Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
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amount to about $7,800. The typical conservative interval for many owner-operators, 15,000 miles, has been shorter than the standard recommended over-the-road change interval for most engines since the early 1990s. Operators adhere to 15,000 miles because they have heard of many oil-related engine failures at changes longer than that conservative interval. But oil life is quite flexible. A competent operator can extend that life significantly by paying attention to his maintenance and altering his operation behavior. For example, experts agree that minimizing idling time alone will significantly extend oil life because idling puts more undesirable stuff in the oil than even hard driving. Responsible refiners are willing to stand behind their products even when extending changes. Operating and maintaining your vehicle or vehicles as the experts advise could allow you to extend changes without fear of problems. It could also reduce costs and give you more downtime. Chevron Lubricants' Jim Gambill, Delo's brand manager for the Americas, says the "real issue with extending drains is the maintenance of the vehicle – fuel filters, tires, oil, grease, coolants, etc." The critical practices are those that affect the stress on oil. Oil lubricates wear surfaces, but it also cools such critical parts as the pistons, which are not in direct contact with the radiator coolant. When those high temperatures are combined with the oxygen in crankcase air, as well as in the cylinder (for oil sitting on the liner during a down-stroke of the piston), the result is thermal and oxidation- related breakdown. That can quickly destroy oil's ability to lubricate. The engine's primary defense against this heat is the cooling system – especially the oil cooler's, consisting of copper pipes with coolant on one side and oil on the other that conduct 3 keys to extended intervals Use good filtration practices "Use a filter that will meet all the engine manufacturer's specifications, and always change it at the recommended interval," says Shell's Dan Arcy. "We have no issues with either bypass filters or centrifugal designs. Pulling small contaminants out is always an acceptable practice. Note that Detroit Diesel extended the change interval on the DD15, and filtration technology was a big part of what made this practical." BP Castrol's Corey Taylor, senior development technologist, reminds you to always change filters with the lube. He says some operators skip the filter change to save money, believing the clean oil will take care of any problems. He stresses the need for new filters so additional impurities will be removed. Involve the filter supplier in considerations of extended drains, says ExxonMobil's Rob Banas, or do your own investigation. "You might need better capacity (for dirt), or better internal construction." He says many of ExxonMobil's customers running extended drains with synthetic lubes use filters with synthetic media, and some can run long drains without an intermediate filter change. "We do recommend high-quality filters as an important part of routine maintenance," says Chevron's Jim Gambill. "We do not recommend the filters that claim to replenish oils or extend oils by chemical additives, as our additive technology is carefully balanced and we don't want this careful balance compromised." Choose right oil grade ExxonMobil has been promoting long oil change intervals with use of Mobil Delvac 15W-40 synthetic oil for many years, Rob Banas says. "We offer Mobil Delvac 1300 Super, Delvac Elite Blue and Mobil Delvac 1 fully synthetic. Each oil has its design capabilities. Formulations can neutralize and suspend the by-products of combustion almost like a sponge. As you move up the ladder, you have a bigger sponge, either for longer intervals or harder applications." Shell offers both "semi-synthetic and fully synthetic engine oils that are extended drain capable," Dan Arcy says. "However, we always concentrate on the fact that every customer's operation is unique." Lubes with a lower initial viscosity grade number like Shell's T5 10W-30 and T6 10W-40 and 5W-40 are better for cold starting under harsh conditions "because they are not as thick under starting temperature conditions," he notes. This allows many fleets to curtail idling, which helps extend change intervals. Chevron's Jim Gambill says, "If you are looking to extend the life of the product, we are recommending a premium conventional product like Delo 400 LE 15W-40. The viscosity grade works in most places and this oil is proven to deliver outstanding durability…. In very cold climates (operating routinely below 0 F), you may consider something like Chevron Delo 400 LE 10W-30. We recommend Delo 400 Multigrade (CI-4 PLUS) for older vehicles without a DPF." BP Castrol's Corey Taylor says Castrol offers two synthetic blends, Hypuron 15W-40 and Hypuron 10W-30, suitable for extended drain. These have been extensively tested at 50,000 and 70,000-mile intervals, respectively. The company's Elixion 5W-30 is a full synthetic blend that provides the best protection. "The low levels of oil soot today's injection systems provide and the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel greatly help to extend the life of engine oil," Taylor says. (Continued on Page 36) APRIL 2012 OVERDRIVE 35