Elemental Analysis Delineations

Aluminum – Wear Metal
Primarily sourced from pistons, but also from thrust washers, bearings, or pump housings. Can act as a contaminant from grease containing aluminum additives or from dirt, where aluminum constitutes 15-30% of its composition alongside silicon.

Antimony – Additive
Functions as an extreme pressure (EP) additive for wear resistance and friction reduction, often added as antimony trisulfide. Grease frequently uses antimony as an EP additive, and it may appear as a contaminant from grease. Rarely, it originates from exotic bearings as a wear metal alloyed with lead and tin

Arsenic – Contaminant
A toxic heavy metal typically introduced as a contaminant from natural sources such as soil or, occasionally, from processes like precious metal smelting or coal combustion.

Barium – Additive
A rare additive found in older lubricant formulations, where it serves as a replacement for magnesium and calcium as detergents and corrosion inhibitors.

Bismuth – Additive
Added as an EP additive or encountered as a contaminant from processes involving lead, copper, and tin production.

Boron – Additive
Commonly used as an EP and dispersant additive. It may also originate as a contaminant from coolant leaks where boron is included as an additive.

Cadmium – Contaminant
Uncommon but may stem from plain bearings or certain coatings. It can also be a byproduct of zinc processing.

Calcium – Additive
Commonly used to improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions. Can also appear as a contaminant from evaporated water or coolant.

Cerium – Additive
Occasionally used to enhance anti-wear and friction properties. Rarely appears as a contaminant from ceramic components.

Chromium – Wear Metal
Derived from piston rings, cylinder liners, and bearings with chromium alloys that wear into the fuel system. Contaminants may also result from coolant leaks containing chromate additives or from environmental chromium dust. Occasionally added to mitigate hot corrosion in heavy-duty systems.

Cobalt – Contaminant/Wear Metal
Rarely found as a wear metal from turbines or bearings. More commonly, it is introduced as a contaminant in mining areas.

Copper – Wear Metal
Sourced from wear in brass or bronze bearings, oil cooler cores, thrust washers, worm gears, clutch packs, brakes, or other yellow metal components. External contamination sources include dust, paint, anti-seize compounds, and welding debris. Rarely used as an additive but can sometimes enhance combustion.

Indium – Contaminant
Typically found in areas associated with zinc ores as a byproduct of refining. Occasionally used as a solid lubricant in niche applications.

Lead – Wear Metal
Often results from bearing wear, especially in older engines. Tin-lead alloys in machine components or solder in cooling systems may contribute. Historical use in fuels, greases, and gear oils, though phased out, may persist in older systems.

Lithium – Contaminant
Found exclusively as a contaminant from lithium soap, a thickening agent in greases.

Magnesium – Additive
Used as a detergent or corrosion inhibitor. Also a wear element from engine blocks, housings, and casings or as a contaminant from seawater.

Manganese – Contaminant
Commonly originates as a dirt contaminant or as a combustion byproduct from lead replacement fuels where manganese is used as an antiknock agent. Rarely used as an additive.

Molybdenum – Additive/Wear Metal
Found as an EP solid additive or antioxidant. Wear metal sources include synchro rings and compression rings. Also found as a contaminant from greases and coolants containing molybdenum.

Nickel – Wear Metal
Sourced from bearings, valves, turbine components, and gears. May be introduced through anti-seize compounds or as a combustion byproduct.

Phosphorus – Additive
Widely used in anti-wear, antioxidant, corrosion inhibitor, and EP additives. Can also appear as a wear element when alloyed with tin and copper in worm gears.

Potassium – Contaminant
A primary indicator of coolant leaks, often unique to glycol contamination. May also be introduced through dust or ash.

Silicon – Contaminant
Originates from dirt, sand, and coolant leaks. Can also act as an anti-foam additive or as a wear element from silicon-containing pistons.

Silver – Wear Metal
Found in plain bearings or from silver-based solder in cooling systems. Requires zinc-free oil to avoid degradation.

Sodium – Contaminant
Often results from coolant leaks, seawater exposure, or greases. Rarely used as an additive in modern formulations.

Strontium – Contaminant
Sourced from rocks, soil, and coal or from biodiesel production processes where strontium is used as a catalyst.

Tin – Wear Metal
Found in bearings made of Babbit metal (lead-tin alloy) or in pistons. Contamination sources include tin solder from coolant leaks.

Titanium – Contaminant/Wear Metal
Appears as a wear element from turbine components, springs, and valves or as a contaminant from sand and ceramic components.

Tungsten – Additive/Contaminant
A modern additive for friction reduction and wear resistance. Common contaminant in mining environments.

Vanadium – Contaminant/Wear Metal
Rarely seen, but may come from turbine blades, valves, or heavy fuel combustion.

Zinc – Additive
A common additive in anti-wear, antioxidant, detergent, and corrosion inhibitor formulations. Also found as a wear metal from brass components.

Zirconium – Contaminant
Appears as a contaminant in mineral sands and dirt, similar to titanium.

Aluminum – Contaminant
Typically introduced during the extraction process. Occasionally added to biofuels to enhance fuel quality.

Calcium – Additive
Commonly used to improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions. Can also appear as a contaminant from evaporated water or coolant.

Chromium – Wear Metal
Derived from piston rings, cylinder liners, and bearings with chromium alloys that wear into the fuel system. Contaminants may also result from coolant leaks containing chromate additives or from environmental chromium dust. Occasionally added to mitigate hot corrosion in heavy-duty systems.

Copper – Wear Metal
Sourced from wear in brass or bronze bearings, oil cooler cores, thrust washers, worm gears, clutch packs, brakes, or other yellow metal components. External contamination sources include dust, paint, anti-seize compounds, and welding debris. Rarely used as an additive but can sometimes enhance combustion.

Lead – Contaminant/[Additive]
Historically used in leaded gasoline to improve octane ratings, though now largely phased out due to environmental concerns. Contaminants may result from bearing wear, solder in cooling systems, or residues from older formulations. Rarely appears as an additive in modern systems.

Lithium – Contaminant
Typically introduced from grease contaminants. Lithium is used as a thickening agent in greases, known as lithium soap.

Magnesium – Additive
Used to counteract corrosion caused by impurities such as sulfur, vanadium, and sodium. Can also appear as a contaminant from seawater.

Manganese – Additive
Formerly used as an octane booster or antiknock agent, though phased out due to health concerns. Also found as a wear metal from steel alloys used in shafts, valves, gears, and bearings, or as a contaminant from dirt.

Nickel – Wear Metal
Sourced from bearings, valves, turbine components, and gears. May also result from anti-seize compounds used during assembly or as a combustion byproduct from heavy furnace oils. Rarely employed as a surfactant additive in gasoline.

Potassium – Contaminant
Sometimes used as an anticorrosion, anti-wear additive, or emulsifier. Commonly introduced as a contaminant from coolant leaks.

Silicon – Contaminant
Originates from dirt, dust, or antifoam agents. In diesel fuel, it may be added as an antifoam additive.

Sodium – Contaminant
Functions as an additive to reduce valve seat recession and enhance combustion. Frequently enters as a contaminant from biodiesel catalysts, drying agents, corrosion inhibitors, coolant leaks, or seawater.

Vanadium – Wear Metal/Contaminant
Often present as a contaminant in crude oil, where vanadium oxides cause significant corrosion and deposition issues.

Zinc – Contaminant
Commonly introduced from lubricant oil contamination or wear metals from brass components.

Aluminum – Wear Metal
Commonly originates from worn coolant elbows, piping, thermostats, or spacer plates. It can also be introduced as a contaminant from lubricant systems, grease containing aluminum additives, or dirt, where aluminum constitutes 15-30% of the material along with silicon.

Boron – Additive
Functions as an anti-corrosion additive and pH buffer, providing rust protection.

Calcium – Contaminant
Typically introduced through hard water scaling contamination.

Copper – Wear Metal
Found as a wear metal from radiators, oil coolers, or heater cores. It may also act as a contaminant in lubricant systems.

Lead – Contaminant
A contaminant originating from fuels or solder used in oil coolers and heater cores.

Magnesium – Contaminant
Often results from hard water scaling contamination or as a wear element from cast alloys.

Molybdenum – Additive
Used to combat cavitation, maximizing metal protection and preventing damage.

Phosphorus – Additive
Acts as an anti-cavitation additive and pH buffer, offering protection for aluminum components.

Potassium – Additive
Serves as a pH buffer and anti-corrosion additive.

Silicon – Additive/Contaminant
Functions as an anti-corrosion and antifoam additive. May also enter as a contaminant from sand, dust, or dirt.

Sodium – Additive
Provides anti-corrosion protection and forms a protective layer over metal surfaces.

Zinc – Contaminant
Introduced as a contaminant from ceramics, sand, or wear from brass components.