Industrial lubricant products and services FAQs

Synthetic products are produced by chemical reactions in which pressure, temperature and the ratio of component elements are carefully controlled. This results in a pure compound with maximized lubricating properties, which can lead to enhanced energy efficiency, improved equipment protection, more reliable equipment performance and extended oil service life.

In the most general form, the following formula can be used to determine your cost savings: Savings over time = (costs associated with lubricant A) – (costs associated with lubricant B). However, it is important to understand how to properly account for ALL of the costs of a lubricant. This article explains the primary factors to consider.

There are several Mobil industrial lubricants that are safe for the food service industry. These include the Mobil SHC Cibus™ Series, Mobil SHC Polyrex™ Series, Mobil Synturion™ 6, Mobil Rarus™ PE, Mobil Gargolye™ and Mobilgrease™ FM Series lubricants.

You are able to find specification sheets for most finished lubricants at www.mobil.ca/pds.

Yes, all current lubricants have an SDS posted at www.msds.exxonmobil.com.

You can search the globe for our distributors here.

Your best source for all passenger vehicle questions is http://www.mobil.ca.

Yes. The Mobil Serv Lubricant Selector is available online, for public use, through our website and is designed to help you find a recommended lubricant for your specific piece of equipment. Click here to start searching for industrial lubricants.

Yes. You can browse our lubricants by application here.

Typically, equipment builders manuals include a recommendation on oil change intervals and other related maintenance schedules.  We also recommend using tools such as our Mobil Serv^SM Lubricant Analysis to determine whether in-service oil requires replacement. Read more about our Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis program here or contact your distributor for more information.

Viscosity refers to a lubricant’s resistance to flow. Viscosity can influence lubricant life expectancy, equipment wear rate, energy consumption, fluidity and a range of other factors. You can learn more about viscosity and viscosity index here.

In general, the recommended shelf life for oils and greases is five years, when stored properly in the original sealed containers. However, a variety of factors can impact recommended shelf life. You can find a detailed shelf life explanation here. 

If not handled and stored properly, lubricating oils and greases can deteriorate or become contaminated. You can find a detailed explanation of indoor, outdoor and bulk storage recommendations here or contact your distributor for more information.

Mobil Glygoyle Series lubricants are not compatible with mineral oil, PAO-based or other PAG-based synthetic oils.  A complete flush is highly recommended when converting from mineral oil to Mobil Glygoyle Series oils. You can contact your local distributor, an Mobil Field Engineer or Technical Help Desk engineer for more flushing guidance.

Both Mobil SHC Gear Series oils and Mobilgear SHC XMP Series oils are excellent, PAO synthetic gear oils. Mobil SHC Gear Series oils contain an advanced proprietary additive system designed to provide excellent protection against conventional wear modes, such as scuffing. They can be used in applications subject to frequent shock load. Mobil SHC XMP Series oils are designed to provide optimum equipment protection and oil life under extreme conditions, with particular consideration against micropitting. These features are why the products are widely used in the gearboxes of many wind turbines. Consult your distributor for specific OEM recommendations.

The dropping point is the temperature when the first drop of oil falls from the test cup and reaches the bottom of the test tube under ASTM D 2265. It's a good indicator of grease type in terms of thickener types, such as organic, inorganic or soap/complex soap. As the test method indicates, the dropping point alone has only limited significance with respect to service performance. The operating temperature of a grease product depends on components, base oil, thickener, additives, etc. High-temperature greases are often synthetic-based inorganic or soap/complex soap greases, such as Mobiltemp™ or Mobilith™ Series greases.

Some of our product data sheets, such as those for lubricants with higher risk of seal incompatibility (like PAG oils), identify incompatibility issues. For best results, consult the equipment supplier or seal manufacturer for specific recommendations, or consult a Technical Help Desk engineer or a Mobil Field Engineer for general compatibility guidelines.

Opportunities to reduce your impact on the environment through lubrication selection or practices include:

• Upgrade to a lubricant that provides extended lubricant life
• Switch to a more energy efficient lubricant
• Choose lubricants that can help minimize environmental impact
• Get the most out of a used oil analysis program, like Mobil Serv™ Lubricant Analysis
• Identify and fix leaks
• Implement a lubricant recycling program

Consult your distributor for a more in-depth study and specific recommendations.

Our used oil analysis program, Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis, can track gradual changes in lubricant properties, contaminants and machinery component wear debris so that corrective action can be initiated in a controlled, planned and timely manner. You can read more about our used oil analysis program here.

You can learn more about interpreting oil analysis results here, or by contacting your distributor or our Technical Help Desk.

You can find contact information for our technical help desk locations here.

Our field-based lubrication engineers offer expert advice on sound lubrication practices, proper lubricant selection, equipment troubleshooting and other lubrication services that can help equipment run longer and more efficiently. Learn more about our Engineering Services here, or through your distributor.

There are several guiding principles to consider when creating a lubrication management program. You can find a detailed summary here.

OEE is measured as a ratio of output at your plant as compared to optimal output. It is measured by using the following formula: Overall Equipment Effectiveness = Availability x Performance x Quality. Find out more here.