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Engine oil tends to get all the attention when it comes to fluid analysis discussions. Legitimately, it should get a lot of press because of the expense associated with engine repairs and failures. Yet, there are additional fluids that can, and should, be analyzed to ensure your equipment will continue to run productively without untimely breakdowns.

"When you look at construction equipment, the most expensive component is likely the engine, so contractors have a tendency to test the engine [oil] more often. And that's a good thing," says Mark Minges, chief operating officer, POLARIS Laboratories. "But when you consider, for example, that it's the hydraulic system that makes the machine work, it's important to keep its fluid clean, as well as know how much wear is going on in the pumps and gear boxes.

"If any one of those components breaks down, it doesn't matter what shape the engine is in," he continues. "If the hydraulic pump locks up, you can't do any work. If the planetary drive goes out, you won't be able to drive the machine."

While any fluid can be tested, the main ones to focus on include coolants, transmission fluids, gear oils (planetary drives, differentials, final drives, wheel motors, etc.) and hydraulic oils.

Catch potential problems early
As with engine oil analysis, the goal of analyzing other fluid types is to identify potential problems early. "If you can identify a problem such as contamination or wear, you have a reason to take a closer look," says Richard Gapinski, BP Lubricants. "For example, if fluid analysis identifies a lot of wear, it could be an indication of inadequate lubrication which may be causing a part to be experiencing excessive wear. And it's less costly to make a repair or change the fluid before the part fails and causes additional damage."