Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/978209
38 | Overdrive | May 2018 HOW TO EXTEND DRAIN INTERVALS Brand specifics Volvo owners who wish to exceed the recommended 60,000-mile drain intervals using Volvo-branded VDS4.5 should begin by submitting a request to Volvo Powertrain, says John Moore, Volvo Trucks North America's pow- ertrain product manager. If conditions are met, including evaluation of an oil sample analysis, Volvo fluids experts would determine if an extension is allowed and its length. Moore says exceeding the oil change interval without consent from Volvo vio- lates the warranty. Detroit offers a new "Efficient Long- Haul" interval for its DD13 and DD15 engines that applies only to over-the- road duty cycles that exceed 7 mpg. For the DD13, this means that a tractor can travel up to 65,000 miles between oil and filter changes, and for the DD15, up to 75,000 miles. Paccar's MX-11 and MX-13 engines come with a 75,000-mile interval, up significantly from the 40,000-mile interval for the MX line- up when it was introduced in North America in 2010. International's A26 engine offers a standard drain interval of 50,000 miles for customers with fuel economy greater than 6.5 mpg. An extended drain pro- gram can allow for up to 70,000 miles if OEM approval is granted through oil analysis and review. Cummins' OilGuard program offers free oil analysis. Cummins personnel will recommend drain intervals, which the company says can be pushed upward of 80,000 miles on newer engines depend- ing on the application. Preventive maintenance If you begin an extended drain inter- val, consider how it will integrate with other preventive maintenance schedules, Granger says. "If you're draining oil at the 75,000- mile mark, a lot of chassis parts that require grease can't go that far," he says. An owner needs to coordinate schedules in the simplest ways so there is no con- fusion and nothing gets overlooked or extended beyond its proper limit. There's also the oil filter to consider. Whitacre says approaching 100,000 miles isn't a challenge for most filters' ability to handle the fluid, but the extended period of being mounted to the engine can cause issues, so it's good to check that the filter remains securely in place. "These things are designed to with- stand a certain amount of time shaking around on an engine," he says. In most cases, unless you can double the drain interval – or push it to where the oil is changed every other time the AN OIL ANALYSIS GUIDE The results of oil samples taken at regular intervals lead to an identifiable trend that is used to track and improve engine performance, says Brian Humphrey of Petro-Canada Lubricants. In addition to providing the opportunity to optimize oil change intervals, a good oil analysis program also can help reduce unscheduled downtime, improve equip- ment reliability, extend equipment life and reduce maintenance costs, he says. "By evaluating the condition of your lubricant and equipment on a routine basis, minor mechanical problems are discovered before they become serious and expensive to fix," Humphrey says. The process is simple: TAKE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE. The sampling point should be wiped clean, and a small amount of oil should be flushed first to ensure against con- tamination. Put the sample in a clean, dry container. Affix a label with information the lab will put into its database, including fluid name, equipment type, hours and miles of operation. Improper sampling can lead to inaccu- rate results, and then potential equipment damage or failure, so be thorough with this step. SEND THE SAMPLE TO A LAB. Promptly send the sample to a certified oil analysis lab. Delays can mean the dif- ference between being able to correct a condition and losing a piece of equipment due to failure. INTERPRET THE DATA. The lab will provide results and diagnosis in a report that can be sent by email or viewed online. Some labs also supply online soft- ware for storing and assisting in interpret- ing ongoing oil sample results. Establish guidelines on what levels are normal for the particular machinery being tested and how it operates. Looking at trends over time for each parameter can offer more information than absolute single values. Oil analysis helps determine not only the oil's present quality but also its additional service life and trends that can highlight engine problems.