1- What would be the normal viscosity range for an

engine oil at operating temperature?

Answer:
10 to 50 centistokes

This is for SAE motor grades 20-60

2- Which mineral base oil property describes the

ability to dissolve additives?

Answer:
Solubility

The solubility of a base oil is a measure of the oil’s

ability to hold additives in solution. The higher the
solubility number, the better the oil is able to keep
additives from falling out

3-

4-

5- What is the equivalent of 1 micron in inches, and

how many microns equal one-thousandth of an inch
(0.001)?

Answer:
There are 25.4 microns in one-thousandth of an
inch (0.001) or 25,400 microns in 1 inch.
 One micron equals three hundred ninety
thousandths of an inch (0.000039).

6- What is another name for extreme-pressure

additives?

Answer:
Anti-scuff

This term is used in many AGMA standards and is

often interchangeable with extreme pressure (EP).

7- Which additive specifically reduces an oil’s

tendency to fail to flow at cold start-up
temperatures?

Answer:
Pour point depressant

Pour point depressants lower the temperature at

which paraffin begins to crystalize, inhibiting flow at
colder temperatures

8- What is a requirement when using ring oilers?

Answer:
Shaft orientation

Ring oilers will not operate properly if the shaft is

not horizontal
9- How would the consistency of grease change with
a decrease in temperature?

10- Answer:
Increases

11- The penetration test is conducted at 25

degrees C (77 degrees F). As the temperature is
reduced, the grease consistency increases. If
temperature is reduced to 0 degrees C (32 degrees
F), grease will be firmer by one to two NLGI
numbers.

C54

12- What does NLGI stand for?

Answer:
National Lubricating Grease Institute
NLGI is the governing body for grease
classifications.

C50

13- What is the resistance to mechanical stress on

oil’s change in viscosity?

Answer:
Shear stability

Shear stability is the resistance of an oil to change

in viscosity, caused by the oil being subjected to
 mechanical stress or shear. The result of this
mechanical stress is a reduction in viscosity or
thinning

C29

14- Which base oil category has the greatest

concentration of aromatics and sulfur?

Answer:
API Group I

Group I oils are the least refined of the five API

groups and therefore contain impurities

C91

15- What are the indicators of mixed

incompatible greases?
Lower heat resistance, decrease in shear
stability and a change in consistency
C130
16- During the manufacturing of a
lubricant, where are the additives
added to the base oils?
At the blend plant

C99
17- Can an unadditized mineral oil have a VI
greater than 100?

Answer:
Yes

Highly refined mineral oils may have a VI as high

as 130.

C89

18- Name two NLGI categories of

automotive service greases.
“L” for chassis and “G” for wheel
bearings
 C85
19- Which formulation factors influence
the consistency of a grease?
Base oil viscosity, thickener type and
thickener concentration
C210

20- What should be done if someone handling

lubricants on a regular basis develops a skin
condition?

Answer:
Reference the safety data sheet (SDS) for correct
action.

All information regarding the toxicity and safety of a

substance should be listed in the SDS. After
referring to it, seek medical attention and avoid
contact with lubricants as much as possible.

C66

21- Which two grease thickeners are considered

non-melt?

Answer:
Clay (bentone) and silica aerogel
 These thickeners are used in high-temperature
greases.

C47

22- When oil is momentarily heated, how will its

viscosity change?

Answer:
Viscosity will decrease.

When the oil is momentarily heated (warmed), the

viscosity will decrease at a rate determined by the
oil’s viscosity index

23 What type of viscosity is measured in

centistokes?

Answer:
Kinematic viscosity

This involves using gravity and measuring the time it

takes for oil to flow a defined distance

C10

23- What lubrication failure conditions would you

expect to find with tooth breakage in a gearbox?
 Answer:
None

This failure condition is typically caused by

misalignment or overloading and is not a lubricant-
related failure.

C72

24- How many microns are in one-thousandth of

an inch?

Answer:
25.4

There are 2.54 centimeters in an inch, which when

reduced by 1,000 will equal 25.4 microns per one-
thousandth of an inch

C178

25- What is the recommended oil level

for a splash-lubricated gear?
Where the bottom tooth is completely
submerged
 C224
26- Which types of solid contaminants
are found in most oil systems?
Wear debris, oil breakdown products,
combustion products, and external
dust and dirt

C 161
27- When selecting a lubricating oil for a particular
application, what is typically the first step?

Answer:
Selecting the viscosity

Viscosity is the most important property of a

lubricant and should be the first step in determining
the proper lubricant for an application.

C47

28- When oil is momentarily heated, how will its

viscosity change?
 Answer:
Viscosity will decrease.

When the oil is momentarily heated (warmed), the

viscosity will decrease at a rate determined by the
oil’s viscosity index.

C195

29- When might you consider using

grease instead of oil as a lubricant?
To decrease the lubrication frequency, to seal out
contaminants, in cases of intermittent operation, to suspend
solid lubricants, where shock loading is possible and in low-
speed/high-load applications

C37
30- List the five functions of a lubricant.
Control wear, control friction, control temperature, control
corrosion and control contamination.
 C87

31- What are the advantages of using

a grease over an oil?
Stop-start performance, less risk of leakage, seals out
contaminants and allows the use of solid additives

C22

32- In the SAE 0W-30 crankcase viscosity

classification, what does the “W” stand for?

Answer:
Winter

Previously, many oils were sold by weight, such as

heavyweight or medium heavy. This has caused
confusion regarding the meaning of the “W.”

C21

33- Which base oil has the highest unaided

viscosity index (VI)?

Answer:
PAO

Polyalphaolefin (PAO) is a synthetic base oil with a

naturally high VI. 
C277

34- When receiving new lubricants,

what steps should be taken to reduce
contamination?
New oil should be quarantined in a designated area, labels
should be verified to the requisition, and oils should be filtered
to cleanliness standards and labeled to be included in the
lubricant identification system.

C58

35- Which tests are used to determine grease

compatibility?

Answer:
Consistency, dropping point and shear stability

This testing is conducted following the ASTM

D6185 standard. Greases are tested at 75:25 and
25:75 mixtures.

C246

36- What effect does emulsified water have on oil

viscosity?

Answer:
Increased viscosity
 Water leads to stable emulsions, higher viscosity
and non-Newtonian properties (higher viscosity and
impaired load-carrying capacity).

C4

37- Changing oil in a large-volume sump should

not be based solely on which test results?

Answer:
Particle counts

Changing oil based on condition requires looking at

the health of the oil. In a large system, if the particle
count is high, the oil can be filtered and service
continued, provided all other properties of the oil
are satisfactory.

C61

38- What is the typical percentage of a thickener in

a grease?

Answer:
3-30 percent

Grease typically consists of 70-95 percent base oil,

3-30 percent thickener and 0-10 percent additives.
 C14

39- Name three reasons for reducing

(rationalizing) the number of lubricants
Reduction of purchasing and storage problems, bulk
purchasing, and reduced risk of misapplication

C15

40- Which type of maintenance is

performed according to a fixed
schedule involving the routine repair
and replacement of machine parts and
components?
Preventive maintenance
C24
41- Which oil property determines the level of seal
shrinkage or swelling?

Answer:
Solvency

The level of solvency is referred to as the aniline

point and is a reference point for how much it will
cause seals to swell or shrink.
 C19

42- What contributes to failures in all

departments?
Lack of training
C7

43- If a plant’s lubricant consumption ratio dropped

by 25 percent, what amount of reduced lubricant
purchases occurred?

Answer:
25 percent

The total amount of oil purchased in a year is

divided by the total amount of oil held by a group of
machines.

C35

44- What does R&O stand for?

Rust and oxidation additized oil.
 C59
45- Which lubricant property can be
identified when an oil’s low-
temperature viscosity characteristics
permit satisfactory flow to and from the
oil pump and subsequent lubrication of
moving components?
Pumpability
C60

46- Which type of grease thickener is more

resistant to high temperatures?

Answer:
Complex soaps

Complex soap thickeners use a combination of

short- and long-chain fatty acids, which results in
increased stability at higher temperatures.

C38

47- Which additive is primarily designed to control

rust?
 Answer:
Rust inhibitor

Rust inhibitors are polar additives, which means the

polar head adheres to the metal surface, and the
oleophilic tail holds a layer of oil to form a protective
barrier.

C37

48- Which additive is polar, envelopes soot and

keeps it finely divided?

Answer:
Dispersant

Dispersants are polar additives that envelope soot

particles. They form a micelle, which keeps
particles from agglomerating to clearance size.

C174

49- Into which sump designation would purge mist

fall?

Answer:
Wet sump systems
 Purge mist housings have oil levels that must be
maintained and are classified as wet sump
systems.

C2

50- What type of visual inspection should be

performed when draining oil from a sump or
reservoir?

Answer:
Examination of the bottom sediment and water
bowl (BS&W)

The first liter of oil removed should be collected to

inspect for sediment, water, sludge and wear
debris.

C33

51- Which additive is used to combat the solid

contaminants found in used diesel crankcase oil?

Answer:
Dispersants

The purpose of a dispersant is to prevent soot

particles generated from combustion in the
chamber from becoming clearance-sized particles.
C 16

52- Which maintenance philosophy is

defined as being ahead of the first
initiation of failure?
Proactive maintenance
C13

53- The cost of wear is typically what ratio of the

cost of energy?

Answer:
Two-thirds

It also is estimated that between one-third and one-

half of all energy produced is consumed by friction.

C40

54- Which additive specifically reduces an oil’s

tendency to fail to flow at cold start-up
temperatures?

Answer:
Pour point depressant
 Pour point depressants lower the temperature at
which paraffin begins to crystalize, inhibiting flow at
colder temperatures.

C67

55- Which type of wear in gears and bearings is

controlled by using EP (anti-scuff) additives?

Answer:
Adhesive wear

EP additives are used to create a tarnish (soap-

like) film on the surfaces of the gears to reduce the
adhesion between the teeth at the pitch line

C3

56- Large circulating systems are more suitable for

which type of oil change?

Answer:
Condition-based

Oil changes when the lubricant performance is

deteriorating are generally the best option,
especially for larger systems where high costs and
time are factors
 C149

57- Which additives are commonly

found in turbine oil?
Anti-foam, rust inhibitor, antioxidant
and demulsifying agents

C 79
58- What are the principal thickeners
used in grease manufacturing?
Soaps of lithium, calcium and
aluminum
C262
59- What is a common rolling-contact wear mode?

Answer:
Surface fatigue

Contact (surface) fatigue is the result of flexing that

occurs due to the elastic deformation in EHD
lubrication.
C132

60- What is the ideal molecular size of crude oil for

a lubricating base stock?

Answer:
C26-C40

Smaller molecules generally are used for fuels,

while larger molecules typically are utilized for
asphalts.

C86

61- What term is used to describe the gradual

release of oil from the grease thickener into the
working areas of the machine surfaces to lubricate
them?
Answer:
Bleed
If the thickener system matrix did not release the
base oil, the grease would be unable to lubricate.

C92

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