Frequently Asked Questions for Lubrication Engineers

1. Are L.E.’s unique additives DUOLEC™, ALMASOL®, MONOLEC®, QUINPLEX® & PYROSHIELD® used by or available to any other lubricant companies?

No, they are not available to any other companies apart from Lubrication Engineers. They are manufactured by the Almasol Corporation - a wholly owned subsidiary of Lubrication Engineers Inc. You will therefore only find them being utilised in L.E. lubricants.

2. Why does Lubrication Engineers use paraffinic base oils in their lubricants?

Lubrication Engineers petroleum lubricants are formulated from only the finest synthetic & paraffinic basestocks available in the world. Since LE is not tied to a refinery, we are able to take advantage of the latest advances in base oil technology by incorporating them into our products. Although these base oils are expensive, no other type of petroleum base oil can match their performance in many applications. Refined Mid-Continent paraffinic base oils have a saturated molecular structure similar to synthetic PAO's, offering excellent oxidation resistance, superior lubricity, long service life with little or no sludge and/or deposit formation. These oils are known to have vastly superior lubricating characteristics - greater oxidation resistance, tougher film strength, better lubricity and greater compatibility with hoses and seals. By formulating LE products with base oils such as these, we remain at the leading edge of technological developments in the lubrication industry - earning our reputation as Leaders in Lubricants.

3. Does Lubrication Engineers manufacture synthetic based lubricants?

Yes, for some severe or extreme applications, Lubrication Engineers turns to a variety of synthetic base oils, but only if they offer an advantage over 100% paraffinic base oils. Just because a product is synthetic certainly does not mean that it is better. There are many synthetics out there which are eclipsed by Lubrication Engineers paraffinic based products. When Lubrication Engineers do decide to use a synthetic, they make sure that it will provide superior performance to anything else. Whatever the application may be, Lubrication Engineers has formulated a product with the most appropriate base oil technology to meet the needs of that particular equipment so as to provide the best possible performance.

4. Why does L.E. use U.S. Mid-Continent paraffinic base oils to manufacture their lubricants?

While there are a number of major crude oil sources around the world, U.S. Mid-Continent is acknowledged as the best for lubricating oil. The Mid-Continent includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. By definition, paraffinic base oils contain a small amount of napthenics & aromatics which are a major group of unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons. Aromatics can cause seal and hose hardness & loss of pliability. Both aromatics and napthenics reduce a lubricant's oxidation resistance, film strength and increase the volatility (evaporation rate). Lubrication Engineers utilizes an extra refining step to remove more of these undesirables. Other lubricant suppliers do not. In addition, each incoming base oil shipment is tested to our stringent quality control specifications which dictate a maximum allowable amount of aromatics and napthenics, along with other criteria. With the selection and use of Mid-Continent paraffinic base oils processed with an extra refining step, Lubrication Engineers oils have a chemical composition and performance similar to synthetic oils (PAO's) resulting in excellent oxidation resistance, low volatility, long life & few deposits and sludge. In addition they have greater additive solubility than PAO's, preventing "additive dropout" and allowing stronger doses of additives to be used when required by tough applications.

5. Where in the world are L.E. lubricants manufactured?

All L.E. lubricants are manufactured at LE's state-of-the-art research & manufacturing plant in Wichita, Kansas, USA. This is L.E.'s sole manufacturing plant & enables their very high quality controls to be enforced - ensuring that all lubricants leaving the L.E. plant are of the highest possible consistent quality.

6. Is it true that L.E.'s proprietary, unique ALMASOL® additive has been used in the US space programme?

Yes, it is - L.E.'s proprietary wear-reducing additive ALMASOL® has been used on every single U.S. manned space mission, including the Apollo Lunar landings & the Space Shuttle flights. ALMASOL® has also been used in solid coatings for every rocket launch in the entire U.S. Space Programme including the Space Shuttle launches.

7. What are L.E. 'Enhanced Lubricants'?

L.E. launched this new marketing message to the lubricants industry early in 2005. Lubrication Engineers promotes the fact that our premium range of lubricants are now referred to as L.E. Enhanced Lubricants™. The reason behind the use of 'Enhanced' is due to L.E.’s questioning of the current trend in the lubricants industry towards synthetic lubricants, regardless of the application or operating conditions. L.E. is aiming to educate the industry that its Enhanced Lubricants™ are engineered for superior performance in a specific range of applications without limitations on the base oil type or additives used. L.E. believes that in most cases at robust treat levels, L.E.’s specially refined mineral oil formulated with the highest quality conventional & L.E. proprietary additives, will provide superior performance to synthetic lubricants. L.E. is spreading the message that it is important to remember that lubricants are formulated beyond the base oil, whether it is mineral or synthetic. The disadvantage of synthetic lubricants is that synthetic base oils limit additive choice & concentration due to solubility concerns and may not be able to deliver the required performance. Most consumers are currently using synthetics as they have been led to believe by many major lubricant manufacturers that synthetics will always provide superior performance. Mineral base oils, however, allow a wider range of additive chemistries & more robust treatment concentrations. L.E. is not claiming though that mineral oils should always replace all synthetics. Synthetics still need to be used in certain applications where there are very high or low temperatures or extremely hostile environments that would be detrimental to a mineral oil.

8. Why is Lubrication Engineers 'The Lubrication Reliability Source'?

Lubrication Engineers has a series of associations in place with other like minded companies that focus on the importance of 'Reliability' in industry. L.E. International distributors are able to provide their customers with these other products & services along with the market-leading L.E. lubricants. For more information on some of these companies please visit our Links page (companies include: Noria Corporation, Oil Safe, AMS Filtration, Liquidynamics, IFH Group, Esco Oil Sight Glasses, Checkfluid)

9. By converting to L.E. lubricants can industrial customers really save money on electricity costs?

YES! Friction (due to metal to metal contact) in the working parts of machinery robs electrical energy. L.E.'s heavy-duty lubricants reduce friction, heat & wear due to L.E.'s proprietary friction & wear reducing additives DUOLEC™, ALMASOL & MONOLEC. L.E. lubricants therefore mean less friction which therefore means less electricity is required to drive a gearbox, compressor or pump. Visit the services section of the website for more information on L.E.'s ZAP! Energy Saving Programme.

10. Will the 1600 Series DUOLEC Vari-Purpose Gear Lubricant provide the same extended drain intervals as the 600 Series ALMASOL VPGL?

Yes, the additive technology is designed for long drain service & in fact is similar to some of the current L.E. products that have proven long drain capabilities (e.g. 9919 & 9920 SYNOLEC)

11. Can temperature reductions be expected with the 1600 Series DUOLEC VPGL?

Yes, the technology has proven to reduce friction therefore providing a great chance to reduce temperatures under the right conditions.

12. Is the 1600 Series DUOLEC VPGL compatible with the 600 Series ALMASOL VPGL if it is added to a gearbox already containing the 600 Series ALMASOL?

Yes, L.E. Inc undertook an extensive compatibility study to ensure that the new DUOLEC VPGL would be totally compatible with ALMASOL VPGL. The study found that these two excellent lubricants were totally compatible - there was no reduction in performance. In particular no performance reduction in the areas of Timken EP, Four Ball Wear, Rust Inhibition, Four Ball Extreme Pressure or Foam Inhibition characteristics. Even a 50/50 mixture of the two products showed excellent water separation in the water shake test.

13. Why will the DUOLEC 1600 Series VPGL eventually replace the ALMASOL 600 Series VPGL?

Additive technology has developed significantly since the launch of the ALMASOL 600 Series VPGL. This new ability to filter DUOLEC VPGL & the hugely improved additive performance in the areas of thermal stability, shear stability & wear protection means that the new DUOLEC VPGL will outperform all nearest competitor gear oils including the ALMASOL VPGL.