Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/141405
Business Dollars & Sense Change thinking, not oil By Kevin Rutherford W hen I started in the industry, it was common to change your engine oil every 10,000 miles. Engines were mechanical, not electronic, so the only thing that controlled how much fuel went into the cylinder was your right foot. The excess fuel would wash past the rings into the crankcase and dilute the oil. It was hard on rod and main bearings, and that's why we used to roll in a new set of bearings every 250,000 miles. Electronic engines don't overfuel, so we no longer have to worry about fuel dilution in a healthy engine. Bearings last as long as cylinder kits or longer, and we now change them as part of an in-frame. Unfortunately, our thinking about oil hasn't evolved as much. When I ask people how often they change their oil, the most common response is 15,000 miles. When I ask why, I Oil analysis benefits • Provides a service history of individual equipment • Improves equipment reliability • Highlights minor faults before they become major problems • Reduces expensive parts replacement • Aids warranty claims • Reduces maintenance and service costs • Extends oil change intervals • Reduces new oil costs • Reduces waste oil costs • Monitors positive and negative results • Allows you to schedule downtime and increase productivity • Provides insights into used equipment before purchase • Increases equipment resale value • Helps the environment get nothing but blank stares or "the manufacturer says I should" or "that's what my friend told me to do." At any point, your oil is either clean enough to keep using it or it's dirty, already causing damage, so you better get it out. There is a much better option: oil analysis. Instead of choosing some random number of miles and changing oil, you could do oil analysis and not change the oil until it really needs it. If you normally drain at 15,000 miles, instead take a sample at Oil analysis can save thousands of dollars by alerting you to emerging engine problems. 14,000 and find out the oil's condition. The lab will test for wear Coolant intrusion is another metals, including iron, copper, lead, problem that can go unnoticed but aluminum, chromium, etc. This tells is detected easily with oil analysis. if components are wearing out and Coolant in the oil will strip out the which component it might be. Lead zinc and cause high wear metals and and copper together indicate bearing ultimately premature engine failure. wear, while iron and chromium Increasing soot levels are an together could mean cylinder and indication of incomplete fuel ring wear. combustion, causing higher The test also will show if the fuel consumption and loss of necessary additives are present in the correct quantities and if contaminants performance. When we see high soot levels, check the charge air cooler – such as fuel dilution, soot, water or (CAC) and for exhaust restriction and coolant – are present in dangerous low operating temperatures. quantities. Finally, the test will show The bottom line: A $30 oil sample the oil's physical properties, such as could prevent a $15,000 engine viscosity, total base number (TBN), overhaul. It's time to stop changing oxidation and nitration. your oil and start changing your That information also allows you thinking. to correct problems before they cause damage. When I read an oil analysis report indicating fuel dilution and ask the owner whether the truck is Kevin Rutherford is an running OK, the answer is usually accountant, small-fleet owner and the host of Sirius XM yes. The owner is unaware of the Radio's "Trucking Business & issue, which is usually is caused Beyond." Read the Dollars & by a failing injector. If that goes Sense archive at OverdriveOnline.com/Dollars. unrepaired, it will cause excessive Contact Rutherford through LetsTruck.com. wear metals and bearing failure. 24 | Overdrive | July 2013 Business_D&S_0713.indd 24 6/27/13 11:53 AM