Engine fatigue, erosion and abrasion are commonly caused by particulate contamination in car lubricants. Typically, adhesion is the result of using lubricants that don’t have sufficient film strength. Moreover, all of these wear factors are worsened by the presence of water contamination.
The point being made here is that most failures in lubricated machinery, whether premature replacements, sudden or catastrophic, are caused by moisture contamination, particle contamination, or using car lubricants that are either degradable beyond the point of use, or incorrect for the application. Luckily, all these conditions can be controlled, and even prevented, with precision lubrication.
Regrettably, many maintenance professionals do not fully understand the dramatic effects of lubrication on the life of components. Once you know that increasing fluid cleanliness by just one ISO codecan extend the life of components by 50 percent, or that a mere 1000ppm of water in the lubricant can reduce bearing life by 75 percent, it becomes evident that a lot of equipment life is wasted because of incorrect lubrication practices.
Precision lubrication does not mean having to use lubricating machines more frequently, or using more expensive car lubricants. It involves choosing the right type for each application; establishing the correct application method; controlling the condition of the lubricant by keeping it free of moisture, cool and clean; and using the optimum PM frequency.