Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/117978
Service Bay This can happen anywhere lubrication is needed, and its severity is directly proportional to how well a lubricant is maintained. In engines, these types of failures are commonly the result of poorly managed oil drain intervals, resulting in low oil levels and oil contamination. Most commercial ���eets and owneroperators utilize oil intervals safely within OEM ranges, but there are some who try to extend their intervals to keep maintenance costs low. While that strategy can work, ���eets must research how far out their intervals can go before settling on a number, says John Gaither, director of heavy-duty product engineering at Luber-���ner and FRAM Filtration. Given the risk, he recommends they use oil analysis when making that decision, and says it is a good idea for service providers to offer that option to customers. ���If [a ���eet] is well past its drain interval and isn���t running oil analysis, they could be at risk for any number of things,��� Gaither says. Premature wear on components is just the start. Within an engine, Wenzler says highpressure contact areas such as the cam If [a ���eet] is well past its drain interval and isn���t running oil analysis, they could be at risk for any number of things. ��� John Gaither, director of heavy-duty product engineering at Luber-���ner and FRAM Filtration rollers are usually the ���rst places to show premature wear. Once engine components start to wear, ���you will see engine life reduced,��� he says. ���We���re not talking about this happening in one day, but you will see the overall life reduced. Proper maintenance is key to overall engine durability.��� That���s why it���s important for technicians to catch component wear early. An engine that operates at improper oil levels for a few days may only suffer minimal wear, and sometimes may not even require a repair. ���A small amount of that can be okay,��� says Stede Granger, OEM technical manager at Shell Lubricants. ���If it���s just When providing a preventive maintenance check for a customer, make sure to check all lubricant levels throughout the vehicle. Once a vehicle���s lubrication levels drop, it can start deteriorating quickly. 20 T R U C K PA R T S & S E R V I C E | TPS0413PG019-021_Lubrication Failures.indd 20 a little bit the engine will continue to function.��� But that functionality does not excuse the result. Granger says customers should be noti���ed when premature wear is discovered. If a customer is proactive in improving its oil drain intervals and checking its lubricants moving forward, the engine can function without additional issues for years. If things don���t change an engine can deteriorate quickly. Rodney Walker, technical director, oil lube re-re���ning at Safety-Kleen, says service providers need to make a point to provide customers with as much information as possible about how an improperly lubricated engine can break down. ���It can be catastrophic,��� he says. Once engine components start wearing down, the rate at which they continue to wear increases considerably, Walker says. Bearings are usually the ���rst components to falter, followed by cylinder liners and the camshaft and crankshaft, says Josh Frederick, manager of engineering and technical services at Valvoline. ���All of the big key moving components in the engine are dependent on lubricant,��� he says. ���Without [oil] to keep them separate, those parts can rub together and that quickly breaks them down.��� And while early stages of component wear can be tough to spot, there���s no missing a truck rolling down the highway pouring out black smoke and shaking due to a lack of engine oil. At that point, the only option is a complete engine overhaul. Gaither says most customers will be aware of that risk, and will have trained their drivers accordingly. ���I think most [���eets] have seen ���rsthand how bad it can be, and they know how it can easily be prevented,��� he says. In addition to engine oil, a lack of greasing also can lead to component wear and premature chassis breakdown. April 2013 3/25/13 3:53 PM