Regular Oil Analysis

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
We use Witham Oil's analysis service for our biogas CHP engine, and alter the engine oil change intervals depending on the results. The engine now has over 90,000 hours (yes, the correct number of zeros, it has been running continuously apart from services since 18 Feb 2011). You need to do an unused sample of your oil as well as used, to get an idea of deterioration.
 

Sharpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
We use Witham Oil's analysis service for our biogas CHP engine, and alter the engine oil change intervals depending on the results. The engine now has over 90,000 hours (yes, the correct number of zeros, it has been running continuously apart from services since 18 Feb 2011). You need to do an unused sample of your oil as well as used, to get an idea of deterioration.
What make is the engine?
 
We use Witham Oil's analysis service for our biogas CHP engine, and alter the engine oil change intervals depending on the results. The engine now has over 90,000 hours (yes, the correct number of zeros, it has been running continuously apart from services since 18 Feb 2011). You need to do an unused sample of your oil as well as used, to get an idea of deterioration.
How clean is oil with running on gas ,
 

aidan

Member
Location
Ireland
The engine is a MAN straight 6, 12 litre. The package is put together by IET in Austria, it has been a first class unit.

thats a similar engine to a truck I guess. Its turboed I presume, probably running at 1500rpm or thereabouts, 2-300hp output, or is it a much bigger power output.
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
How clean is oil with running on gas ,
oil.jpg
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
thats a similar engine to a truck I guess. Its turboed I presume, probably running at 1500rpm or thereabouts, 2-300hp output, or is it a much bigger power output.
Turbo, intercooled. Heads have spark plugs rather than injectors. It drives a 170 kW generator, so that would be 228 bhp after deduction of generator losses, so probably 250 bhp at the flywheel
 
How long between ,changes ,and is it running dry sump and pumped oil can you change it with it running like some engines do ,
🤫🤫🤫if you use jd oil will it do a million hours 🙄🙄🙄
john nickolson ,american tractors ,has an old genarator or had ,was built when he was a twinkle ,said when he bought it it was good for 100,000 hours back then think it was an 8 cylinder dorman ,pistons size of 3 gallon buckets will have to ask him about it
 

thesilentone

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cumbria
Oil analysis for a CHP unit is a must as the quality of the Biogas you are burning varies and has a massive impact on oil deterioration. Plus, if action is needed on results, you will have a plan in place I'm sure.

..and that's the crux of the issue. Depending how good the analysis results are, they can detect fairly minute impurities, so unless you have an advice package also, what are you going to do if you find 0.03% antifreeze in the oil ??

Engines wear, and the quality of your oil has a massive influence on the speed that happens (as many with magnetic sump plugs will know :ROFLMAO: )So to justify the investment what are you getting in return ?

Less wear with more oil changes ? (don't think you need an analysis to know this is beneficial)

What are the risks associated ?

What guarantees are provided if a analytical package is purchased ?

An efficient engine (like a CHP) or, put another way, an engine operating efficiently is a different beast to an engine 'pluttering around ' as operating temperatures, fuel burn and emission quality all vary.

' Real-time ' analysis is already out there, it's inevitable that some larger more expensive machinery will soon offer this feature. The results should be very interesting.

Or, you could buy a kit and DIY. You can buy them on ebay for £26.00 !!
 
Last edited:
Oil analysis for a CHP unit is a must as the quality of the Biogas you are burning varies and has a massive impact on oil deterioration. Plus, if action is needed on results, you will have a plan in place I'm sure.

..and that's the crux of the issue. Depending how good the analysis results are, they can detect fairly minute impurities, so unless you have an advice package also, what are you going to do if you find 0.03% antifreeze in the oil ??

Engines wear, and the quality of your oil has a massive influence on the speed that happens (as many with magnetic sump plugs will know :ROFLMAO: )So to justify the investment what are you getting in return ?

Less wear with more oil changes ? (don't think you need an analysis to know this is beneficial)

What are risks associated ?

What guarantees are provided if a analytical package is purchased ?

An efficient engine (like a CHP) or, put another way, an engine operating efficiently is a different beast to an engine 'pluttering around ' as operating temperatures, fuel burn and emission quality all vary.

those types of results probably won’t show up if you have antifreeze in the oil - water content isn’t terribly relevant in an engine that’s running near peak efficiency at all times as the water will flash off.

This type of analysis focussed on typical ageing of oil and the presence of wear metals from the engine. It will tell if anything significant is happening. Oxidation and nitration can certainly be a function of fuel composition, so it will give valuable information, but there will still be somethings that aren’t obvious through this type of analysis, no matter who it’s interpreted by.

Great that’s it’s available so readily at a low cost though.
 

The Son

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Spectro do ours, £60 per sample and I do it every fortnight, it has definitely paid for itself, and it does pickup antifreeze as we have had a few early warnings of cylinder head failure.

As an aside our engine has done 68,000 hours, and is being service exchanged for a new one at the beginning of October.
 
Spectro do ours, £60 per sample and I do it every fortnight, it has definitely paid for itself, and it does pickup antifreeze as we have had a few early warnings of cylinder head failure.

As an aside our engine has done 68,000 hours, and is being service exchanged for a new one at the beginning of October.

does that show up as water then, as it doesn’t look the gc the oil?
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
How long between ,changes ,and is it running dry sump and pumped oil can you change it with it running like some engines do ,
🤫🤫🤫if you use jd oil will it do a million hours 🙄🙄🙄
john nickolson ,american tractors ,has an old genarator or had ,was built when he was a twinkle ,said when he bought it it was good for 100,000 hours back then think it was an 8 cylinder dorman ,pistons size of 3 gallon buckets will have to ask him about it
It has a wet sump and a second extended sump to extend service intervals. On the original oil Mobil Pegasus 610 it would struggle to do 1000 hours on the extended sump (500 on only the engine sump), but we are now using Petro-Canada Syntron CG40 which will easily do 1300 hours and is cheaper!
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
Spectro do ours, £60 per sample and I do it every fortnight, it has definitely paid for itself, and it does pickup antifreeze as we have had a few early warnings of cylinder head failure.

As an aside our engine has done 68,000 hours, and is being service exchanged for a new one at the beginning of October.
How do you manage with Ofgem accreditation if you do a service exchange? Keep quiet?
 

Wisconsonian

Member
Trade
Surely that didn’t include the analysis too? It used to cost me a lot more to do that to do a single test, even at internal analysis rates.
Yes, addressed outer bottle, inner bottle, tubing, prepaid postage and testing. That did NOT include a particle count, just the spectrochemical analysis of ten elements, presence of antifreeze, fuel oil, water. Alowable soot, oxidation, sulfur, nitration. The only difference to the kit shown was the syringes. CAT wants you to use a vacuum pump and lid that fills the bottle. I've only used them on new to me engines of dubious origin, not the best use, it's better used on high use engines to establish trends and spot problems, or extend oil change intervals, or in high use equipment hydraulic or powertrain oil.
 

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