Diesel Engine Condition Through Oil Analysis

This paper presents analytical lubricant technology for determining the condition of 2 and 4 cycle automotive and railroad diesel engines through used oil analysis. The paper supplements ASME paper 64-OGP-16, and SAE paper 650139 wherein two new analytical techniques were presented for gas and gasoline engine oil analyses. These two methods, in addition to used oil atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis, are presented herein and shown to predict diesel engine condition with regard to deposit level, maintenance practices, and equipment malfunction, as well as to provide information on lubricant condition and contaminants.