How to get more LIFE out of your OIL

Any piece of equipment that requires oil: engines, hydraulic systems, transmissions, gear boxes etc, has ways to be tuned and operated to ensure the best possible lubrication protection.

From selecting the proper grade to boosting the lubricating qualities, improving filtration or simply doing oil analysis; there are things your oil can tell you that could save you money in repairs and frustration in your life and help you get more LIFE out of your OIL

Understanding the life cycle of OIL

Unlike what many people often think, not all oils are created equal and are therefore not equally equipped to deal with all operating conditions.  Across the spectrum of oils there are those designed for engine use, gear box and oil bath use, hydraulics, pneumatics, and plenty of niche markets that require specialized lubricants to meet their specific needs (like Turbine oil, actuator oil or custom blends for manufacturing).

All oil products start with a base stock.  Base stocks are typically hydrocarbon chains that are derived from various sources and are treated through many processing techniques.  Base stock selection can be critical to the end performance and stability of an oil in use.

All oil products are also formulated with additive chemistry that performs all of the working functions of the oil.  This chemistry has a wide range of solutions to lubricant needs, and creating a balanced formula is a delicate science.  Each type of oil has different concentrations of additive chemistry - hydraulic oil for example has very little where engine oil can have up to 25% of the volume being made up by additives.  The ideal oil to use is the one with the right amount of additive chemistry to do the job most efficiently.

In an oil's service life it goes through phases from new, fully functioning oil; to active duty oil that is still performing the desired results; to contaminated or expired oil that is due for replacement. Once the oil goes into the reservoir, sump or equipment, the only way to really monitor it's service life is through an oil monitoring program.  Following oil analysis trends can tell you exactly what is going on with your oil, and in many cases help catch issues related to component failure or contamination of your oil.

 Why use Oil Analysis

If you are serious about increasing the service life of your fluid then spending the time and money to monitor your oil through analysis programs is the most effective way to go.  Experienced fleet managers can make educated guesses about fluids, but without a chemical analysis trend to monitor, conditions can vary greatly between engine types and operating conditions which too often results in equipment failure and costly downtime. Using Oil analysis properly will help you know not only when to change your fluids, but also where you can extend them, and if using a PowerUp product is going to give you the benefits you need.

Many modern vehicles are now equipped with an oil life monitoring system which mathematically calculates your oil change intervals based on your driving habits.  These systems are extremely helpful for the average consumer, however they do not give the benefits of obtaining a detailed chemical analysis of the oil.

What to look for 

Some of the key indicators in an oil analysis that will show how much life is left in used oil are:

• Wear metal concentrations, 
• Oil acidity (Relationship of TBN to TAN), 
• Additive chemistry depletion, 
• Other contamination (such as water or glycol presence).  

The color or scent of the oil may have some small significance, but really have nothing to do with the overall lifespan of an oil.

In most cases the general rule is to change your oil before it has reached it's maximum life span (where one or all of these factors have reached their maximum threshold).  This is good practice because the cost of regular maintenance is often much cheaper than the replacement cost of a vehicle or piece of equipment.  However by careful monitoring and knowing how your operating conditions are affecting the overall lifespan of your oil will help you to obtain the maximum service life.

There are cases where careful monitoring and selecting the right oil/oil blend will provide you with longer and more effective fluid life.  Using the trends established by analysis you can compare different oils/oil blends within the operating conditions specific to your engine or piece of equipment.  This customized approach will help you make decisions about what lubricant is best and how to achieve greater life out of your oil.

Improving filtration

One of the most common reasons to replace oil is the level of contamination.  Wear metals and other contaminants often reach unacceptable levels much quicker than the degradation of base oils through sheering or oxidation, or additives through depletion. To help increase the valuable life of an oil, consider improving the level of filtration performed by the OEM filter or by using a bypass unit.  Use of these advanced filtration techniques can eliminate the presence of wear metals and contaminants from building up in the oil and provide long term savings by greatly extending the service life of the fluid.

When to use the enhanced additive chemistry found in PowerUp products

The enhanced additive chemistry found in PowerUp products is designed using the same proven chemistry used in most modern API and OEM certified oils. The purpose of these products is to help extend fluid life during severe service conditions (as defined in OEM operating manuals). These products may also be used when operating outside of the "normal" conditions as defined by the OEM at your discretion. Use of PowerUp products will not affect the manufacturer warranty, however operating outside the limits of equipment design may limit the OEM's liability during the warranty period. 

Using the additive chemistry found in PowerUp products is recommended for:

• Applications such as extended oil change intervals where analysis indicates life in the oil but a depletion in the additive components.
• To help reduce wear metals by providing extra protection in boundary lubrication conditions through enhanced fluid strength in critical areas where tight tolerances and high pressures exist. 
• In equipment that suffers from chronic oil problems by design such as sludging or inadequate oil pressure.
• Can also assist in enhancing the sheer stability of the oil, keeping the oil at the right grade longer.

The important thing to consider is that PowerUp lubricants contain advanced additive chemistry.  The purpose of these products is to obtain the maximum performance, protection and service life from the oil that it is used with.  PowerUp lubricants will not fix mechanical issues, such as damaged seals or worn out bearings; however use of PowerUp products in older equipment can often lengthen damaged component life to avoid emergency repairs.  PowerUp lubricants are developed by the same science that brings you some of the worlds most renowned lubricant products.