Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/187653
How To By Jack Roberts Cold call How to prepare your truck before Old Man Winter comes knocking N othing tests a truck's readiness for climate change like a hard, frigid blast of arctic air. That's why winter preparation is an annual event for owneroperators, whether based in Minot, N.D., or Shreveport, La. Basic preparation can pay big dividends by avoiding unnecessary downtime. Coolants Whether you use conventional or extended-drain coolant, your coolant system should get the lion's share of attention as sub-freezing temperatures approach. Here are tips to ensure your system is ready to endure the winter. • At any preventive maintenance, check the system, especially clamps and hoses, for leaks. Make sure the coolant level is at the "full" mark. If not, pressurize the system to find leaks. • Always use a high-quality coolant and additives from repu- More cold, more coolant The colder the areas you run in, the higher the concentration of coolant should be: Cold areas: 55 to 60 percent. Temperate areas: 45 to 55 percent. Hot areas: 40 to 45 percent. table suppliers. Do not rely on questionable marketing claims and unknown sources of engine coolant, which can provide marginal protection or create problems with newer trucks. • Pull a sample of coolant and check the solution to see if the freeze point is appropriate. A 50-50 solution should protect your engine down to -34 degrees F. This can be measured by a handheld refractometer (the most accurate), test strip or hydrometer. This measurement tells you only if the concentration of glycol and water is correct and if the freeze point protection is adequate. • Use the test strips designed to test the key inhibitor levels for the coolant you are using to ensure they are preventing aeration, corrosion and cavitation. If in doubt, send a sample to a lab. • Eyeball the solution sample in a see-through container. It should be clear with bright tint and free of any debris. Batteries Cold temperatures cause a battery to resist charge, often leaving it at a lower state of charge. This can increase the battery's sulfation level and tax the battery's cycle life, reducing overall life. Here are tips from Gale Kimbrough of Interstate Batteries, Antifreeze/coolant not only provides freezing protection, but it also inhibits corrosion for all cooling system metals through a wide range of temperatures. Maria Orlando-Krick of EnerSys and Brad Bisaillon of Trojan Battery. • AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries – just like flooded-cell types – come in starting, dual-purpose and deep-cycle options, so choose the correct battery for your needs. • During PM intervals, routinely check the electrical system, clean the batteries and test and charge them. • If batteries are 3 years old and winter is coming, consider early replacement. • Checking a battery's state of charge (SOC) is the best way to determine remaining useful life. A handheld battery and electrical system tester will allow you to diagnose bad batteries rapidly and precisely in a discharged state. • An alternate method to check SOC is a digital voltmeter to measure open circuit voltage (OCV). Do not measure the OCV until 24 | Overdrive | October 2013 How_To_1013.indd 24 9/30/13 9:08 PM