Gear Oils

Choosing an industrial gear oil

First, do not confuse industrial with automotive

Industrial gear oils and automotive gear oils are different products with different additive systems. An enclosed industrial gearbox calls for a CLP-type oil to DIN 51517 Part 3 or an AGMA rating — the Cyclon TITANUS range. A vehicle axle calls for an API GL-4 or GL-5 oil. They are not interchangeable in either direction, whatever the viscosity on the label suggests.

The ISO grade

• ISO VG 68 and 100 — higher-speed gearing and circulating systems where oil is pumped and cooled.
• ISO VG 150 and 220 — the general-purpose range for most enclosed industrial gearboxes.
• ISO VG 320 and 460 — heavily loaded, slower-running drives: crushers, mixers, mills, conveyor drives.
• ISO VG 680 and 1000 — very slow, very heavily loaded gearing where film thickness is everything.

Follow the gearbox manufacturer first. Where a range is permitted and the oil runs persistently hot — which in an Iraqi plant without air conditioning is the normal case rather than the exception — the higher grade in the permitted range is usually the safer choice. Worm gearboxes with bronze wheels have their own requirements and should always be checked against the manufacturer rather than assumed.

Mineral, re-refined or synthetic

• TITANUS EP — lead-free EP gear oils with anti-wear, rust and corrosion protection, oxidation stability, foam resistance and high load capacity, in ISO VG 68 through 1000. The workhorse for all enclosed gear drives.
• TITANUS EP R2 — the same performance built on re-refined base oils, for plants with sustainability requirements in their purchasing policy.
• TITANUS EP SYNPAO — fully synthetic on PAO base oils, with micropitting resistance, bearing protection, thermal stability and high load capacity, and compatibility with the elastomers and paints used in modern gearboxes. Worth the cost where oil temperatures are high, drain intervals need extending, ambient swings are wide, or micropitting has already been found on a tooth flank.
• CYBIO-GEAR — synthetic biodegradable, for enclosed gears and bearings on environmentally sensitive sites.

What decides it in practice

On most Iraqi industrial sites the deciding factor is not the gearbox but the oil temperature and the cleanliness of the plant. A mineral EP oil running at 90 °C will oxidise and need changing long before a synthetic would, and a gearbox breathing dusty air will fail on contamination regardless of which oil is in it. Before recommending a step up to synthetic, measure the sump temperature and look at the breather — sometimes the cheaper fix is the right one.

Frequently asked questions

Not sure which product a vehicle, machine or fleet needs? Try the Cyclon oil selector, or send us the details and we will specify it in writing.