Engine oil analysis for aircraft is an essential element of long-term powerplant health, for both Experimental and certified aircraft. KITPLANES’ Marc Cook shows how easy it is to take a sample and what to make of the results.
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In reply to “Why You Should Do Engine Oil Analysis”, I would mention that I worked in Mail Processing for USPS for many years and would like to emphasize to Pilots how MAINSTREAM this practice is. Any company who is anybody in their industry whom uses powerplants of ANY type..uses a Spectrographic Oil Analysis Program , usually by mail (Just make sure the cap is on TIGHT) SOAP is a precise Science. Catch your
potential problems BEFORE they happen.
“Why should I take all of that time?” and “But it’s EXPENSIVE to test all the time!” Those are two frequent comments I heard while i was director of an oil testing lab. #1 far less time than waiting for a rebuild, and #2 how much did that rebuild cost? The lab I ran was particulate testing only and we were not certified to do aviation, I wish we had been and that we had a spectro test also.
One thing Marc did not mention; Do NOT fill the sample bottle to the top! Most bottles have a “fill to” line on them and if not stop where Marc did, about an inch from the top. This gives the lab guys room to shake the sample and get the particles stirred back into suspension.
Oil does not wear out it just gets dirty and that dirt will shred your bearings; test it.