Key Factors for Lubricant Selection
When choosing a lubricant product, there are many technical factors that you need to take into consideration. This is not just a question of compatibility, but of ensuring your vehicle or equipment performs at the highest possible level. Choosing the right lubricant can reduce overall maintenance costs and time, consistently maximise the performance of your machinery or vehicle, help you meet environmental compliance regulations, and improve the lifespan of vital equipment.
At the same time, it can be difficult to know where to start shopping for a new lubricant, especially if you know that you want to improve performance and enjoy these extra benefits. Here, the team at Broughton Lubricants breaks down some of the fundamental considerations that affect the compatibility of lubricants with your application, the specifications that determine performance, and other key factors that will affect your decision-making when shopping for an automotive or industrial lubricant product.
Base Oil
When choosing a lubricant product, the base oil is one of the most critical factors to consider. There are three primary types of base oil, and it is vital to use the right one, as you might otherwise purchase a product that is incompatible with your application. The different types of base oil are:
- Mineral oil: This is often needed for older applications, but it is less thermally stable and more prone to oxidation than synthetic oils. Older vehicles or engines may have been designed for lubricants with a mineral oil base, and there are specific applications where it is the preferred base oil.
- Synthetic oil: This offers superior thermal stability, better lubrication at high and low temperatures, and longer service life. It begins as mineral oil, which is then filtered to remove impurities, ensuring a high-quality product.
- Semi-synthetic oil: A compromise between mineral and synthetic oils, semi-synthetic oil offers a balance of cost and performance and may be recommended for particular applications.
Ultimately, you need to understand the technical demands of your application. Some base oils work better in specific temperature ranges, which is an important factor to consider. Certain base oils may be incompatible with components and materials used in your applications, such as seals and gaskets. Choosing the wrong product could lead to degradation and cause serious problems.
If you are buying engine oil for a vehicle, check the owner’s handbook for details on the type of lubricant you should use, which will help you to identify the type of base oil you need. Pieces of machinery will also carry these recommendations. If you have any questions about the technical details of choosing lubricants, contact the team at Broughton Lubricants today and we will be happy to advise you.
Viscosity
Understanding lubricant viscosity is crucial for ensuring optimal performance and longevity of machinery. Viscosity refers to a fluid's resistance to flow, and in the context of lubricants, it is an indicator of how easily the lubricant will spread and maintain a film between moving parts to reduce friction. This is affected by other factors, such as the operating temperature and the presence of additives in each specific product.
To help, lubricants are often categorised by their viscosity grades. These are designed to communicate how the oil will perform at a range of temperatures, and use two numbers to indicate this (e.g., 10W-30). The first number (with the 'W' for 'Winter') indicates cold-temperature viscosity, and the second number indicates high-temperature viscosity.
Mixing lubricants of different viscosities can lead to unpredictable performance characteristics and, unless you are specifically advised by experts, you should be careful not to do this. If you do not know which product is already in use for your application or you aim to choose something new, perform a proper oil change to make sure you receive the performance improvements you are aiming for.
Again, the technical requirements of your application will determine the viscosity you should choose, although in specific cases, environmental factors and other performance factors might mean that a different oil from the recommended product will better meet your needs. Speaking to a technical expert can help you to find the right viscosity, and this can be important for delivering additional efficiency and boosting the longevity of your vehicle or equipment.
Additives
The additives used in a product can significantly affect a lubricant's performance and its suitability for a particular application. This is often where products differ the most, as even those that meet all of the same technical specifications may be optimised for specific scenarios. These often include antioxidants, anti-wear agents, and detergents, but there may also be more specific additives for the unique requirements of an application. For example, some metalworking fluids have adhesive properties that prevent debris from scattering when metals are cut.
It is also possible to purchase additives separately and add them yourself. While this can introduce compatibility problems if you are not experienced in doing this, it also means that lubricants can be customised to meet almost any need. If you are unsure about the types of additives that are available or the properties that your oil might need, our team can help.
The experts at Broughton Lubricants have many years of combined experience in the lubricants industry, meaning that we have expertise across automotive and industrial applications. We can help you to identify replacement products when older lubricants are replaced or discontinued, consult with you on the performance of your lubricants, and help you to optimise your operations.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help by calling us on 03300 555 655 or using our online enquiry form.
