Some common solid contaminants found in used diesel engine crankcase oil include:

• Dirt and airborne dust
• Engine wear debris
• Rust
• Fuel soot
• Manufacturing or rebuild debris
• Failed filter debris

Call for Abstracts – Lubed, Reliable and Lean 2007

Share your interesting case studies, personal expertise and new ideas as a speaker at the 2007 Lubrication Excellence, Reliability World and Lean Manufacturing Conferences, May 15-17 in Louisville, Kentucky. Send abstracts and program ideas to awegener@noria.com.

From the "Lubrication Excellence, Reliability World, Lean Manufacturing 2006 Conference Proceedings":

Selecting breathers may seem like a task that requires very little effort. A good sales rep, a quantity discount and you should have your air breather needs figured out. Unfortunately it's not all that easy. We need to consider many things when selecting a breather for a specific application. We must consider manufacturing environment, humidity, past component contamination history, criticality and penalty of failure for both the component and the fluid. In the same way you need to use several different lubricants to satisfy a range of mechanical needs, it is likely that you will need to use more than one style and size of breather in your facility to cover a range of applications.

More about the book Lubrication Excellence, Reliability World, Lean Manufacturing 2006 Conference Proceedings

Consider using these tips on avoiding contamination during storage and dispensing:

• Wipe down all containers with clean, lint-free cloths before filling or using any of the items.

• Wipe down the equipment oil port before removing the plugs.

• Wipe down the plug after removal and put it in a clean, covered container while filling the equipment.

• Wipe down the pour spout just prior to opening it for use.

• Close all containers immediately following their use.

• Wipe down any small fittings and put them in clean, closeable bags in between jobs.

• Test filters and change them regularly if there is any degradation in performance.

• Use filter carts to introduce oil through quick-connect fittings as much as possible.

• Use filter carts to polish the oil after new oil has been introduced to the system.

• Use an oil delivery cart and transfer oil from bulk to the equipment through the built-in filtration systems on the cart.

• Throw away small handling devices (gallon jugs, metal cans, pails) at the end of the shift or, at a minimum, on a weekly basis).

• Never allow oil containers to breathe in ambient air.

• Install breather filters and change them frequently.