Engine, Transmission, Power Steering systems, and Gear Box Analysis in just minutes... How does it work?
When people see all of the information that can be attained from a MotorCheck® OSA, they often don’t understand how the instrument works. Assuming that you are not an engineer, this will give you a working knowledge of our proprietary diagnostic instrument.
Some basic facts that you need to know:
Like the blood in your body, the lubricating fluids are the lifeblood of your equipment. The fluids contain vital information about what’s going on inside the engine, transmission, power steering system or gear box.
Different components within your powertrain are made of different materials. In many cases certain components may be made of more than one metal. For example, some engines may have bearings that are made of copper, lead, and tin all combined.
When there is an abnormal amount of a given metal or a combination of given metals in the fluid being analyzed, the instrument will recognize the abnormality and indicate a possible problem in one or more powertrain components. It does this by indicating an “abnormal” condition.
Every powertrain component has what is referred to as a “wear curve”. That means every part has a normal amount of wear and tear given the amount of use and the amount of care (e.g. preventative maintenance, oil changes, regular service, etc.).
Additionally, there are things that are not supposed to be present, like water or fuel, that when detected, also indicate that there is a potential problem. These types of things are considered “contaminants”.
Knowing the above, here is how the OSA® works:
When a fluid sample is inserted in the MotorCheck® instrument, the technician enters certain vehicle information into the instrument’s internal computer. This is done using the “touch screen”, keypad, or via a handheld VIN scanner. The information entered includes the year, make, and mileage of the vehicle, as well as identifying the fluid being analyzed (e.g. engine, transmission, generator, etc.) By providing this information, the instrument knows what levels of metals and contaminants are acceptable for the particular vehicle.
Once the sample begins circulating through the MotorCheck® instrument, it is divided and analyzed by two separate internal analyzers.
One analyzer draws in a small sample of the fluid and “hits” it with a spark of electricity. When the contents of the oil are hit with the spark, the different metals turn different colors, similar to sunlight hitting a prism. The different colors, as well as the intensity of each of these colors, are recognized and analyzed by the instrument. The MotorCheck® instrument’s sophisticated computer matches that information to the “normal” information for that specific engine or transmission. Based on what it finds, the computer determines if all of the components are wearing at normal or abnormal rates.
Another analyzer within the MotorCheck® instrument is looking for things that do not belong (i.e. contaminants). For example, if the OSA detects water, potassium, and sodium at very high levels, it concludes that there may be a head gasket leak, because the coolant system is the only place where these contaminants should be present. The MotorCheck® instrument’s sophisticated computer also matches that information to the “normal” information for that specific engine or transmission. Based on what it finds, the computer determines if all of the contaminants found are at normal or abnormal rates.
So, there you have it …
With the engine, transmission, power steering, or gearbox fluid sample providing information about the presence and level of different metals and other possible contaminants, and MotorCheck®'s ability to determine if the levels are normal or abnormal, the OSA can report the internal condition of your equipment. And it does this without a costly “tear down,” and hopefully before a major repair or catastrophic failure. The best part about MotorCheck® is that the findings are immediately printed in an easy to understand report so repairs can be made while the equipment is in your service bay. No waiting weeks to hear back from an independent lab.
Engine, Transmission, Power Steering systems, and Gear Box Analysis in just minutes... How does it work?
Like the blood in your body, the lubricating fluids are the lifeblood of your equipment. The fluids contain vital information about what’s going on inside the engine, transmission, power steering system or gear box.
Different components within your powertrain are made of different materials. In many cases certain components may be made of more than one metal. For example, some engines may have bearings that are made of copper, lead, and tin all combined. 
When there is an abnormal amount of a given metal or a combination of given metals in the fluid being analyzed, the instrument will recognize the abnormality and indicate a possible problem in one or more powertrain components. It does this by indicating an “abnormal” condition.
Every powertrain component has what is referred to as a “wear curve”. That means every part has a normal amount of wear and tear given the amount of use and the amount of care (e.g. preventative maintenance, oil changes, regular service, etc.). 
Additionally, there are things that are not supposed to be present, like water or fuel, that when detected, also indicate that there is a potential problem. These types of things are considered “contaminants”. 
When a fluid sample is inserted in the MotorCheck® instrument, the technician enters certain vehicle information into the instrument’s internal computer. This is done using the “touch screen”, keypad, or via a handheld VIN scanner. The information entered includes the year, make, and mileage of the vehicle, as well as identifying the fluid being analyzed (e.g. engine, transmission, generator, etc.) By providing this information, the instrument knows what levels of metals and contaminants are acceptable for the particular vehicle. 
Once the sample begins circulating through the MotorCheck® instrument, it is divided and analyzed by two separate internal analyzers.
One analyzer draws in a small sample of the fluid and “hits” it with a spark of electricity. When the contents of the oil are hit with the spark, the different metals turn different colors, similar to sunlight hitting a prism. The different colors, as well as the intensity of each of these colors, are recognized and analyzed by the instrument. The MotorCheck® instrument’s sophisticated computer matches that information to the “normal” information for that specific engine or transmission. Based on what it finds, the computer determines if all of the components are wearing at normal or abnormal rates.
Another analyzer within the MotorCheck® instrument is looking for things that do not belong (i.e. contaminants). For example, if the OSA detects water, potassium, and sodium at very high levels, it concludes that there may be a head gasket leak, because the coolant system is the only place where these contaminants should be present. The MotorCheck® instrument’s sophisticated computer also matches that information to the “normal” information for that specific engine or transmission. Based on what it finds, the computer determines if all of the contaminants found are at normal or abnormal rates.