Several years ago, when my son was a Cub Scout, his den went on a night hike at our local wildlife sanctuary. He and I went together on this outing. We were led by a professional nature guide who worked full-time at the sanctuary. I wasn’t expecting much; after all, what can one see in the forest when it’s pitch dark?

It wasn’t long into the hike before I realized that I was nothing more than a babe in the woods. While I was concentrating on my footing along the trail, our guide was pointing out everything from faint insect smells to the luminescent trailers of caterpillars on tree branches. To her, the forest was an orchestra of sights, sounds and smells. Using only her senses, she named the species of countless birds, mammals and reptiles we encountered along the way. She was in her element … a true professional in tune with her environment. I was impressed.

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Early detection means frequent detection. While daily one-minute visual inspections have been discussed previously in Machinery Lubrication magazine, many questions remain, including where and how you inspect, what the observed conditions mean, and how you penetrate a machine’s exoskeleton exterior without X-ray vision.

There are three important inspection zones in common oil reservoirs and sumps. These zones have a story to tell about your oil and machine. They might be difficult to reach, but difficult does not mean impossible and certainly doesn’t mean unnecessary. Let’s get inside that exoskeleton and see what we need to know.

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Dipstick oil analysis may sound a little goofy, but it works. Not to mention it’s also cheap and quick. There’s only one problem – figuring out what the oil on the dipstick really means. No worry. Sit tight for five easy lessons on reading your oil dipstick.

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This is the most common form of leakage. It is also known as external leakage. Out-leakage relates to a failure of containment. Typically, liquids or gases follow the path of least resistance, going from high pressure to lower pressure. A crack, clearance, orifice or unsealed space becomes the leakage path through which the fluid, gas or even solids (aggregate) exit to the surrounding environment.

The machines most prone to oil leakage are compressors, process pumps, engines and hydraulic systems. Think of an automobile engine, the product of billions of dollars of engineering advancements spanning more than a century. As sophisticated as it might be, we still see the ubiquitous presence of oil and coolant leakage on the pavement of garages and parking lots. We, therefore, must depend heavily on early detection and prompt corrective action to keep leakage under control.

For certain machines and production processes, out-leakage can result in the contamination of the product being produced (food, beverage, paper, etc.). Hydraulic systems, due to their high pressures, are the most prone to leakage, which can occur in multiple locations but is usually seen at fittings, hoses, dynamic seals and static seals. Seals used to control out-leakage are called retention seals. Many seals attempt to serve both functions of retention and exclusion.

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