How important is Water % on analysis?

[Patman]

I was thinking this morning, how important is having that Water % on the oil analysis? Because if someone was to take a sample of their oil after driving their car only 15min, they'd probably see a higher % of water in that sample than if they had driven an hour before taking the sample. And if that person regularily drives very long trips, but on that one sample they just happen to have driven less, then the water % really doesn't mean much does it? Or am I way off base here?

 

[msparks]

I think the water is encapulated in the oil somehow.(I don't know the correct term)

Anyhow I have an analysis on my motorcycle that I took that show high % water. like 1% or something.

Anyhow when I took the sample I had just return from a High temperature/High speed trip of over 150 miles. If there was any moisture in the oil it would have been evaporated. So I believe once it is in there it is not removed by high oil temps.

My typical driving for that change was short trips of 2-5 miles followed by long weekend rides of 100+ miles. Also most of the oil change was during winter months. And I had changed it in the spring/summer(El Paso Texas)

I can post the analysis if need be. Other factors that showed high on that analysis was the %fuel and oxd/nit

 

[widman]

Showing water in an analysis tells me several things:
1. If there is water, it will explain an increase in viscosity. (Emulsions flow slower than non-emulsions)
2. If it shows water, I talk to my customer to make sure he knows to drain oil HOT. Maybe 40% do that. And also that he doesn't rinse out the sample bottle with water before filling with water - yes, they do that. I've seen people rinse out a Coke bottle, fill it, then take it inside and fill the sample bottle.
--Actually, it is a more useful parameter in gear oils, hydraulic oils, and turbine oils.
In engine oils that were properly drained, we normally only see the residuals of the evaporated water.