Salt Contamination

Water alone causes problems, but the addition of salt makes water many times more corrosive. An indication of seawater ingress, salt remains in the lubricating oil even in an engine where water may evaporate. Salt will cause permanent engine damage by catalysing the corrosion of any strong acids that are present. The salt can react with tin in bearing overlay materials, forming very hard tin oxide flakes that score journals and bearing materials. When mixed with the combustion products of heavy fuels, it is also capable of causing damage including high temperature corrosion, guttering of valve seats and erosion.

The maximum limit for salt in oil is generally less than 50PPM and preferably zero.

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Kittiwake Salt Testing Products

• ECON Salt Water Contamination Test - a simple and fast method of identifying salt contamination, even if all the water has evaporated.