I still maintain (and always will) the best yardstick for lubricant performance in any use be it crankcase or gearbox or automatic transmission is an oil analysis done by an accredited lab and reading the results including the TBN number (which is the indicator of the lubricant's longevity in a particular application.
I do that all the time and I use Blackstone Labs in Fort Wayne, Indiana but there are others s well. Blackstone makes it very convenient with prepaid sample bottles which, for me increases the convenience.
With regular oil analysis it's easy to tell if your mechanical components are going to experience a failure before they fail by the amount of contaminates in the drain lubricant. With me at least it's nice to know if I have an impending failure before it becomes a major issue as well as how the lubricant is performing in a particular application.
I read on here all the time about engine failures from blown head gaskets, pump failures and assorted maladies, all are preventable and can be diagnosed early on with a lubricant analysis before it gets expensive.
Jut like going to the doctor for a yearly physical. You see if your motor is performing up to snuff and if you have impending issues too.
In all my years, I've never had a lubrication failure or mechanical failure directly attributable to the lubricant.
No mechanical device lasts forever, everything wears out eventually but knowing ahead of time of a pending failure allows you to be pro-active with the repair.
Kind of like firearms. Without a bore scope to look in a barrel, you have no idea of the condition of it and in a firearm, the barrel receives the most wear and abuse.
