One of the lubrication best practices at our plant is to label all our grease guns with the product name and MSDS stickers. In a very short time, the stickers would get dirty or were wearing off. To eliminate the problem, we put 3M clear heat shrink tubing over the labels to protect them.

If you use colored washers or caps on your equipment grease zerks, consider putting a matching color patch or sticker on the grease gun. We also use protector caps on the grease hose coupler to keep them clean. (Gregory Heger, PMO Lubrication Technician, Great River Energy)

Join Jim Fitch for Effective Contamination Control training on January 24-26 in Cleveland, Ohio.

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Book Bits: When Drain Sampling Is the Only Option

From the book "The Oil Analysis Handbook"

Drain sampling is highly likely not to give a representative oil sample but if circumstances dictate that this is the only viable sampling method and due care is taken, then this may be better than no sample at all. Ensure that the oil is hot and well mixed. Clean around the drain plug with a lint-free cloth to remove any dirt or debris and remove the drain plug.

More information about the book "The Oil Analysis Handbook"

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"I am considering replacing the mineral oil in my engine with a synthetic oil. The engine has 50,000 miles on it. I have heard that the mineral oil and synthetic oil are compatible. Is this true?"

Generally, the reference to synthetic oil for an engine, means a lubricant is formulated with a polyalphaolefin (PAO) base oil. PAO, which is often called synthesized hydrocarbon, is pure and is compatible with mineral base oils.

However, because the PAO base oil does not dissolve additives effectively, it is usually formulated with an ester co-base (usually di-ester and/or polyol ester). The additives are soluble with the ester and the ester is soluble with the PAO.

Likewise, the PAO tends to cause seal shrinkage and the ester causes seal swelling, so the effects are offset when both base oils are present. It is the ester that can cause problems when one changes from mineral to synthetic.

Ester base oil used alongside PAO base oil in lubricant formulation has excellent natural detergency. In other words, it will clean up varnish on component surfaces as a result of thermal and oxidative degradation of the lubricant. When one switches from a typical mineral-based engine oil to a typical synthetic-based oil, the varnish layer will be removed by the ester in the synthetic oil and become suspended.

This suspended material can rapidly clog filters and can block oil flow passageways and lead to component starvation. The same is true for gearboxes and other industrial machines.

So think twice about switching to synthetic oils in applications where the engine or other machine has been operating for some time with mineral oils. If you decide to make the switch, try to clean the system before making the change, then monitor it carefully once you start it up.

Drew Troyer, Noria Corporation

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