analysis for you as well. A Caterpillar dealer may have a book about all engines and what is inside as they do oil analysis for hire and have such books for aircraft, tractors, cars, etc. Bronze is usually a cam bushing or thrust plates behind gears and can also be a bearing backing. Aluminum is pistons and can also be a cam bushing. It also depends on how many hours (km) is on the oil. If you have 1000 ppm of Aluminum on oil that is 50000 km old it may be normal. Whereas 1000 ppm of aluminum on oil that is 50 km is a disaster. And was the oil taken mid stream with a suction gun from the dip stick or drained off the bottom? Was it warm and mixed? Many things affect accurate oil samples. Chrome would be rings, so it could be you have worn pistons, no rings left, and blow-by can ruin oil and cause lubrication issues and bearing rubbing (bronze). Do a compression or leak down test, and pull the oil pan and a main and rod bearing.

Petro power has given you excellent advice.

The Component list for your specific engine is where to start. Also, frequency of oil changes???

If your diesel is a cat, you may find that these folks fit the bill:

http://www.mustangcat.com/service/sos.shtml

Aluminum can be found on cummins cylinder heads. Is your client using the proper oil???

milo

The experts on the oil analysis of that engine are the manufacturers of that engine. Try to get a complete printed readout of the analysis results. contact an authorized service center for that make and submit for recommendations. All of the ideas have been good, but narrow your search to the experts in Detroits.

I once had an engine with oil in the water. All of the collective knowledge said pull the head off and look for gasket, head, or block damage. While looking for a gasket set before digging in, the counterman that had worked on Wakeshas before asked "Have you checked the freeze out plug under the valve cover?"

One freeze out plug and a valve cover gasket was all it needed. Plus the correct knowledge. Good luck.

Send me the particulars on your engine and this can be easily worked out. One key thing to remember is that for oil samples to be of any real assistance you need to offer all available information to the lab;

hours on engine

hours on oil

make up oil added since change

fuel consumed since change

filter type and micron rating

engine model, serial, application

emdmechanic@hotmail.com

You should check to see which parts of the engine are aluminium or bronze. The only diesel engines I know that had bronze parts were quite old (valve guides, seats and bushings). Aluminium would come from the cylinder head/camshaft assembly. Check clearances..

Oil that has been recycled from newer autos contains high concentrations of these metals. These oils have had traces of iron and steel removed magnetically leaving the non-ferrous metals behind.

The oil lab should be able to identify which parts are worn, due to their experience looking at trends for that type of engine. If they say the numbers are excessive, then they can probably tell you what failed first. They also have the history, hopefully, and can give more information as to the cause.

Thank you all for the insightful posts.

- A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.

- William Shakespeare