Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/923471
44 commercial carrier journal | january 2018 EQUIPMENT: DRAIN INTERVALS to where the oil is changed every other time the truck is scheduled for service – extending it may not make sense. "ere isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to that," Whitacre says. Application matters Fleets achieving fuel economy of at least 8 mpg are among the best candi- dates for extending drain intervals. "Fuel is an indicator of the work that's done by the engine," Granger says. "If the engine has consumed less fuel, it's done less work, and fewer contaminants can be found in the crankcase." Drain intervals often are propor- tional to fuel consumption, with higher-mpg trucks offering more flexibility for them. "ere's a strong correlation between how fast the oil degrades and how hard the engine is working, and fuel economy is a very good indicator for that," Whitacre says. "e more fuel you burn, the faster the oil degrades." Humphrey says stop-and-go driv- ing causes oil to break down more rapidly than fewer stops, so oil changes for these vehicles need to be more frequent. "For vehicles making long-distance trips where optimum road and engine speeds can be maintained for long periods, there is generally less stress on the oil, and longer drain intervals can be achieved," he says. Both Granger and Whitacre recommend any transition for out- of-warranty trucks to be done in con- sultation with someone who under- stands how to interpret oil analysis data. "Make sure they're not saving money in the short term but compro- mising the integrity of their product longer-term," Whitacre says. Granger says on older trucks or trucks no longer under warranty, an oil distributor likely will become a primary resource for helping evaluate candidates for extended drain intervals. However, that process will mirror the plan recommended by an OEM expert. "We're going to recommend right off the bat that they do oil analysis," he says. "You always have to have a refer- ence point. You've got to know what is happening in your crankcase." A step-by-step oil analysis guide Engine oil drains should be extended gradually, driven by the results of oil samples taken at regular intervals. Brian Humphrey, OEM technical liaison for Petro-Canada Lubricants, says this leads to an identifiable trend that is used to track and improve the equipment's performance and efficiency. Oil analysis programs typically involve three basic steps, Humphrey says. "The last stage, inter- preting oil analysis results, is when technical advisers take stock, evaluate the results and provide recommendations on whether it is possible to extend oil drain intervals," he says. STEP 1: Take a representative sample. Humphrey says this is the most important step in the process. "A clean, dry container suitable for holding used oil should be used," he says. A label must be affixed to the container with all the necessary information for the lab to put into its database, including fluid name, equipment type, hours and miles of operation. Improper sampling can lead to inaccurate interpretation of the results, which can lead to potential equipment damage or failure. Humphrey says when taking a sample, the sampling point should be wiped clean, and a small amount of oil should be flushed first to ensure no foreign contamination makes its way into the bottle. STEP 2: Send the sample to a qualified used oil analysis laboratory. Once the sample has been taken, it should be sent to a certified oil analysis lab as soon as possible. Humphrey says in some cases, delays can mean the difference between being able to diagnose and correct a condition and losing a piece of equipment due to failure. "The lab will test the oil using standard test regimes, providing accurate results and diagnosis in a report that can be sent by email or viewed online," he says. STEP 3: Interpret the used oil analysis results. Humphrey says while results often will be sent by email if requested, many oil analysis labs also supply online software for storing and assisting in interpreting ongoing oil sample results and identifying any trends. "To interpret the results, it is necessary to have guidelines on what levels are normal for the particular machinery being tested and how it operates," he says. "Looking at the trends over time for each parameter can offer more information than absolute single values." Fleets with rigorous maintenance schedules that ensure PMs happen on time are good candidates for extended intervals.