Second opinions
Send a report you are unsure about. We will read it against the published methods and tell you what it says, at no cost.
Division 03. Oil & fuel analysis
A number you can act on, and the method that produced it.
Analysis is only worth what the decision it triggers is worth. Every Malina report gives the value, the method it came from, the limit it is measured against, the trend, and the action we recommend, in that order.
01. The chain
Four steps, and the first one decides the other three.
Most disputed results trace back to how the sample was drawn, not to what the laboratory did with it.
Step 01
Sampling
Fixed points, labelled permanently. Live line for oil, low point for fuel tanks. Certified-clean bottles, flushed ports, machine at operating condition.
Step 02
Custody
Each bottle logged against its point and date on collection, so a result can always be traced back to a specific system on a specific day.
Step 03
Testing
A fixed slate per fluid type, extended when the previous round flagged something. Methods named by number on the report.
Step 04
Interpretation
Results trended against the system's own baseline and its alarm limits, with a written recommendation and an escalation call on any alarm-band result.
02. The slates
What gets tested, by fluid.
These are the default panels. They are adjusted for the fluid, the duty and whatever the last round of data flagged.
Lubricating & hydraulic oil
| Test | Method |
|---|---|
| Varnish potential (MPC) | ASTM D7843 |
| Oxidative life (RPVOT) | ASTM D2272 |
| Antioxidant reserve | ASTM D6971 |
| Particle count | ISO 4406 |
| Water content | ASTM D6304 |
| Viscosity at 40 °C | ASTM D445 |
| Acid number | ASTM D664 |
| FTIR oxidation | ASTM D7414 |
| Elemental / wear metals | ASTM D5185 |
Diesel & stored fuel
| Test | Method |
|---|---|
| Water & sediment | ASTM D2709 |
| Appearance, clear & bright | ASTM D4176 |
| Cleanliness code | ISO 4406 |
| Particulate contamination | ASTM D6217 |
| Microbial activity | ASTM D7687 |
| Oxidation stability | ASTM D2274 |
| Flash point | ASTM D93 |
| Density at 15 °C | ASTM D4052 |
| Sampling practice | ISO 3170 / 3171 |
03. Programmes
Scheduled monitoring, not one-off curiosity.
A single result is a data point. A trend is a decision. Programmes exist so you get the second one.
| Tier | Interval | Scope | Escalation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Quarterly | Core panel, trended report | Written, with the report |
| Plus | Monthly | Core panel plus MPC and RPVOT | Same-day call on alarm |
| Critical | Monthly plus inline | Full panel, inline water and particle sensors | 24/7 escalation contact |
New fluid on receipt
Incoming lubricant and fuel tested against its own data sheet before it enters a machine or a tank.
Failure investigation
Post-failure fluid and debris analysis to separate a lubrication cause from a mechanical one.
Note for the Malina team: state plainly which of these methods are run in your own laboratory and which are subcontracted, name the partner laboratory and its accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025 or equivalent), and confirm the turnaround time you can actually hold, before publishing this page.
Start the trend
One sample is where every programme begins.
Send us a sample, or a report from someone else. Either way you get an answer you can act on.