Seven precautions for the proper use of gear oil pumps

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(1) Prohibitions regarding the use of gear oil pumps, from the perspective of their maintenance and care. During use, it is strictly forbidden to add diesel or other substances to the gear oil in order to dilute it; likewise, it is not advisable to heat the rear axle and transmission in order to prevent difficulties starting the vehicle in winter, as this can cause the gear oil to deteriorate severely. If such a situation occurs, it is necessary to use a multi-stage gear oil with lower viscosity. (2) Ordinary gear oil pumps must never be used as substitutes for hypoid gear oils. Why is that? Because the sliding between the teeth of hypoid gear pumps is very large, ordinary gear oil pumps are unable to maintain a sufficient lubricating film; if ordinary gear oil is used in such pumps, the hypoid gears will be damaged very quickly. How can one distinguish between ordinary gear oil and hypoid gear oil in practice? Answer: The color of fractional hypoid gear oil is generally yellow-green to dark green and dark brownish-red, while other types of gear oil are usually dark black; it is important to distinguish between them when using them. Hypoid gear oil should not be used as a substitute for ordinary gear oil, as this can cause corrosive wear on the gearbox gears and lead to unnecessary financial losses. It is necessary to choose gear oil with appropriate properties based on the characteristics of the gear transmission. (3) Do not assume that gear oil with high viscosity has better lubrication properties. Using gear oil with too high a viscosity rating will significantly increase fuel consumption and is also not conducive to the repair and maintenance of gears, especially in high-speed cars; it is advisable to use gear oil with the appropriate viscosity grade. (4) Do not confuse the SAE classification codes for engine oil and gear oil. To avoid confusion, standards specify that higher grades should be used for gear oil, while lower grades are suitable for engine lubricants. However, older grades of gear oil have lower classifications. It should be noted that there is no connection between the viscosity grades of gear oil pumps and engine oil, and oils of different types cannot be used interchangeably. Gear oil must not be used as engine oil, as this can cause serious problems such as engine seizure, cylinder sticking, and piston head burning. (5) Proper use of gear oil pumps facilitates the maintenance of gears. Gear oil has a long service life; if single-grade oil is used, it is necessary to switch to oil with a different viscosity grade during seasonal maintenance. Old oil that has not reached its replacement deadline can be reused in subsequent oil changes. Old oil should be stored properly, with care taken to prevent contamination by moisture, mechanical impurities, and other waste oils. (6) The amount of oil added should be appropriate—neither too much nor too little. Excessive oil not only increases the resistance to oil circulation and fuel consumption but may also cause the gear oil to enter the brake drums through the rear axle housing (if the sealing is poor), resulting in brake failure ； Too little oil will result in poor lubrication and high temperatures, which accelerates gear wear and has an adverse effect on gear maintenance. The oil level in the gearboxes should generally be at the same level as the lower edge of the filling port, and it is necessary to regularly check for leaks in each gearbox, as well as to ensure that all oil seals and gaskets are in good condition. (7) Change the oil at the appropriate time. New oil should be used according to the specified oil change criteria; if there are no means for analyzing the oil quality, then the oil should be changed according to the prescribed time frame. The oil change interval recommended by automobile manufacturers is 30,000–48,000 km. When changing the oil, the old oil should be drained while it is still hot, and the gears and gearbox should be cleaned thoroughly before new oil is added. It is important to prevent water and impurities from entering the system during oil filling.