By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
You may be surprised to learn that there are no less than five lubrication performance properties that are missing from nearly all in-service oil analysis reports. These are not esoteric properties that are of limited value or interest to those in charge of machine reliability. Instead, they represent the core foundation of a lubricant’s formulation and purpose. In other words, they relate to the essence of what we expect and need from a lubricant. And, these are the properties that are imparted by additives and commonly found on a lubricant’s product data sheet (spec sheet).
Don’t get me wrong; I am not suggesting that commercial oil analysis labs are duping their clients by shortchanging testing services. Many of these missing tests cannot be practically performed on routine oil samples because they are expensive, involve prolonged test periods and/or require large sample volumes. Yet it is important that the user community fully understand what they get and what they don’t get when they pay $35 for oil analysis.