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If you do get a critical report, don't panic, advises Bell. "A lot depends on the situation," he says. "Typically, a resample will be recommended to determine if it is truly a problem with the equipment or if it's the fluid or the lab. If you went from 'normal' to 'critical' in one analysis, there may be an error with the sampling. You want to be cautious about making a radical decision based on one test result. Instead, look at several reports together and take it all into consideration."

Most suppliers and labs recommend tracking at least three samples to create a history that will highlight any trends developing with your equipment. "Histories will allow you to see if something like iron is starting to creep up with each successive report," Bell notes. "Then you know you're getting close to doing a tear down and rebuild and you can plan for it."

"You also need to keep in mind that the report contains general guidelines," adds Ewing. "Each engine will be different, so watching trends and histories is important. A lot of times, you don't need to panic about every oil analysis that is out of parameter. Talk about the results with your supplier and lab. They can help determine what you really need to focus on."

Get to know your metals

Some of the most important parts of the report focus on wear metals and contaminants, additive metals and physical properties of the fluid.

Most labs will separate wear metals and contaminants to identify foreign material that comes from internal (cylinders, pistons, etc.) vs. external sources (dirt, fuel, water, coolant, etc.). This will give you an indication if a problem stems from, say, wear in the bearings or from a plugged breather or coolant leak.