Article originally published on Noria.com.
Heat is the direct consequence of lubricant starvation. Once any mechanical system becomes depleted of lubricant, and the lubricating film keeping gears, bearings or slides apart is no longer present to support or protect the surfaces, surface-to-surface contact will occur. When two surfaces slide or rub together, friction is produced, and from friction comes heat.
Before frictional heat is generated, the only way to detect lubricant starvation would be through vibration analysis. Vibration analysis can pick up subtle vibration changes in the machinery and may be able to identify lubricant starvation before the extreme heat from friction is discovered.
(read the entire article, "Signs of Lubricant Starvation," at Noria.com...)
