Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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84 commercial carrier journal | november 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? Doe's P&D pummeled by pizza-panicked Polk A t high noon, comforted by a family-size bag of tasty celery sticks in the passenger seat, John Doe was driving his straight pickup-and-delivery truck eastbound on a sunny stretch of three-lane one-way Porkpie Parkway near Ferndock, Ala. Rolling along in the center lane, Doe noticed that the left lane was polluted by a haze of blue smoke. A forest fire, perhaps? Nope. e smoke was billow- ing from the rusty tailpipe of Joe Bob Polk Sr.'s slow-moving 1955 Buick Roadmaster sedan – a two- tone sorta-blue vehicle celebrating 182,763.9 miles of faithful service with an unquenchable thirst for mo- tor oil. Doe closed his driver window in self-defense and remained in the center lane, preparing to pass Polk's antique conveyance. At the same time, Polk spied a sign that announced that Smurdley's Pizza Palace was about two blocks ahead on the right. Temporarily de- mented by an all-consuming craving for one of Smurdley's pepperoni and double-cheese creations, Polk zoomed into the center lane without using his turn signal. Unfortunately, the center lane was occupied by Doe's truck, which incurred some minor damage to its le rear wheel well. Polk's ride escaped unscathed. Since Doe contested the preventable-accident ruling from his safety director, the National Safety Council's Accident Review Committee was asked to render a final decision. NSC quickly ruled in Doe's favor, noting that he could not have anticipated a wild lane-changeover by the pizza- craved Polk. John Doe was driving in the center lane of a three-lane one-way highway when his straight truck was struck by a four-wheeler merging from the left lane. Was this a preventable accident? Smurdley's Pizza Palace