Shell Instant Oil Analysis

[Vilan]

I haven't heard this mentioned here before. Seems like it may be for fleet owners only, but still...

www.shell.com/static/ca-en/downloads/shell_for_businesses/transport/osa_sheet.pdf

"Shell Instant Oil Analysis, the only service of its kind in Canada, uses the On-Site Analyzer (OSA) machine to evaluate small samples of oil and reveal hidden problems in the fluids and lubricants, engines, transmissions, and power steering systems of your fleet. It only takes a few drops of oil and about ten minutes to process the sample, and you’ll receive a comprehensive, easy to read diagnosis of your vehicle."

 

[Audi Junkie]

I dunno if it can do a physical analysis from a "few drops", maybe just elemental.

 

[George7941]

Our local Freightliner dealer offers this service for a fee of $20. They have the Shell Oil Analyser on site. Some of the parts counter guys have taken the (minimal) training required to operate the machine. I have used this service a few times and have since switched to the Caterpillar dealer (Toromont Cat) since Toromont has a dedicated fluid analysis lab. They are even cheaper than Freightliner, at $18.95 per analysis.

While only a few drops are used for the actual analysis, they give you a sample bottle to fill and the bottle holds about 100 ml.

I trust a lab more than I do parts counter guys some of whom know very little about trucks in general, let alone oil, and couldn't care less.

The machine breaks down sometimes and therefore they cannot do the analysis. Other times the machine does not generate the numbers in the oil analysis (Si 15, Fe 8 etc) but just gives you its recommendation - Oil still serviceable, or Too much sludge, change oil etc. The parts counter dummies of course do not know how to retrieve the numbers from the machine when this happens.

In conclusion, the On-site analyser is ok to use if you cannot get the oil to a lab, but the lab service is superior.

 

[George7941]

I should add, the Shell On-site Analyzer service is available to everybody, not just fleets. A guy can walk in off the street with an oil sample and they will analyze the oil. I have had oil samples from my gasoline-powered Sierra analyzed by the machine.