While there may be some frustrations with the latest heavy duty commercial engines, overall, they have assisted with numerous technological advances in the industry – including extending engine oil drain intervals. Coupled with other diagnostic methods like used oil analysis, there are a number of ways preventive maintenance practices help to optimize the performance of commercial vehicles. Paul Cigala, commercial vehicle lubricants application engineer at ExxonMobil, shares insights on the impact of different technological advancements on commercial vehicles as they relate to engine lubricants.
Transcription of interview:
David Brierley, Fleet Maintenance: Welcome to VSP News: Uptime Update. I am your host David Brierley, managing editor of Fleet Maintenance magazine, covering all maintenance, all vehicle classes, all management, all the time.
I’m filling in this week for Erica Schueller, while she’s away attending a professional training program to earn her Class A commercial driver’s license.
Fleets are continually looking for ways to increase vehicle uptime. While there may be some frustrations with the latest heavy duty commercial engines, overall, they have assisted with numerous technological advances in the industry – including extending engine oil drain intervals. Coupled with other diagnostic methods like used oil analysis, there are a number of ways preventive maintenance practices help to optimize the performance of commercial vehicles.
We talked with Paul Cigala, Commercial Vehicle Lubricants Application Engineer at ExxonMobil, about the impact of different technological advancements on commercial vehicles as it relates to engine lubricants.
Paul Cigala, ExxonMobil: With the introduction of API CK-4 and FA-4, OEMs have allowed extended oil drain intervals so technicians have more time to focus on other things on the vehicles.
They can extend those oil drain intervals, as well as extending the service intervals for re-greasing as well. There are opportunities for more uptime and keeping the equipment on the highway.
Brierley, Fleet Maintenance: While extended oil drain intervals are a benefit of the latest engine and engine oil technology, fleets still need to employ methods that allow them to test and confirm the performance of these systems. This is done through used oil analysis.
At this year’s TMCSuperTech technician skills competition, used oil analysis was highlighted at the lubrication station. Cigala was on-hand at the station, sponsored by Mobil Delvac, to monitor and evaluate the proper use of used oil analysis.
Cigala, ExxonMobil: Used oil analysis is a great tool to give technicians an understanding of the health of their equipment, as well as the health of the oil in the engine.
They can look for a lot of key items in the used oil analysis – if there is an EGR cooler leak, if there is a head gasket leak, fuel dilution, or any kind of excessive wear metals that are accumulating in the oil – they can diagnose a problem before it becomes a catastrophic failure or a breakdown.
Brierley, Fleet Maintenance: When conducting used oil analysis, it is important to make sure the tests are done properly. Cigala shares more details on the importance of conducting this critical diagnostic test.
Cigala, ExxonMobil: Used oil analysis can help technicians look for contamination or excessive wear in the engine before it becomes a failure. However, it’s important to make sure you take a used oil sample properly and not taking it out of the sump. But, taking it out of a live sample valve or taking it with a vampire pump and a new piece of tubing, every time.
Brierley, Fleet Maintenance: Cigala says Mobil Delvac saw value in gathering information at the ground level when it comes to the skills and abilities of commercial vehicle technicians. Because of this, he says, Mobil opted to support this year’s TMCSuperTech competition by sponsoring the lubrication station.
Cigala shares more.
Cigala, ExxonMobil: ExxonMobil and Mobil Delvac have had a long history of involvement with TMC and numerous study groups. We saw the opportunity to participate in the technician workstation this year to see what kind of gaps there are in the industry as well as in the technical schools. We want to look to help with the curriculum as well as some of the training that we provide to our customers.
Brierley, Fleet Maintenance: That’s it for this week’s episode.
Thank you for tuning in to VSP News Uptime Update, I’m your host David Brierley.
Until our next broadcast, keep up with this, and other industry topics, by visiting us online at VehicleServicePros.com.
