Lubezine Volume 8 * NOVEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014 | Page 10

Small players gain lubricants market share P.12 FAQS See also FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why should one use special oil for limited slip differentials? It is important that one uses limited slip differential oil for limited slip differentials. When one is driving on uneven surface condition like mud, the power distribution between two drive shafts is not equal as more power is shifted to the wheel with less resistance. This causes the wheel to slip. Limited slip differentials are able to effectively lock the two half shafts, ensuring equal power distribution. When this limited slip differentials are used, high shock loadings occur on the clutch system in the differential which may cause wear and slipping. The use of incorrect oils can lead to clutch degradation and vibration. Can I top up engine mineral oil with a synthetic oil and vice versa? Yes it is okay. The synthetic fluids (polyalphaolefins) used in engine oils are man made or lab made formats of mineral oil and are therefore compatible with mineral oils. In semi-synthetic formulations, mineral oils and synthetic oils are mixed in different proportions in the formulation. Main disadvantage when topping up using synthetic oil is that the synthetic oil is expensive and one will be negating the benefits it would provide if used alone like good cold start, good high temperature performance and long drain intervals. Should I use pre-mixed or concentrate coolant? The main issue here is that a premixed coolant is used as is, while a concentrate will require one to dilute to the recommended proportions. It is required that one uses de-ionized water to dilute the concentrate in order to derive the required performance of the coolant. The pre-mixed coolant already is diluted using the de-ionized water. De-ionized water free of dissolved minerals is required for use in coolant since 8 minerals contribute to scale formation, which impedes efficient functioning of the coolant system, leading to a failure. All global coolant specifications and standards have quality requirements for the water appropriate for use in a coolant product. Piped or bore hole water can contain appreciable amounts of dissolved minerals and fine particulate and is not recommended to dilute coolant concentrate for this reason. De-ionized water has been specifically processed to remove dissolved All global coolant specifications and standards have quality requirements for the water appropriate for use in a coolant product minerals and particulate making it ideally suited for use in coolants What does API GL mean? API stands for American Petroleum Institute and GL stands for Gear Lubricant. API is the body mandated to license engine and gear lubricants. For the gear oils see below the definitions: • API GL-1 Straight mineral oil. • API GL-2 Mild EP for worm gear oils. • API GL-3 Mild EP for spur and spiral bevel gears in axles and transmissions. • API GL-4 Medium EP, moderate severity hypoid gears, manual gearboxes. • API GL-5 High EP, all hypoid axles, some manual gearboxes. • API GL-6 Extra high EP, now obsolete. . We encourage technical questions from our readers. Lubezine’s team of lubricants specialist will be on hand to answer your queries. E-mail: [email protected] LUBEZINE MAGAZINE | November 2013-January 2014