Keeping track of vehicle health is an integral part of running a fleet business. There are many aspects to tracking fleet health, and telematics helps fleet managers worldwide stay on top of all of their vehicles. Analyzing engine oil is one significant step that fleets can take to improve fleet health and find problems or positives in their fleet’s vehicles and operations. Engine oil analysis is a three-step process that fleets take to improve the reliability of their vehicles, extend vehicle life, and reduce maintenance costs. This article will explain what engine oil analysis is, how to check engine oil, and the benefits of keeping track of your fleet’s oil.
What is Engine Oil Analysis, and How Do You Do It?
Engine oil analysis involves three steps. It must be performed at regular intervals to ensure you can track trends and patterns.
- Taking a Sample
You need to make sure that you take a clean sample, so your results are not contaminated and inaccurate. To ensure your sample is accurate, use a clean, dry container and label it with all the necessary information that the lab will need. This may include fluid name, equipment type, miles on the vehicle or hours of operation, or anything else that the lab requests. If you need containers, you can usually obtain them from the lab doing your engine oil analysis.
Before taking a sample, be sure to wipe the sampling point with a rag and flush a small amount of oil to eliminate any foreign contaminants. Then, you should be able to take a clean, accurate sample.
- Send to a Qualified Lab
Send your sample to a qualified oil analysis lab as soon as possible. Delays can lead to an inability to diagnose serious problems, and you may even lose a vehicle or piece of equipment as a result. A qualified lab will test the oil based on standard testing regimes and provide you with a report via email or online. Next, it is up to you to interpret these reports.
- Interpreting Results
One of the most important aspects of oil analysis is looking at trends over time in your vehicles and machines. If your lab stores previous analysis results online, it will be easy to track the necessary data, but if not, you will want to have a place to store all of your lab reports. With a baseline for what is typical for your vehicles, it will be easy to detect any abnormalities or problems.
The Benefits of Engine Oil Analysis
Preventative Maintenance
Engine oil analysis allows you to detect problems with a fleet before they cause breakdowns on the road. Evaluating lubricant on a routine basis highlights minor mechanical issues that can become severe later and become expensive to fix. Preventative maintenance is an essential aspect of fleet management, and engine oil analysis is one way that fleets can accomplish it.
Reduce Wear and Tear
Contaminants in oil such as fuel, coolant, and soot can all cause excessive wear and tear on vehicles and even reduce their lifespan. With engine oil analysis, you can find signs of these contaminants and correct them, giving your vehicles a longer and more productive life on your fleet. When your vehicles last longer, you save significant amounts of money and time it takes to replace them, making your fleet more efficient as well.
Save Money
Engine oil analysis helps fleets save money by promoting preventative maintenance and keeping fleets productive. Breakdowns are costly, reducing jobs that a business can complete compounding with the cost of repairs. The cost of engine oil analysis can pay for itself if it detects a mechanical problem early and keeps your vehicles on the road. It is an easy way to save money on expensive repairs later down the line.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to engine oil analysis, and it’s not a challenging task if you take the time to do it regularly. The money and time you save by preventing costly repairs makes engine oil analysis worth it every time, whether it reports a problem or not. For more advice on making your fleet more efficient and saving your business money, follow Azuga’s blog. We are the leaders in fleet technology and offer fleet health tracking solutions that can help you stay on top of your preventative maintenance as well.
