Gear & Transmission Oil Testing

Gear & Transmission Oil Testing

Maintaining proper lubrication for gearboxes and transmissions is paramount to protect components and prevent potential damage. Inadequate lubrication and the presence of contaminants in the system are significant contributors to gearbox and transmission failures. These types of oils operate under demanding conditions and require precise performance.


Analysing your oils is crucial to ensure they meet the necessary specifications. Insufficient lubrication can result in direct metal-to-metal contact between gear teeth, leading to failures. Elevated levels of ferrous contamination can serve as a warning sign, indicating the need for action before critical failure occurs. Our analysis program can pinpoint these issues, enabling you to take proactive measures before problems emerge and ensuring the optimal performance and longevity of your gearboxes and transmissions.

Gears

To analyse the oils in your transmissions and gearboxes with FA-ST, the process is straightforward. Acquire one of our convenient PRE-PAID gear oil sampling & analysis kits, a comprehensive package containing all the necessary tools for sample extraction. After collecting your samples, send them to our independent ISO lab.


Once we receive and analyse the samples, anticipate receiving a detailed PDF report in your inbox within 2-3 days. This comprehensive report will provide critical insights into factors such as wear levels, contamination, and the chemical composition of the oil. Additionally, our laboratory experts will include valuable comments and recommend actions if needed, providing you with the information necessary to make informed decisions about the maintenance and performance of your transmissions and gearboxes.

Having your Gear & Transmission Oil tested can help to detect:

Gearbox Contamination

The intrusion of contaminants into gear oil can lead to increased wear on components, potentially scouring gear surfaces, elevating contamination levels, and shortening the lifespan of components. We offer a comprehensive elemental analysis to detect any contaminants that may have entered the system. Additionally, our technicians may conduct an ISO Cleanliness Count of our initial analysis suggests potential contamination concerns.


As with all types of oils, water poses a significant problem when it infiltrates a gearbox. Water diminishes oil lubricity and triggers corrosion on components. Given the precise tolerances under which gears operate, the effects of water can be highly deterimental to the gearbox.

Wear Debris in Gearboxes

Monitoring the viscosity level of an oil stands as a critical physical attribute, especially when employed in gearboxes and transmissions subject to substantial pressure loads. Proper lubricity is essential to prevent potential problems like accelerated wear on complete failure due to metal-on-metal contact.

Chemical Makeup of Oils

Every Gearbox and Transmission oil sample undergoes a comprehensive elemental analysis, offering insights into various factors that may be affecting your system. Through this analysis, we can assess the following:


  • Component Wear Assessment- We can pinpoint wear on components and identify potential components that might be at risk of failing, as well as detect trends in increased wear that could lead to failures.
  • Contamination Detection - We can identify the sources and pathways of contamination that enter the system, providing clarity on how and where the contamination is infiltrating your system.
  • Evaluation of Additive Package Levels - We can gauge the levels of additives to ensure that the oil can deliver the necessary lubrication. If you have specific requirements for your additive package, our analysis will indicate when it's time to replenish or replace the oil in use.

Additionally, all samples undergo a ferrous wear count to identify significant ferrous contaminants that could potentially originate from gears or components within the system. This provides an indication of whether additional wear may be occurring.

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