Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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80 commercial carrier journal | july 2016 If I use thinner oils will my engine still be protected? The ability of engine oil to prevent wear by keeping moving parts separated is one of the key functions that it has to perform. That ability comes from the fluid viscosity and the additives which protect the metal surfaces. The thickness of the oil film which separates the moving parts is dependent on the viscosity of the oil and it will also depend on the speed and load of the engine operation. If oil is too thin to provide effective separation between moving parts or does not effectively control contaminants, this could result in increased wear through the contact of metal parts or abrasive wear, and could possibly shorten engine life. As truck and engine manufacturers are trying to achieve the maximum fuel economy for their equipment, the trend is to use lighter viscosity oils to assist in reducing fuel consumption. These full synthetic or synthetic blend oils are expected to provide fuel economy benefits, but not compromise on engine durability. Through extensive testing on synthetic blend Shell Rotella ® T5 10W-30, Shell has demonstrated a 1.6% fuel economy improvement benefit vs. conventional 15W-40* with no compromise on durability. Manufacturers develop their engines to operate efficiently with specific viscosity grades, so you should check with them to see which viscosity grades they allow and/or any specific conditions such as ambient temperature, which may influence the use of those viscosity grades. The SAE and API have established minimum requirements for lighter viscosity oils which should allow for effective protection of key engine parts. A number of diesel engine manufacturers recommend lower viscosity lubricants in their newest engines, and the move to lower viscosity lubricants is reinforced by the announcement that one of the focus areas for the next generation of heavy-duty diesel engine oils will be fuel economy improvements, which lower viscosity oils have demonstrated the ability to provide. This is particularly important as the first-ever fuel economy regulations for heavy trucks will begin in 2014. Synthetic engine oil also can help keep the engine clean through improved sludge, deposit and varnish protection, and helps reduce overall engine wear under extreme operating conditions. Synthetic engine oils typically have more stable viscosity and provide better protection when the engine is running under high-temperature conditions, such as high speeds and heavy loads. * as demonstrated in 2009 on-the-road field testing for 10W-30 viscosity grade only, highway cycles, compared to Shell Rotella ® T Triple Protection ® 15W-40. The term "Shell Lubricants" refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business. This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question? Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1-800-237-6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston, TX 77002. By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants Untitled-5 1 11/9/15 9:07 AM PREVENTABLE or NOT? Drum dings Doe's trailer during delivery M uch to his relief, the palletized load of drums for Pooka's Pool Supply was John Doe's last scheduled delivery for the day. After backing his trailer to the loading dock, supervising the unload- ing process and completing the usual exchange of paperwork, he hurried over to the employee vending area to buy some heavy-duty coffee and semi-stale (but still tasty) chocolate doughnuts with sprinkles on top. Returning to his rig, Doe saw forklift operator Morty Furndock returning a 55-gallon drum to the trailer. It appeared that the drum was destined for Pooka's second store on the other side of town. So Doe found some rope and secured the drum to a section of rub rail by the rear door. The rest of the trailer now was empty. A few minutes later, Doe was cruis- ing down the freeway at 55 mph in the wake of another truck. Suddenly, the trucker in front panic-stopped to avoid a deer, so Doe also hit the brakes hard, causing the drum to break free, slide down the length of the metal-floored trailer and smash into the header, damaging it severely. Since Doe contested the warning letter for a preventable accident from his safety director, the National Safety Coun- cil's Accident Review Committee was asked to make a final ruling. NSC quickly ruled in Doe's favor because he had been traveling at a safe speed for conditions, had been following the truck at a safe distance, had made a totally controlled stop, and presumably could not have anticipated the heavy rope he had acquired from Pooka's Pool Supply was faulty and, therefore, insufficient to restrain the drum dur- ing rapid deceleration. When another truck in front of John Doe's rig stopped, he hit the brakes hard, causing a drum in his trailer to damage the header. Was this a pre- ventable accident? Braking Truck John Doe's Rig