Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
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14 | Overdrive | November 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 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that it will, at least for five years, allow drivers using mobile device-based ELDs – those run on a phone or tablet – to change duty status out- side of and away from their vehicle. Such changes in duty status will need to be annotated but will be permitted under a waiver request granted to UPS by FMCSA. The agency granted two waivers for all carriers related to the elec- tronic logging device mandate. The other waiver allows carriers, at least for five years, to perform multi- ple yard moves without having to re-enter "yard move" on the device. The exemptions were part of a four-part request by UPS. The other two parts of the request both were related to the phase-in of ELDs for carriers already using automatic onboard recording de- vices. The agency also declined an ELD-related request from another fleet that asked for an exemption from the mandate for some of its drivers who operate short-haul routes but still are required to keep records of duty status. The ELD mandate requires that devices automatically record when a driver indicates a change of duty status and when an authorized user logs in or out of an ELD. In UPS' exemption request, it stated that per its drivers' bargaining agreement, they mostly are paid by the hour and use electronic devices to clock in and out while in the dispatch building and not in their trucks. However, if the drivers' mobile de- vice-based ELDs are not connected to a truck's ECM, their change in duty status would not be recorded automatically. FMCSA granted the exemption because it says it's not necessary for portable ELDs to automatically re- cord changes in duty status and log- ins and logouts of the devices when the drivers are not in the trucks with the devices connected to the electronic control module. Instead, these drivers will be allowed to an- notate the ELD record to indicate their appropriate duty status. The other part of the UPS exemption that was granted to apply to all carriers allows fleets to configure an ELD with a yard move mode that doesn't require the driver to re-enter "yard move" status every time the truck is turned off. To ensure compliance with the exemption, the ELD must be able to switch to "driving" mode when the driver inputs "driving" mode, the truck exceeds 20 mph and the truck exits a geofenced yard. FMCSA also issued clarification on the other two parts of UPS' exemption request. The fleet said it plans to replace current trucks that have AOBRDs with new trucks, and it asked to be able to install AOBRDs in the new trucks until the Dec. 16, 2019, transition date. FMCSA has clarified this in a FAQ section on its website, stating fleets that use AOBRDs before the Dec. 18, 2017, ELD compliance date can install that same AOBRD in a new truck that replaces the old truck. A new AOBRD cannot be installed in these trucks or in any new tractors that do not replace old tractors. – Matt Cole Phone-based ELD users can change status away from truck The ELD mandate exemptions apply not only to UPS but also to all fleets that meet the criteria.