Marine Diesel Engine Lubrication: A critical component to avoid main engine breakdowns——On Board Tests

 Lubricating oil must be tested regularly for water content and the viscosity also needs to be monitored. It is important that the samples properly represent the condition of the oil in use, therefore they are usually taken at the inlet manifold where the oil circulating in the system enters the engine. They should be drawn before any fresh oil is added.

The ability of the separator to extract water should also be checked, taking samples from the inlet and outlet pipes and comparing the water content of both thereafter. The tests for water content and viscosity are usually carried out on board by the crew and should be repeated at weekly intervals, recording the results within the planned maintenance system. However, ascertaining whether or not the lubricating oil is acceptable in other respects requires detailed analysis by a specialised laboratorywww.yuchaiie.com