The presence of silicon, its compounds or its alloys in lubricants has long been considered an indicator of wear and / or contamination. However, this can be misleading.

For an accurate understanding of the implications of the detection of silicon in oil, it is essential that the interpretation of oil analysis results is conducted holistically, and all results are diagnosed in relation to each other by highly skilled and experienced diagnosticians.

In the latest Technical Bulletin, WearCheck’s Diagnostic Manager John Evans discusses the various sources of silicon and what it means when present in oil.

Click here to download Technical Bulletin 53 (1.5MB)

Oils have a finite lifetime – they will eventually degrade and/or become contaminated, and will need to be changed. Lubricants consist of a base stock (mineral or synthetic) and an additive package. As oil works to lubricate a piece of machinery, the additives become depleted and deactivated, which eventually renders the oil inefficient.