Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
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14 | Overdrive | December 2017 Logbook 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 A federal appeals court in late October paused implementing portions of tightened greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for trailers that were set to take effect in January. The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association requested in September that the U.S. Federal Court of Ap- peals in Washington, D.C. suspend planned enforcement of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Phase 2 emissions regulations regarding trailers, citing EPA's prior agreement that further rulemaking was needed. The stay was granted by a three-judge panel. The Union of Concerned Scien- tists panned the decision. Michelle Robinson, director of UCS' Clean Vehicles Program, said GHG2 was set to reduce U.S. oil consumption by more than a million barrels every two days and cut 1.1 billion metric tons of pollution over the lifetime of the trucks covered by the rule. "Making trailers more efficient delivered at least 10 percent of these benefits," Robinson said. "Now, the court has sided with trailer manufacturers who don't want to comply with the rule, and the Trump administration has al- ready signaled its intent to let them off the hook completely by revising the regulations." The court's decision to grant TTMA's request for a stay doesn't permanently scrap Phase 2 re- garding trailer efficiency. EPA said it plans to re-evaluate its trailer provisions through public comment and rulemaking, which is likely to carry over into next year. – Jason Cannon Court halts trailer emissions regs The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association has questioned EPA's authority to regulate trailers under the Clean Air Act since it only covers "self-propelled vehicles." SMARTPHONE LOG BOOK and electronic logging device provider KeepTruckin in October launched a petition with a goal of obtaining at least 10,000 signatures for a request to gain more flexibility for drivers detained at shippers/re- ceivers. The company is asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to examine Keep Truckin data and grant a two-hour extension to the 14-hour on-duty maximum to drivers detained for more than two hours at a shipper or receiver location. THE CARRIER REGISTRATION process for the 2018 fiscal year has been delayed indefinitely. The gov- erning Unified Carrier Registration board of directors recommended that all states delay the enforcement period of 2018 registration compli- ance until 90 days after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes a final rule setting the 2018 registration period and an updated registration fee structure. CARGO THEFT INCIDENTS rose 24 percent from the second quarter to the third quarter, says cargo theft recording firm SensiGuard, which saw a total of 160 thefts. The average loss value was $117,137. The most-stolen products were building and industrial goods. Texas beat out California for the state with the most reported incidents, accounting for 24 percent of all cargo thefts.