When it comes to maintenance on today’s heavy duty trucks, changing engine oil surely comes to mind. While this practice is certainly familiar for all vehicle service professionals, there are methods to make oil changes safer and more efficient. No-Spill Systems’ Carrie Hasinoff discusses differences between hot versus cold oil changes, and products available that can help assist technicians with this common service in the shop.
Transcription of interview:
Erica Schueller, Fleet Maintenance: Hello and welcome to VSP News: Uptime Update. I am your host Erica Schueller, Editor-in-Chief of Fleet Maintenance magazine, covering all maintenance, all vehicle classes, all management, all the time.
When it comes to maintenance on today’s heavy duty trucks, changing engine oil surely comes to mind. While this practice is certainly familiar for all vehicle service professionals, there are methods to make oil changes safer and more efficient.
We talked with, Carrie Hasinoff, marketing director for No-Spill Systems – a provider of magnetic oil drain plugs – to discuss products available that can help assist technicians with this common service in the shop. We first talked about the differences between changing engine oil when its hot versus when the oil is cold.
Carrie Hasinoff, No-Spill Systems: Hot oil always drains quicker than cold oil. How much quicker depends on a number of variables – the shape of your oil pan, how dirty the oil is, the temperature of the oil, and the quality of the oil.
You can speed up your oil by changing out the oil when it’s hot but also by using specific oil drain plugs that can help you drain by gravity, which will drain a lot quicker.
Schueller, Fleet Maintenance: There are some advantages to changing engine oil while it’s still hot. Hasinoff shares more.
Hasinoff, No-Spill Systems: Most engine manufacturers recommend changing hot oil over cold. Not only does hot oil flow quicker, speeding up your maintenance, but it also contains more of the waste particles from your engine, so at every oil change you’re getting more of the contaminants out of your engine. By removing the majority of the contaminants, you can extend engine life.
Schueller, Fleet Maintenance: A common concern with changing hot engine oil is that … well, it’s hot. Hasinoff provides details on how techs can remain safe during this process.
Hasinoff, No-Spill Systems: It’s important to exercise caution whenever dealing with hot fluids. Engine temperatures can run up to 400 degrees [Fahrenheit], which is enough to burn a technician.
Exercising caution by wearing protective gloves and clothing can protect you. Other products also exist such as the No-Spill drain plug that will protect your technician’s hands.
The No-Spill drain plug is made of solid brass bar stock, which is a terrible conductor of heat – unlike aluminum or stainless steel that might burn a technician’s hand.
By touching the brass, it’s cooler to the touch and you’re able to direct the flow of waste oil without it having to come into contact with your skin.
Schueller, Fleet Maintenance: If you’d like more info about the latest trends in heavy duty engine oils, head to the link below for a recent story from Fleet Maintenance on this topic.
Thank you for tuning in to VSP News Uptime Update, I’m your host Erica Schueller.
Until our next broadcast, keep up with this, and other industry topics, by visiting us online at VehicleServicePros.com.
