crankcase oil is either contaminated or getting diluted from the extra fuel used to light
off the DPF, among other issues.
However, just a one-time analysis is not
sufficient.
To be of value, and reveal what other
problems your engine might be experiencing
(such as bearing wear indicated by increasing
levels of chromium), the analysis should be
done every third oil change after the engine's
initial 10,000-mile break-in period.
Then oil analysis should be done about
every third oil change to monitor both the
engine internals and to set that vehicle's oilchange intervals based on oil degradation.
Another item to check on a regular basis
is the serpentine belt. If you think you can
spot belt wear simply by looking for cracks
or chips, you are missing a key factor: belt
thickness.
Gates Rubber offers a free belt check
smartphone app, called PIC Gauge that allows you to check belt wear right from your
smartphone.
Or, you can go old school and use Gate's
plastic gauge to check the depth of the
grooves.
Either way, if the ribs aren't tall enough, it's
Preventive maintenance includes keeping the undercarriage clean as well as regularly checking brake wear and
suspension components like shocks and springs.
time to replace the belt before it jumps off the
pulleys and leaves you stranded. While you're
at it, replace the belt tensioner – or at least
replace the tensioner bearing (which costs
much less).
We could go at length about other aspects
of preventative maintenance, such as extended drain intervals for transmission fluid, and
using test strips to check coolant, but we'll
have to save those for a future column.
Built to protect.
Designed to fit.
800.248.6564 | www.turnoverball.com
- Truck specific for a perfect fit
- Rugged steel construction
- LED lights with chrome accents
- Tie-down brackets and grab
handles
The cab protector and a glass window is all that stands
between you and that heavy load of equipment in the bed
of your truck. That's why B&W makes sure it's strong
enough to protect your cab. But we couldn't overlook the
way it makes the truck look. That's why it's designed to fit.
- Available in black or white
- Optional beacon light bracket
- Optional light bar bracket
Text INFO to 205-289-3781 or visit www.ppmrequest.com
14 PROPICKUP April 2013
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