Grease Additives

Troubleshooting

Symptom Investigate These Possible Causes
Rolling Contact Bearings
Noise Worn or brinelled bearing
High bearing temperature Overgreasing; insufficient application frequency; incorrect base oil viscosity; deficient EP performance of grease
Excessive leakage Damaged or incorrectly installed seals; overgreasing; excessive softness of grease; incompatibility of greases
Excessive bearing wear Deficient EP performance; insufficient application frequency; contaminating dirt or rust; bearing life exceeded; improper bearing installation; excessive grease stiffness
Plain Type Bearings
Overheating Improper distribution in bearing due to stiff grease or incorrect grooving; starvation due to insufficient application frequency or deficient mechanical stability of grease
Excessive bearing wear Starvation due to insufficient application frequency or defective/plugged lubricator; deficient load-carrying ability or temperature range of grease
Enclosed Gears
Excessive leakage Excessive softness of grease; incompatibility of greases
Noisy gear box Improper lubricant level or stiff grease
Overheating Improper lubricant level or stiff grease
Pitting Not usually grease-related, but heavier grease or base oil may retard progression of pitting
Wear and scoring If lubricant related, may be due to improper lubricant level incorrect consistency, EP performance or base viscosity of the lubricant or lubricant contamination
Open Gears
Gear wear Insufficient application frequency or incorrect lubrication
Build-up on gears or in roots Overgreasing; wrong type of lubricant; airborne dirt
Centralized Lubricants
No grease to points of application Depleted reservoir; pump malfunction; plugging; wrong type of lubricant; airbound system or damaged feeder lines
High system pressure Plugged metering devices; malfunctioning relief valve; excessive hardness of grease
Wet Applications
Noise/high wear Insufficient application frequency or incorrect grease; washout of lubricant due to overgreasing, improper grease consistency or incorrect thickener type
Excessive corrosion Wrong type of lubricant (inability to absorb water, inability to maintain structure or deficient rust inhibition performance)
High-Temperature Applications
Noise/high wear Insufficient application frequency or incorrect grease
Excessive leakage Improper thickener type, base oil viscosity or consistency of grease; incompatibility of greases
Grease hardening Deficient oxidation stability; improper thickener type; insufficient application frequency
Low-Temperature Applications
Restricted component motion Grease with insufficient low-torque performance or wrong base oil viscosity
Difficult application Grease with insufficient pumpability performance; wrong base oil viscosity or inconsistent quality
Freeze-up Deficient water absorption/shedding performance