THIS MONTH, MACHINERY LUBRICATION CONTINUES
ITS "TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE" SECTION in which we
focus on a group of questions from Noria's Practice Exam for
Level I Machine Lubrication Technician and Machine Lubricant
Analyst. The answers are located at the bottom of this page. The
complete 126-question practice test with expanded answers is
available at store.noria.com.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Answers
1. B
As oil ages, a series of chemical reactions occurs within the oil, including
oxidation and volatilization. Because the viscosity of the oil is directly related to
the size of the molecules, any degree of oxidation and volatilization will result in an
increase in the viscosity.
2. D
Vacuum samplers are needed when there is not enough pressure to push oil to the
sample bottle. Examples include return lines and unpressurized sumps.
3. E
Sampling from drain ports makes the sample unrepresentative because all contam-
inants and wear metal tend to settle in the bottom of the reservoir. Thus, the sample
will not represent the condition of the oil near the lubricated components. When
the system is cold, water and other contaminants tend to separate from the oil.
Sampling after an oil change or major top-up does not add value, as the oil analysis
can be expected to reveal good results or at least highly diluted data.
1. After some possible initial change,
as oil ages, the viscosity of an
aging oil generally:
A) Trends down
B) Trends up
C) Stays very flat
D) Oscillates both up and down
E) None of the above
2. Vacuum samplers are needed:
A) On low-pressure lines
B) From unpressurized sumps
C) From pressure lines
D) Answers A and B
E) All of the above
3. Which of the following contributes to poor quality and
unreliable oil analysis data?
A) Sampling from drain ports
B) Sampling from cold systems
C) Sampling after an oil change
D) Sampling after a major top-up volume of oil has been added
E) All of the above
