AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants

Lubrication Snafus - The difference between Theory and Practice

There's often a big difference between what we know we should do, and what we actually do.  This human tendency also applies to equipment lubrication practices.  Let me share with you just a few examples:

Theory
Lubrication instructions from equipment manufacturers must be observed.
Practice
Often there is no clear information about type of lubricant, lubricant amount, lubrication intervals, and operating conditions of machines and equipment.
Example
Performing lubrication with grease guns until old grease leaks from the application, resulting in over lubrication of the lubrication point
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Theory
No lubricant mixing.  Manufacturer recommendations that a different grease gun must be used for each lubricant.
Practice
Most of the time, the same grease gun is used for different lubricants without cleaning it before a new lubricant cartridge is attached.
Example
Maintenance people just change the lubricant cartridge without cleaning the grease gun.
Result: If lubricant A is not compatible with lubricant C it can cause chemical reactions which lead to bearing failures – even though the bearing was lubricated.
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Theory
Exact lubrication cycles and quantity
Practice
Other work often has priority
Example
Maintenance gets delayed due to other needed equipment repair, personnel illness, or not enough personnel to perform the work needed
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Theory
Getting at hard to reach lubrication points is extremely dangerous and often leads to accidents.  Provide a schedule of maintenance to ensure these critical components are attended to
Practice
These lubrication points are often totally ignored or are maintained with little safety precautions.
Example
Injuries to personnel, equipment failures that lead to unplanned downtime.
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My dad used to tell me that you pay for a lubrication program, whether you have one or not.  I've learned that human nature does not change, so we must adapt and be more proactive, or use better quality lubricants to improve equipment protection, while extending maintenance intervals.

Otherwise, equipment will continue to break down prematurely.

Readers, care to weigh in with your own personal experiences?

What Role Does Oil Play in Keeping Engine Parts Clean?

In every internal combustion engine, there are contaminants developed as by-products of the combustion process. These are in addition to other contaminants such as dirt that gets in during frequent oil changes, sand and metal particles that come out of the block, etc.

 

Clearly, it is in your best interest to use quality filters that trap contaminants down to a small number of microns.  But there is an important role that the oil plays as well.

 

The oil filter is designed to catch the large contaminants, but containing the smaller particles is the job of oil additives that serve as collectors of -- and storage areas for -- anything too small for the oil filter to handle.

High-quality synthetic oils are formulated with high-performance additives effectively withstand such contaminants, allowing equipment owners and operators to safely extend drain intervals.  AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils are known for their ability to safely hold contaminants in suspension, while their superior ability to reduce friction and wear keeps engines in top condition.

Issues with Petroleum Oils:

Conventional Petroleum Oils that are pure do not provide any protection against contaminants, these would be API SA oils, which are not suitable for modern engine applications.

However modern Petroleum oils like the latest API SM category do contain detergents and other chemical additives to "keep contaminants in suspension". The theory is that when the Petroleum oil is changed frequently these contaminants will drain out at each oil change.

This is the main reason why extended oil drain service is not recommended with any Conventional Petroleum lubricant.

How the AMSOIL Oil Analyzer Program Works..

Ever thought about having an Oil Analysis program for your equipment?  It's a great idea and can save you big bucks, and give you a "early warning" system to alert you to issues that may be starting to occur in your expensive equipment.

Oil Analysis doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. By following Oil Analyzer’s easy process, you will receive your analysis report in no time and have the peace of mind knowing the condition of your equipment and the lubricating fluid.  Here' how the program starts.

• You Purchase Your Oil Anslysis Kit
• Analysis performed by Oil Analyzers
• Reporting of Results & Registration

Purchase  Your Kit

To begin using the Oil Analyzer program, you must first Purchase a Kit to receive all of the necessary equipment, along with instructions on how to sample your oil. Everything you need is included!*
*An oil pump is a helpful tool for drawing oil samples where a petcock or sampling port is not available or difficult to access.”. If this is your first time performing an oil sample you may purchase your pump through our online web store.

Analysis

Oil Analyzers tailors the tests performed to the type of machinery tested. This ensures that you will receive the most comprehensive analysis possible. For a list of tests performed select appropriate click the appropriate sample type below:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

EQUIPMENT TYPE	RECOMMENDED SAMPLING FREQUENCY
MOTOR VEHICLES
Diesel Engines	100 - 500 hours, 3500    - 20,000 miles
Gasoline Engines	50 - 200 hours, 2000 -    7500 miles
Transmissions	30,000 - 100,000 miles
Gears, Differentials, Final Drives	30,000 - 100,000 miles
INDUSTRIAL	Normal Use                      Intermittent Use
Hydraulics	750 hours or    monthly            --        Quarterly
Gas Turbines	750 hours or    monthly            --        Quarterly
Steam Turbines	1500 hours or    bimonthly     --        Quarterly
Air or Gas Compressors	750 hours or    monthly            --        Quarterly
Refrigeration compressors	Quarterly
Natural Gas Engines	750 hours or monthly
Gears and Bearings	500 hours or bimonthly    Quarterly

             

Reporting  & Registration

Once your sample has been received, testing will begin. The average time it takes to complete an analysis is between 24-72 hours. From there, you will be mailed the test results.
At Oil Analyzers we understand that everyone works on a different schedule. That is why we are happy to provide multiple reporting alternatives to ensure that you receive your results in the way that is most convenient to you. Click the reporting option(s) below that best fit your needs.

Follow-up Analysis Provide a "Picture" of the Pattern of "Health" of your Equipment

Besides the initial analysis, a periodic routine involving Oil Analysis can help track the presence of harmful elements in your oil.  Some of the items and sources Oil Analysis will identify are:

There are three groups or categories for substances in your oil.

1. Wear metals
2. Additives
3. Contaminants

Sometimes a particular substance found in an oil can belong to all three categories, so if by oil analysis you find a particular substance in the oil you have to determine if it is a substance you 'should' find in the oil or if it is a substance that if found is an indication of a problem.

Iron- Iron is a wear metal. Iron cylinders, piston rings, camshafts, crankshafts, gears, rocker arms, valve bridges, cam follower rollers, etc. Abnormal numbers here could be the result of break in or something is pending failure, as well as an excessive reading.

Chromium- Chromium is a wear metal as well as a contaminant. Piston ring faces (chrome type), shafts, rings, etc. It can also come from chromate which is a cooling system additive. Obviously if you have a cooling system additive in your oil, there is a leak somewhere.

Lead- This can be all three, a wear metal, additive and contaminant. It can come from Babbit overlay and alloy matrix of connecting rod and crankshaft main bearings. It is/was also found in leaded gasolines.

Copper- Copper is a wear metal and an additive. Found in Slipper (wrist pin) bushings, connecting rod and crankshaft bearings, cam follower roller bushings, rocker arm clevis bushings, thrust washers or can be a lechate from gaskets/sealant, oil coolers and radiators. It is also an oil anti-oxidant additive and is often found alloyed with lead, tin and/or aluminum.

Tin- A wear metal.  Piston plate coatings, babbit overlay of connecting rod and crankshaft main bearings.

Aluminum- Wear metal. Bushings, housings, some plain bearings, pistons, turbo charger compressor wheels, blower, camshaft intermediate bearings and crankshaft thrust bearings and commonly alloyed with copper, tin and or lead.

Nickel- Wear metal.  Valve stems, valve guides, ring inserts on pistons, cylinder coatings.

Silver- Wear metal. Bearing cages such as anti-friction roller bearings, silver solder, turbo charger bearings and wrist pin bushings. Most commonly found in EMD diesel engines.

Silicon- Additive substance and can be a contaminant. Leachate from silicone gaskets and sealants. Is also an anti-foam addidive, and can be in the form of silica from airborne dust and sand. You have to be careful with Silicon since it is often an oil additive. If you know it to be an oil additive you need to know what the baseline number is for the oil to determine if is a contaminant. In other words, if your oil has a Silicon content of say 25 parts per million (ppm) and your oil analysis says your oil contains 30 ppm, then you know you getting silicon in your oil from another source other than what is in the oil itself as an additive part.

Sodium- Both and additive and a contaminant. It is a coolant additive and a lube oil additive. This is often an indication of a contamination by either a coolant leak or environmental source such as road salt or ocean spray.

What Is The Correlation Between Particle Size And Engine Wear?

Everyone understands that superior filtration is key to preventing engine wear.

But do you understand the degree to which "superior" filtration is distinguished from "ordinary" filtration?  This difference is often underestimated.

Removal of contaminants ranging in size from 2 to 22 microns (μ) is key to ensuring maximum filtration protection.  A recent AMSOIL technical bulletin is now available Download TSB_oil_filter_particle_size.pdf that provides the details that help to better understand why the investment in superior filtration pays off for equipment owners.

Oil Analysis - Industrial Applications

Do you know oil tells a story and provides a working history of your equipment as well as the condition of your lubricant?  With Oil Analyzers, you can get a look “inside” your equipment and get the story without costly teardowns or unnecessary lubricant changes. This can reduce maintenance costs as well as provide peace of mind knowing that your equipment is safe and not wearing out at an excessive rate. Here at Oil Analyzers, we have many years of experience testing synthetic and petroleum lubricants. This allows us to provide quality analysis no matter which type of lubricant you use.  Be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to protecting your investment, purchase a kit today.

We offer complete testing, mail, internet, fax and phone reporting, and technical support to ensure meaningful results.

Industrial
Oil Analyzer’s industrial program can save you resources by providing reliable and accurate maintenance data. Machinery that is properly maintained will last longer with less downtime. By determining appropriate drain intervals you can greatly reduce lubricant drain intervals, which can also save a tremendous amount of money. With over 25 years of analysis experience, Oil Analyzers is prepared to exceed the expectations for your analysis program. Review Test Package (PDF)

Lubrication of Worm Gears and Impact of Synthetic Lubes

The good folks over at Machinery Lubrication Magazine and in particular Ray Thibault, published a good article on the use of synthetic oils entitled "Lubrication of Worm Gears" 

A synopsis of the major points of this article:

• Worm gears operate under difficult conditions and present unique lubrication demands.
• Compounded gear oils with viscosities of ISO 460 to 680 are still used extensively.
• An increasing number of EP mineral oils are used for consolidation purposes.
• Synthetics have been used successfully. Both PAOs and PAGs produce excellent results.
• Synthetics should be used when temperatures reach 180°F (82°C) because they often reduce temperatures 20°F or more (11°C or more). They are also more tolerant of high temperatures.
• Consider converting to synthetics when gear boxes have small reservoirs. The cost is low and the benefits are high.

Its a great read, and essential if you deal with worm gear types of applications!

The Problem With Conventional Petroleum Oil – Protecting Against Rust and Corrosion

Even in a perfectly sealed engine with pure fuel, water will get into the engine and condense on engine parts.

How?

For every gallon of gasoline that is burned, a little over a gallon of water is formed as a by-product. Since the formation of this water vapor is part of normal engine operation, it is part of the oil's job to prevent rust.

The engine is open to another form of corrosion, too.

When the oil becomes contaminated with soot particles from the combustion process (especially problematic in Diesel engines with EGR) and is heated beyond a certain point, it turns from its normal alkaline state to an acidic state. This acid can attack the metal engine parts and cause corrosion unless neutralized quickly.

The Problem with Petroleum Oils

Conventional Petroleum Oils that are not too pure contain sulfur and other chemicals that actually act as rust and corrosion inhibitors.

Highly processed Base Oil like API Group III does however need extra chemical additives to prevent acid formation and corrosion of engine surfaces. In engines that are normally and frequently operated corrosion of the lubricated parts is seldom a problem.

 

The importance of lubrication

I'd like to thank my friends over at Food Quality News for providing this valuable article.

A report from Dow Corning claims that billions of dollars are lost each year because of unnecessary repair work which has to be carried out on processing equipment that has not been sufficiently lubricated. The report details a host of measures that food processing companies can take in order to avoid such expense.

Mechanical wear in food and beverage factories due to surface degradation including mechanical wear and fatigue - a high percentage of which is due to lubricant degradation and problems associated with related maintenance. The food industry is especially vulnerable. Given the wet nature of much of the manufacturing process, the constant need for wash downs, and the dramatic temperature variations from freezers to ovens, the food industry must pay particular attention to the lubricants they use and the suppliers they choose to employ, the report says.The wrong lubricant, or the correct lubricant applied in the wrong manner, can halt plant operations. With so much at stake, making sure that the right lubricant is used at the right time is critical.

AMSOIL has a wide variety of "food grade" lubricants specifically formulated for the food industry

AMSOIL Synthetic Polymer Food Grade Grease is an ultra-premium lubricant designed for the highest level of protection possible in food industry equipment. Containing the finest nontoxic additives and thickeners available, AMSOIL Food Grade Grease provides stable performance in temperature extremes, resists friction and wear, and protects components against water washout. AMSOIL Food Grade Grease
has the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) H-1 approval rating for grease lubricating machinery in which there is a possibility of incidental contact with food.

It's called AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease, an ultra-premium aluminum complex grease designed for food service and pharmaceutical industry equipment where there is a possibility of incidental contact.

Features of this qu8ality lubricant include:

Remains Stable at Temperature Extremes
This product provides exceptional performance over a wide temperature operating range of -35°F to 350°F (up to 400°F in intermittent use situations), making it suitable for both hot and cold applications.

Extreme Pressure Capabilities
AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease has excellent extreme pressure capabilities that reduce friction and heat generation and help eliminate metal-to-metal contact in processing equipment.

Resists Water Washout
AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease resists water washout which ensures that the grease will stay in place when exposed to water during washing and rinsing. It also resists the harmful effects of water, including rust and corrosion.

Provides Versatility
Food industry equipment such as preparation, processing and packaging machinery requires special greases that must be both efficient and non-toxic. AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease is designed with non-toxic additives to help keep food and pharmaceuticals safe.

Appearance
This product is an attractive pure-white color to complement a hygienic atmosphere which is important in food processing and pharmaceutical facilities.

APPLICATION
AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease is recommended for use in all types of equipment and machinery used to prepare, process, package and produce food and pharmaceuticals in which incidental contact with the lubricant is possible. It also features excellent pumpability for use with automatic lubricating systems.

Compatibility
AMSOIL X-Treme Synthetic Food Grade Grease is compatible with lithium complex and anhydrous calcium greases. It is not compatible with Barium Complex, Calcium Stearate, Calcium Complex, Clay, Lithium Stearate, Lithium 12 Hydroxy and conventional Polyurea greases.

The full text of this article is available here

Using Automotive Lubes in Industrial Equipment

From Machinery Lubrication Magazine...
"We received a new piece of equipment this week. When reading the lubrication section we found that the lubricant requested for the air line lubricator is an SAE 10 (engine). For the transmission, the OEM requested an SAE 80 (gear). I looked at my ISO Viscosity Chart and cannot find the requested lubricant or equivalent. Is OK to use automotive lubricants in industrial equipment?"

This is a common problem that can cause the user to select the incorrect lubricant   type or incorrect lubricant viscosity. The SAE-grade viscosity classification   system for automotive and gear lubricants in industrial applications was common   in older equipment due to lack of knowledge or standardization. Surprisingly   its use continues even today by many users and OEMs.

Lubricant selection and lubrication guidelines for new equipment, are one extreme   or the other - either confusing or simple.

In your case, the requested lubricant viscosity for air-line lubrication is   typically an ISO VG 32. However, viscosity is not the only important physical   property that must be considered. I suggest you look at the service manual for   specific lubricant recommendations as well as talking to your lubricant supplier   about lubricants for pneumatic systems.

For the transmission, the equivalent viscosity for an SAE 80 (gear) spans from   ISO VG 68 to ISO 100. If the transmission has only spur gears and is lightly   loaded, then an ISO VG 68 R&O lubricant can be used. For heavily loaded gears,   use an ISO VG 100 EP gear oil such as an API GL 4.

Also, ask your lube supplier for a viscosity conversion chart for SAE and ISO   viscosity systems.

Gerardo Trujillo,   Senior Technical Consultant, Noria Latin America

Changing Over to Synthetic Oil

Some people have concerns about changing over to synthetic oil from conventional oil. Old wives tales say that "synthetics are not compatible with conventional oil" or "synthetics are too slick" or "synthetics will ruin your seals". Fortunately, these tales are false.

Good synthetic motor oils are fully compatible with any conventional motor oil. (Though you lose a lot of the benefits if you mix good synthetics with conventional oil.) They work great in any mechanically sound engine but will not fix existing problems...

As an example, high-mileage cars that have not been well maintained may have bad engine seals that are being plugged by sludge and varnish from conventional oil. A cleaner synthetic oil can clean out enough sludge and varnish for the bad seal(s) to start leaking more. In this case synthetic oil will not repair bad seals.

It is safe to switch to good synthetic oil as soon as the engine is broken in. So the first time oil is changed on a new car can be synthetic. (It doesn't actually hurt the engine to have synthetic in it sooner, it just takes longer to break in.)

When switching to a good synthetic motor oil in a car with over 25,000 miles, I strongly recommend using their Engine Flush product.  You put this in with the oil (one can per 5 quarts of oil) to clean out any sludge and varnish left by conventional oil.

I have been told by someone who sells industrial air compressors that they typically do not see the benefit of a change to synthetics until the second change. They cannot chemically flush their compressors, so the first change just cleans out any reside and quickly gets dirty. Engine Flush allows you to get maximum benefit out of your first good synthetic motor oil change.

If you want to switch to good synthetic motor oil on a car with more than 150,000 miles, make sure that it has been well maintained. I switched two vehicles over to a good synthetic motor oil with over 150,000 miles on each without any problems, knowing that they had been well maintained (by me) for at least the last 80,000 miles.

I have had great luck changing to synthetic oil. If you switch to a good synthetic motor oil, I am sure that you will be pleased with your decision because of the great benefits of some of these products.