Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/378850
92 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2014 Why do I have to top-off oil in my engine? Most of you probably check your oil level each day or when you fill your fuel tank. Low oil level can lead to faster degradation (oxidation) of the oil, faster consumption of the oil additives and potentially shorter engine life. When discussing the issue of oil consumption, we must keep in mind that there are only two ways oil is consumed in a diesel engine: oil is either burned in the combustion chamber or it leaks through seals or gaskets. There are also a number of factors or conditions that can affect the amount of oil an engine consumes. Some of the factors that affect oil consumption include engine idle time, driving conditions, load, terrain, engine operating temperature, oil volatility, fuel dilution, and miles on the engine. Another important point to remember is that no two engines are alike. You may have noticed that engine oil consumption has been reduced with late model trucks. New oils help control piston deposits which results in better oil consumption control. Newer piston and piston ring designs, along with changes in engine operating conditions, are also factors. Oil formulation can help provide the best oil consumption control. Premium motor oils are formulated to exceed the most current requirements of all North American truck engine manufacturers, as well as those of the American Petroleum Institute. Shell Rotella ® engine oils are formulated with a careful balance of detergent, dispersant, anti-oxidant and anti-wear chemistry designed to maximize engine protection. Adding a gallon of oil every few thousand miles was once common. We now see late model engines that will go an entire drain interval without requiring that any additional oil be added. However, we still recommend you check your oil daily and top-off as required. To further help monitor conditions in your engine, we recommend having an oil analysis program. It is one of the most effective ways to monitor the condition of your engine. A regular oil analysis program helps you build a historic database and watch for trends in a variety of areas. Ideally, you want to analyze a sample of used engine oil after every oil change. By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants 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 - 231 - 6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston, TX 77002. PREVENTABLE or NOT? Doe's rig rammed during snack attack A fter a tasty breakfast of Navaho Tacos at the West Winds Truck Stop in Green River, Utah, trucker John Doe continued his run to locally-famed Cowboy Bill's All-Beef Burgers to deliver some shrinkwrapped cartons of soybean meal. Later, arriving at the restaurant, Doe pulled into the drive-through area adjacent to the service door and lib- erally sprinkled the area with bright orange traffic cones – just in case a blind and demented four-wheeler failed to see his huge long-nosed fire-engine-red Class 8 tractor and sparkling new trailer. While waiting to be unloaded, Doe checked his logbook, simultaneously snacking on a fresh celery stick to improve his concentra … BLAM! A mild tremor had rippled through Doe's cab. What the blazes? Swallowing his celery stick in one convulsive gulp, Doe popped out of the cab and saw that Matilda "Missy" Hornswaggle's rust-riddled Chevy pickup had roared around the corner and intro- duced itself – rather violently – to his candy-striped ICC bar! Hornswaggle, wiping large amounts of Cowboy Bill's Famous Ropin' Sauce and burger fragments from her face, immediately accused Doe of backing into her vehicle. A nifty trick, Doe mused, considering the distracted Hornswaggle had run over some of his cones in the course of attacking his trailer while scarfi ng on her snack! Because Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director – who claimed that all professional drivers should be psychic – the National Safety Council's Accident Review Committee was asked to render a fi nal decision. NSC quickly ruled in Doe's favor, noting that he had no control over maniacal Missy. John Doe was parked and sur- rounded by traffi c cones when his rig was struck by a pickup manned by a distracted driver who tried to argue that Doe had hit her instead. Was this a preventable accident? Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info Service Door Cowboy Bill's