Patent ID: 8342013

Claim:
An oil-degradation determination apparatus, said apparatus comprising: an initial-value storing unit configured to measure a first electric-current value of a driving current used to operate an electric oil pump at a predetermined constant revolution, said electric pump configured to circulate oil in an engine, said initial-value storing unit also being configured to store the first electric-current value as an electric-current initial value; a pump-driving-time date measurement unit configured to correct data by measuring a second electric-current value of the driving current, said second electric-current value being measured when the electric pump is operated at the predetermined constant revolution when the engine is driven a predetermined time after the electric-current initial value is stored, wherein the pump-driving-time data measurement unit is configured to collect data at predetermined intervals; a comparison unit configured to compare the electric-current initial value with the second electric-current value; a determiner configured to determine that a viscosity of the oil has become low when it is determined that a difference between the electric-current initial value and the second electric-current value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; a data recording unit configured to record data measured at the predetermined intervals by the pump-driving-time data measurement unit; and an oil-change time calculating unit configured to calculate, from the data stored in the data recording unit, an appropriate time for changing the oil.