The friction loss of gears and its quantitative estimation are important problems because of their relevance to energy conservation and load-carrying capacity. Recent research results do not provide satisfactory estimates of friction loss of spur gears. Therefore, the authors carried out experiments to study the influences of lubricating oil viscosity and additives, as well as base oil type and load and rotational speed on friction loss of spur gears. Base oil types used were paraffin mineral, poly-α-olefin, and polyglycol with several oil viscosities. An EP and a mild EP additive were studied in these oils. Finally, the temperature rise of teeth of gears as a function of friction power loss was investigated, and an empirical formula for calculating the temperature rise of the spur gear teeth was derived.Presented at the 48th Annual Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada May 17–20, 1993