Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/772176
64 commercial carrier journal | january 2017 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 can't dodge Ram at intersection O n a warm summer day in the countryside near Pumpkin Patch, Ark., tractor-trailer driver John Doe rapidly was approaching Route 202, where he intended to turn le. Arriving at the inter- section, Doe had a green light, so he started to make his turn, but ... Gosh dang it! He was blocked from the le by a Ram pickup whose driver had made an indecisive emergency stop at the red light on Route 202 and had wound up halfway through the intersection. Doe initially expected that the pickup – driven by an impatient young adult named Butch Snidely – would back up a few inches, permit- ting the 18-wheeler to complete its green-light turn. en, deciding that Snidely wouldn't budge without dyna- mite, Doe checked his mirrors, found that he had plenty of room, cautiously backed up about a foot and then entered the intersection. Just before Doe was all clear, however, the light on Route 202 turned green, signaling Snidely that maximum acceleration was in order. So, deciding not to waste a few seconds for Doe to get out of the way, Snidely attempted to swing around Doe's trailer, with the pickup's pedal to the metal. BLAM!! Snidely couldn't ram his way past, and he clipped the corner of Doe's trailer. Later, Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director, and the National Safety Council's Accident Review Committee was asked to settle the dispute. NSC immediately ruled in Doe's favor, noting that he could not have prevented Snidely's self- destructive behavior. John Doe was clearing the intersection when a pickup driver tried to swing around his trailer, but the pickup clipped the trailer's corner. Was this a preventable accident?