If you’re operating a mixed fleet, it’s likely that you have a range of lubricants in your workshop. Not only does this mean that your oil storage area will take up more space, but it also increases the potential for human error in selecting the wrong lubricant for an application.

By seeking the advice and insight of a technical expert, you can safely consolidate your lubricants while maintaining proper lubrication of vital components. Seeking guidance is crucial, as consolidation can be an extremely complex process where each Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM’s) recommendations need to be taken into consideration and carefully balanced. While some level of consolidation can be beneficial, it’s important not to go too far by sacrificing the benefits of what one lubricant can offer to reduce the number of products in the workshop, which ultimately compromises the protection of the hardware.

Optimizing oil drain intervals can offer a wide range of benefits from enabling trucks to be on the road longer between scheduled maintenance to directly reducing maintenance costs. However, to extend oil drain intervals used oil analysis data needs to be monitored and interpreted by a lubricant expert to make sure that the impact of extending the period between oil changes doesn’t have a negative effect. This is a key stage before oil drains can begin to be extended out under close monitoring to identify any early signs that lubrication may be compromised.

Only by working collaboratively with a technical service advisor can oil drain intervals be safely optimized and time in the shop – and off the road - minimized.

Reading used oil analysis reports can be a challenge as various data points and influencing factors need to be considered holistically to provide meaningful insight into a vehicle’s condition. Lubricant experts and technical service advisors can offer their detailed knowledge, insight and experience to help turn laboratory data into actionable insight.

For example, the first factor to consider is that not all Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) thresholds are the same for specific properties – so while one level could be deemed acceptable, the same level in a different vehicle could be a cause for concern.

Added to this, technical experts can quickly identify where immediate maintenance might be required – the presence of coolant or glycol could suggest a failing EGR cooler seal, or an increase in iron and aluminum which could indicate a failing camshaft, coolant attacking the liners or the engine requiring mechanical adjustment.

By working with a lubricant expert, these problems can be quickly and easily identified so that maintenance schedules can be adjusted to prevent issues becoming too serious or expensive to repair. Technical experts can also impart their knowledge through specialist training sessions so you and your technicians can spot potential anomalies and warning signs within used oil analysis data. Over time this will allow you to become confident in interpreting the report and able to make maintenance adjustments based on your own insight.

Just a phone call away, lubricant experts can provide in-the-moment advice to help problem solve. For example, our technical service advisors often provide guidance on how to take a good quality oil sample as well as offer insight into evolving specifications such as the change from the Eaton PS-164 to the current PS-386. Other commonly asked questions focus on drain intervals and what the OEM recommended interval is – this is key for maintaining warranties so should be a key consideration for all fleets - and how customers can reduce cleaning of their diesel particulate filters (DPFs).

With a wealth of knowledge, insight and experience just a call away, technical service advisors can give in the moment advice and help you overcome any lubricant queries.