FAQs

The ISO 17025:2005 Standard is an evolution of the former ISO Guide 25 and is now the international standard for calibration and testing laboratories. Accredited laboratories must demonstrate that they operate according to a Quality System that covers all processes, documentation and a Quality Management System and that they generate technically valid results taking into account equipment, procedures and personnel.

A2LA's accreditation of a laboratory's compliance with ISO 17025:2005 is the highest level of quality attainable by a testing laboratory. Dedicated to formally recognizing competent testing and calibration laboratories, A2LA is the most stringent accrediting body in the industry.

Oil analysis is a diagnostic, preventative maintenance tool for monitoring and evaluating lubricant and equipment conditions. It allows you to maximize asset performance and reliability by identifying minor problems before they become major failures. It can extend oil drain intervals and, ultimately, the life of your equipment — saving you time AND money.

Although the original equipment manufacturer's recommendations provide a good starting point for developing preventative maintenance practices, sampling intervals can easily vary. How critical a piece of equipment is to production is a major consideration for determining sampling frequency, as are environmental factors such as hot, dirty operating conditions, short trips with heavy loads and excessive idle times. Click here for Sampling Intervals and Locations by Equipment Type.

Consult our list of sampling equipment and supplies to determine what sampling system and procedure will work best for the type of equipment you want to test. For step-by-step instructions by sampling equipment type, click on How to Take a Sample. Our chart for Sampling Intervals and Locations by Equipment Type outlines by component how often and from what locations samples should be taken.

POLARIS Laboratories® processes most routine samples within 24-48 hours. Results and recommendations are available via HORIZON, our real-time internet service, within 15 minutes of completion. Reports can also be faxed and/or mailed.

It is extremely important to provide your laboratory with accurate lubricant AND equipment information. In preparing the sample for shipping to the laboratory, completely fill out the sample bottle label and the enclosed Component Registration Form. The CRF must be completed the first time a component is sampled or if changes need to be made to that component's laboratory file information. Apply the sample bottle label to the sample bottle and place it, along with the CRF, inside the black safety shipping container. Complete the mailer return address label and apply it to the shipping container, affix the appropriate postage and mail. It is highly recommended that a trackable mail service be used for shipping samples to our laboratories. You may also register equipment information with POLARIS Laboratories® by completing an Equipment List before you begin sampling.

Trend Analysis is based on a series of sample results where changes in the condition of the fluid and increased wear elements can indicate the development of problems that can affect lube and unit performance. Trend Analysis plays an important role in determining proper drain intervals as well as in predicting equipment failure.

Yes. Oil Analysis provides vital information as to the condition of both the oil and the unit being tested. It can detect wear and contamination problems that, if left unchecked, can severely effect equipment performance or cause failure.

The most commonly requested oil analysis tests are:

• Elemental Analysis by ICP
• Fuel Dilution
• Soot
• Water by Crackle
• Viscosity
• Oxidation
• Nitration
• Total Acid
• Total Base Number
• Particle Count
• Particle Quantifier
• Direct Read Ferrography
• Analytical Ferrography

Sampling Intervals & Locations Chart

Test equipment may not be the same. Even if identical, calibration standards must be maintained and the same test methods used in order to achieve the same or even similar test results. If accurate results are the main concern, send two or three identical samples to the same laboratory to ensure repeatability and degree of uncertainty.

• Elemental Analysis by ICP
• Fuel Dilution
• Soot
• Water by Crackle
• Viscosity
• Oxidation
• Nitration
• Total Acid Number
• Total Base Number
• Particle Count
• Particle Quantifier
• Direct Read Ferrography
• Analytical Ferrography

Sampling Intervals & Locations Chart>

• If there is an engine performance problem, take a sample of the engine fuel and have it tested for performance properties.

• If you have bulk delivery shipments to your terminals, each shipment should be tested for basic properties.

• Possible contamination, sabotage or vandalism is cause for testing.

• Large bulk reservoirs should be tested at least twice a year for basic properties - Water & Sediment, and Bacteria, Fungi & Mold.

• If you are blending #1 & #2 Diesel Fuel for winter applications, Cloud Point, Pour Point will tell you if you have reached the desired level of protection.

• If you are blending anti-gel additives with bulk fuel, testing may be necessary.

It is a fact that 40% of all engine failures can be attributed to cooling system problems. If inhibitors, pH, Nitrites, SCA (Supplemental Coolant Additive), % Antifreeze, Freeze Point and Acid Content are not maintained at the proper levels, coolants can reek havoc on an engine.

Engine coolants should be tested at least twice a year, once before winter sets in and again right before summer.

POLARIS Laboratories® recommends every 500 hours or 3 months for Level I or Level II analysis and every 1000 hours or 6 months for Level III analysis. Education and training are key to understanding cooling system preventive maintenance and coolant analysis. Click on Training and Consultation on the Products menu to view the POLARIS Laboratories® training schedule.

Yes, water in all parts of the country is different. The reaction of water to heat in an engine will be determined by the contaminants that the Antifreeze and Supplemental Coolant Additives can correct in the source water.

POLARIS Laboratories® recommends every 500 hours or 3 months for Level I or Level II analysis and every 1000 hours or 6 months for Level III analysis. Education and training are key to understanding cooling system preventive maintenance and coolant analysis. Click on Training and Consultation on the Products menu to view the POLARIS Laboratories® training schedule.

Simply changing your coolant may not solve and rarely identifies the cause of a cooling system problem. If not properly identified and corrected, many cooling system problems can escalate, causing even more damage to other components. A quality coolant analysis program can identify electrical ground problems, combustion gas leaks, air leaks, localized overheating, etc. which could cost the owner thousands of dollars in repairs, equipment downtime, and/or replacement. Coolant analysis is more than just testing the coolant. It monitors the system's overall health and allows users to take action before further damage or engine failure occurs.

Yes, if we know what the original product is supposed to be. Organic acid coolants don't have the typical inhibitors found in conventional products, such as silicates, phosphates and borates. However, hybrids - or conversion coolants - do. This makes it difficult to determine when mixing has occurred unless the original product is known.

Level III testing will determine the coolant's corrosiveness and potential to form scale as well as identify SCA (supplemental coolant additives) and inhibitor levels outside of OEM and ASTM specifications, the potential for damage and corrective actions.

Price depends on formulation, brand and quantity. Differences in cost are usually due to the amount of copper inhibitor and the number of antifoaming agents used. Always consider the value of the equipment you're trying to protect - not the price of the antifreeze - when deciding what antifreeze to use.

We perform ASTM Mod. D6130 - Elemental Analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma. As the sample is vaporized by argon plasma, an optic reads the spectrum of light each metal emits. Results are reported in ppm.

Yes. Freeze Point and Boil Point are then calculated from this percentage. Boil Point is reported at sea level with no pressure.

POLARIS Laboratories® also tests oil for pH. To differentiate between the two, we refer to coolant pH as PW or "pH waters."

It is a calculation of calcium and magnesium ppm reported by ICP

In this type of formulation the nitrite level is typically low, around 400 - 600 ppm because they also include molybdates and tolytriazole.

Testing the coolant before conversion is recommended so that the condition of both the coolant and the cooling system is known. pH alone is not going to identify all problems. If analysis does not identify any problems, conversion can be done safely. The new formulation becomes a hybrid.

The primary test for the detection of dirt is Elemental Analysis by ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma). Most dirt consists of Alumina/Silica or Silicon and Aluminum. POLARIS Laboratories® reports 24 metals by ICP.

There is a direct relationship between dirt or Silicon and Iron. If Silicon goes up and Iron goes up with it at relatively the same rate, the silicon is dirt. If Iron does not go up when silicon goes up then it is most likely from a silicone sealant or possibly from a silicone-based anti-foam agent.

Sodium and Potassium are the primary inhibitor carriers in anti-freeze. They are detected through Elemental Analysis by ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) and reported under Contaminant Metals. Secondary elements that may also indicate a coolant leak include Silicon/Silicates, Boron/Borates, Phosphorus/Phosphates and Molybdenum/Molybdates.

POLARIS Laboratories® will use ASTM D2892 only as a confirmation test and only upon customer request. POLARIS Laboratories® does not perform this test routinely because of the possibility of false negatives and false positives. Although coolant may be present in the oil, the engine may be running hot enough to burn off the glycol. However, residual Sodium and/or Potassium from the coolant inhibitors, as well as the secondary metals listed in the previous answer above, will always be present making metal detection by ICP the most reliable test for detecting a coolant leak.

When a metal is flagged we are telling you that the value is higher than what is statistically normal for that unit type based on the results of hundreds of thousands of like samples in our database for the same manufacturer and model. On the POLARIS Laboratories® oil analysis report, severity is based on the following calculations. Degree of severity is indicated by color. The following example illustrates how severity levels are determined for an Iron result with an initial flagging point (IFP) of 57ppm (parts per million).

Fuel Dilution is raw, unburned fuel that gets past the rings and ends up in the crankcase. It is caused by over-fueling, excessive idling, damaged injector tips, a high fuel to air ratio, irregular ring seating or the fuel pump is turned up to high.

Generally speaking, >5.0% is too much and the cause should be investigated. At 5.0% or higher, the viscosity of the oil has thinned out dramatically meaning reduced oil film strength. At this point, the engine will experience more wear from metal to metal contact. POLARIS Laboratories® severity levels for fuel dilution are:

• Severity 0 — Normal = <2.0%
• Severity 1 — Green Flag = 2.0 — 3.4%
• Severity 2 — Yellow Flag = 3.5 — 4.9%
• Severity 3 — Orange Flag = 5.0 — 6.9%
• Severity 4 — Red Flag = 7.0% and higher

Because fuel is much thinner than oil, viscosity will drop significantly meaning the oil becomes thinner. Metallic additives in the oil such as Boron, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Zinc, will also become diluted which reduces film strength and increases wear if not corrected with proper maintenance.

Soot is a by-product of the combustion process in a diesel engine — a carbon residue formed from fuel air and moisture in the combustion chamber after ignition. Soot particles are held in suspension by dispersant additives in the oil preventing the soot particles from agglomerating (sticking together) and attaching to the rings, pistons and liners. These suspended particles are what turn diesel engine oil black. When too much soot is generated and the additives can no longer keep it suspended, deposits will form on the rings weakening the seal between the pistons and cylinder liners. Upper end wear to rings, liners and pistons begins and if not corrected, will eventually cause severe lower end wear to the main and rod bearings, crankshaft, camshaft, cam bushing and turbo bearing.

POLARIS Laboratories® has set its initial flagging point for soot in a diesel engine at 2.0% because it is at this level that wear metals such as Iron, Chrome, Nickel and Aluminum from rings, liners and pistons begin to increase. POLARIS Laboratories® severity levels for soot are:

• Severity 0 — Normal 0.1 — 1.9%
• Severity 1 — Green Flag = 2.0 — 3.4%
• Severity 2 — Yellow Flag = 3.5 — 4.9%
• Severity 3 — Orange Flag = 5.0 — 6.9%
• Severity 4 — Red Flag = >7.0%

If too high, soot can affect all wear metals at some point. Once soot begins to exceed 3 — 4%, viscosity will increase because soot thickens the oil. Excessive soot will also cause the oil's TBN (Total Base Number) to drop faster than normal because soot increases the formation of acids which must be neutralized to prevent wear from occurring.

Viscosity is a measurement of a fluid's resistance to flow at temperature. In other words, viscosity is the film strength or thickness of the oil. It is considered the most important fluid property test for oils because a change in viscosity can be an indication of many problems such as oxidation, nitration, water contamination, soot contamination (engines), shearing (when molecules are split), coolant contamination or mixing lubes with different viscosities.

The most common reason for a decrease in viscosity in both industrial and mobile applications is lube mixing — adding a lower viscosity oil to a system that contains a higher viscosity oil. A decrease in viscosity may also be cause by fuel dilution, shearing of the viscosity index improver additives (see shearing below) and contamination from solvents or process chemicals.

Shearing occurs primarily in mobile applications using a multi-viscosity oil such as 5W30, 10W30, 15W40, 15W50, 70W90, 75W90, 80W90, 80W140 or 85W140. When the oil companies make a multi-vis oil, they start with a lower grade oil such as a 15W or a 15W40, and add viscosity index improvers to it. When the oil is cold, these VI improver molecules are inactive and the oil's viscosity is that of the thinner grade. When the oil heats up at higher operating temperatures, the VI improver molecules stick together and the oil thickens. As the oil passes through areas with tight clearances, such as the gear train, VI improver molecules may shear (be cut down) and cause viscosity to decrease.

Everything that is exposed to oxygen will eventually oxidize. Oil is exposed to extreme heat as well as oxygen. As temperatures increase, so does the rate of oxidation. For every 18° F above 160° F, the oxidation rate of the oil doubles. Oxidation produces acids that cause the oil to thicken and in the process also cause corrosive wear.

Nitration is usually the result of an imbalance in the engine's air to fuel ratio. When the engine runs too lean, meaning there's too much air and not enough fuel, nitration occurs. Nitrous Oxide (NOx) becomes entrained in the oil which can form nitric acid that will eventually will lead to corrosive wear. Although nitration is more common in natural gas engines, it has become a more evident problem in diesel engines since 2002.

In both oxidation and nitration, acid formation occurs, so TAN (Total Acid Number) will increase. Acid formation increases viscosity and also depletes TBN (Total Base Number) because the oil must work harder to neutralize these acids.

The ISO code is a cleanliness code that is based on the number of particles detected at three different micron levels. It is a three-tiered code based on the number of particles >4, >6 & >14µm (microns) detected at those levels. It was designed to be a quick reference for identifying the cleanliness level of a fluid as related to particulates. Read more about the ISO Code.

There is not a direct correlation between the ISO Particle Count and the Elemental Analysis by ICP. The particle count is counting all particles greater than 4µm (microns) that are organic or non-organic, metallic or non-metallic. This may include water beyond 300ppm (parts per million) or 0.03%. The particle count counts everything including metals, salts, oxides, silicon additives, filter fibers, rag fibers etc. Optical Particle Count (laser) will count not only hard deposit-type particles but also soft particles such as varnish agglomerations, grease droplets, o ring type seals, fly ash, etc. Also, the ICP will not detect metals >10ppm.