Fluid Motion Isn’t Wasted

If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, then any areas of a collection vehicle in need of a little lubrication should be making noise. Since they don’t, operators and fleet managers must monitor them.

The municipal solid waste industry is one of the most severe environments, combining excessive stop-and-start conditions with a dusty, dirty atmosphere. All these factors can wreak havoc on a truck’s systems. Particularly in a severe duty environment, vigilance is necessary to ensure that everything is properly lubricated in order to keep equipment fully operational.

A dirty environment can make cooling difficult, says Dr. Colin Dilley, director of technology for Prestone Products Corp., of Lakeforest, IL. “Higher loads create heat, and if heat is prevented from escaping, it can have disastrous results.”

Engines are designed to run at a specific temperature, with specific tolerances. The right coolant can help it maintain optimal temperature. “The correct coolant affects fuel efficiency and protection,” Dilley emphasizes. If the engine is running at optimal temperature, it should achieve maximum fuel mileage. Conversely, the wrong mix can allow the engine to run at higher temperatures, which often results in oil viscosity that accelerates wear.

Because heat can’t pass “hot spots” in the cylinder, an improperly protected cooling system can allow cavitation corrosion-erosion to occur, resulting in liner perforation. When coolant enters the combustion chamber, it can destroy an engine within minutes. Prestone Command’s nitrite level protects against cavitation pitting corrosion. “You have to keep the nitrite level right longer to prevent cavitation and scale,” Dilley elaborates. If not, it can cause pre-ignition.

“Coolant affects oil, not vice versa.” Unfortunately, Dilley says, few fleet managers focus on getting coolant right. To help them, Prestone recently introduced two new products for diesel engines in color-coded containers with straightforward names designed to eliminate confusion. “It’s important for fleet managers to know what they’ve got.”

A new traditional product is Prestone H-D Extended Service Interval. The conventional low-silicate formula lasts up to 25,000 miles. “There’s a demand for it,” Dilley explains, adding that it provides a choice for fleet managers.

Designed for the heavy-duty industry, it features the same technology to make inhibitors perform longer. “We’ve conducted extensive testing on compatibility with our formulas so it doesn’t fall apart or form gel,” Dilley emphasizes. “It’s a stabilized coolant.”

A more expensive but longer-lasting product, Prestone Command Heavy Duty Patented Extended Life Coolant-a blend of ethylene glycol and specially formulated organic acid inhibitor package designed for heavy-duty cooling system applications-replaces low silicate formulas. This 600,000-mile coolant features inhibitors that protect metals in the engine, using organic acid, a different type of chemistry. “Organic acid technology “˜eats bacteria,'” Dilley says.

Its primary purpose is efficient heat transfer in order to maintain optimum engine temperature for fuel and lubrication efficiency. In addition to preventing boil-over and over-heating, it protects in the low temperature range as well.

Marketing it as a 600,000-mile coolant doesn’t mean it’s “no maintenance,” however. Operators may have to top off at 300,000 miles due to leakage. Explaining that hose clamps expand from heat, Dilley says some trucks lose as much as one gallon of coolant per month. “We use the Truck and Technology Maintenance Council’s recommended practices for mileages,” Dilley states. This independent group’s core function is to assess maintenance issues and determine best practices. Ultimately, Dilley concludes, it’s important to know what the vehicle is doing and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Extended-life coolants should not be topped off with conventional fluids. “You must not mix them,” Dilley cautions. It’s one reason he recommends sampling. “You need to know what’s in the coolant. It can be water after a flush; that could lead to boil-over because it conducts heat. You need to know how much glycol is in the engine, because pure glycol doesn’t remove enough heat. Best is a 50-50 water-glycol mix.” To find out, he says testers are affordable and easy to use.

An alternative to topping off coolant is selecting a lifetime product such as the waterless coolant offered by Evans Cooling. “You never need to add or change coolant, because it won’t evaporate,” states Mike Tourville, director of marketing.

Money can be saved on product. It can also be saved through improved fuel economy. Reduced fan-on time, thanks to an increased operating temperature no longer in jeopardy from overheating, contributes to less fuel usage and the resultant savings.

There’s greater opportunity to improve in waste vehicles because of the stop/start conditions that generate heat and prompt the fans, Tourville explains. New York City used the product in some of their waste vehicles. At the end of a year, the city saw a 5% fuel economy improvement and reduced carbon-dioxide emissions.

A lot of technology has a tradeoff, but Tourville hasn’t found one with this waterless coolant. “It’s a low-cost method to save fuel without compromise.” Payback has occurred in less than six months for many customers.

Because the revolutionary fluid contains no water, there is no corrosion or electrolysis, issues that cannot be avoided when water is present. Similarly, pressure is eliminated since there is no hot water vaporization stressing the cooling system; nor is there inhibition of heat transfer due to a vapor barrier.

Sample, Anyone?
Sampling of all fluids is critical to proper maintenance, but when access is difficult, it doesn’t always get done. To increase the frequency of oil sampling for analysis or to simplify and speed oil changes, Fumoto Engineering created a patented spring-locking ball valve that replaces the standard oil drain plug.

Available in various sizes and diameters, the durable Engine Oil Drain Valve won’t leak, says Ryuji Mitsuoka, assistant sales manager for the Redmond, WA-based company. Made of corrosion-resistant forged brass and stainless steel, it stays on-and yet, is easy to install and use, with no tools required.

Engine oil can be drained “at the touch of a finger,” Mitsuoka says. “You just lift the lever and turn to open.” When the lever is returned to its original position, it locks with a double seal to prevent leakage and avert accidental opening while driving. The N-Series Valve features a nipple to accept hoses.

The inexpensive valve helps save money on operating costs through easier sampling, Mitsuoka says. It also saves time because there’s less mess. “It’s cleaner; there’s less runoff.” Frozen drain plugs and stripped threads are eliminated.

The only potential downside Mitsuoka could think of is that it sticks out a little more than a standard plug. But even that might be a good thing because it could serve as a reminder to check the oil.

Oil: Slick Tricks for Issues and Maintenance
Another reminder comes from Groeneveld’s Oilmaster, a sensor mounted on the engine that sends a signal to an external reservoir mounted on the frame rail behind the cab if the oil level is low. If it is, the system will pump a small quantity of oil from the integrated reservoir to the engine sump.

By monitoring while the ignition is on, and automatically adding oil when necessary, Oilmaster constantly maintains the correct level. Smart electronics prevent overfilling. “There’s no overfilling, no underfilling, and, because it’s a closed system, no mixing oils, either different weights or brands,” says Jared Robinson, inside sales rep for Groeneveld USA Inc.

For more than 40 years, Groeneveld has provided tools to make maintenance of vehicles and off-road equipment easier, with systems that control the oil level and lubricate greasing points. Focused on efficiency and fuel efficiency, Groeneveld products also reduce maintenance costs.

According to Robinson, the optimal level for engine pressure and lubricant and cooling effect is just over half-full, substantially lower than the maximum mark on the dipstick; therefore, oil consumption is substantially lower, which reduces costs.

Because intervals can be extended and because less oil is needed during oil changes, it also benefits the environment because there’s less oil consumed and less used oil to dispose of.

Oilmaster saves time as well as money, eliminating the need for daily manual checks. Because it maintains the proper levels, there’s typically less downtime for maintenance or repairs. Information is stored in the electronic memory to enable quick diagnosis if excess oil consumption does occur.

Oil isn’t the only fluid primed for an automatic lubrication system. Groeneveld’s automatic greasing system puts an end to manual lubrication, automatically maintaining machines while they’re in operation.

The single-line O-grease greasing system features an external pump with a reservoir that holds grease. At timed intervals, it pumps grease through the main distribution line to the injector blocks, which send it to the points while the truck is running. No lubricating point is skipped.

Like the Oilmaster, it saves money by not using excess grease. Each injector applies the correct amount of grease to all greasing points simultaneously, at the right moment. Because they are greased regularly, moisture and sand are kept out of vital parts such as the tie rod, kingpin, and the fifth-wheel coupling. That helps reduce wear of expensive parts.

“It shortens maintenance,” Robinson says, because “all you have to do is a visual check for broken lines and dry points.” That’s an important advantage on equipment when some points aren’t easily accessed. Shortening maintenance reduces downtime. “It extends the life of the equipment so they can focus on other problems.”

The follower plate is standard pump equipment that prevents oxidation of the grease and allows the level to be easily seen because it keeps reservoir walls clean since it funnels the grease inside. The system serves trash trucks, but a sturdier, heavy-duty twin system with an electric pump is used for off-road equipment at landfills.

Shifting Gears
Transmission fluids technology has come a long way, claims Tom Eifert, executive director customer support for Allison Transmission. A lot can be accomplished through advanced transmission fluid technologies. “Modern transmission fluids that have TES-295 approval are capable of lasting many hours and many miles without the need for change in a wide variety of vocations and applications. With the use of TES-295 approved synthetic fluids, you receive the benefits of extended drain intervals and optimum wear protection.”

Typically, trash trucks and rolloff trucks experience severe duty cycles due to the environment they work in and their power takeoff systems. Severe duty cycles for transmission fluid require more frequent fluid change requirements compared with general duty cycle. Hotter fluid temperatures can be a result of operation within the severe duty cycle environment. The TES-295 synthetic fluids offer maximum protection against heat and wear.

They also contribute to extended drain intervals, which provide numerous benefits, such as reduced costs of materials (oil and filters), less used oil to recycle or dispose of, less downtime and, perhaps most importantly, reduced wear of critical components and better overall transmission performance.

Extended drain intervals translate to reduced maintenance and improved productivity, but when it’s time for an oil and filter change, Allison Prognostics sends alerts. “Allison 5th Generation Electronic Controls Shift Selectors display prognostics in text form to provide at-a-glance status of oil life, filter life, and transmission health,” Eifert elaborates. Calibrated to the particular operating requirements of the vehicle, Allison prognostics monitor various operating parameters to determine when a specific maintenance function is required and send an alert.

Without Allison prognostics, oil analysis can be useful in determining the life of automatic transmission fluid. “Allison has developed a kit that makes it simple and easy to monitor your transmission fluid, no matter how many vehicles are in your fleet,” Eifert says. “Simply purchase the kit, send in the samples and get the results via mail, e-mail, or the web.” Allison’s computer-based analysis looks at the results and makes a recommendation based on the condition of the fluid.

When changing oil, Eifert recommends replacing filters with genuine Allison Transmission filters. “Our filters are designed specifically for optimum performance and operation within the Allison Transmission product. Non-genuine filters can often be too restrictive, causing premature plugging in service due to the fine particulate distribution. As the elements load, the filtration efficiency decreases rapidly as the differential pressure builds. Genuine Allison filters have a rating that matches the flow and filtration requirements as specified by Allison engineers.”

Beyond Gas
One trend in lubrication involves a different type of fuel. “A new influx of natural-gas engines has changed the landscape,” says Alex Smith, off-road manager for Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants, “most notably among some natural-gas vocational trucks that go home at night to refill.”

But, he cautions, they cannot use the same lube as a diesel engine. “Diesel fuel behaves differently than natural gas. Diesel combustion produces soot and unburnt fuel that must be managed with the proper lubricant. If soot agglomerates, it can contribute to wear.”

Natural-gas combustion, on the other hand, produces very little soot. Instead, the engine oils are more prone to oxidation and nitration, creating a need to utilize different engine oil chemistry. In addition, because natural gas lacks the lubricity that protects the valves, it “relies on engine oil for a pillow of ash on the valves.” In short, Smith says, natural gas is a different fuel source and it needs a different lubricant.

Castrol offers two products for natural gas engines: Duratec NG and Duratec ES. NG uses mineral oil but ES is a full synthetic, tested and proved to safely extend drain intervals to 1,200 hours. “It’s a game-changer,” Smith believes. “It can increase efficiency through longer drain intervals, less lubricant usage, more uptime, less overall cost and less waste oil.”

Castrol also offers “great diesel engine products, too,” he continues, “but the industry is shifting from 15W-40 to 10W-30″ based on OEM recommendation. “You can save roughly 1% in fuel economy if you switch from a 15W-40 to a 10W-30.”

The driver for waste fleets is operational efficiency, not fuel economy, which is hard to measure in waste fleets, Smith contends. “They want less time in the shop, extended intervals, and consolidated inventory.”

Maintaining the Maintenance Tools
Fleet maintenance can be costly and time-consuming, but preventive maintenance and best practices help keep vehicles on their routes, reducing downtime for major service or repair. Maintaining the tools to keep the vehicles running is a critical part of an overall plan. Problems can be averted by properly maintaining systems and fluids.

Hydraulic oils should be looked at closely, according to Castrol’s Smith. “Keep them clean. Less contamination means longer component life.” He points to the importance of using a used-oil analysis program in reducing contamination. “An ISO cleanliness test [particle count] tells the micron size and number of the dirt and wear particles in the oil.”

Storage and handling are also important. Tanks should be fitted with the proper breathing filters and kept away from dirty environments as much as possible. Smith suggests checking deliveries and consulting the distributor about running additional filtration to deliver cleaner fluid and/or using a filtration cart.

By the same token, keeping the fuel system clean helps it run better. Prestone Command DEF is a diesel exhaust fluid applied directly into the exhaust at the catalytic converter to reduce NOX.

As an OEM supplier and, according to Dilley, the inventor of ethylene glycol as antifreeze cooler, Prestone has more than 80 years in the industry. Part of Prestone’s commitment to protection is exemplified by a high level of quality control that includes ownership of the product from development testing to creating its own unique formulas from raw materials in their own US-owned plant.

Prestone continues to work with OEs. “Engines are changing,” Dilley notes. “We’re seeing lightweight engines and metals unused before. The concern is that fluids developed 20 years ago aren’t meeting the challenges of the new engines.” An example he gives is controlled atmospheric brazing, when coolers block the radiators and heat exchangers. “We’re working on a solution with an organic acid coolant.”

In addition to lab and field testing, Dilley says they “talk to fleet managers about problems, costs and time,” developing an inhibitor package and coolant in response to their needs.

Collection vehicles, transfer trucks, and landfills are all different customers with distinct needs. Responding to their needs by making maintenance easier and more accessible can help tackle the standard challenge of getting customers to perform routine fluid maintenance. Time-tested standard practices are being made easier by the introduction of new formulas and tools that make maintenance quicker and more efficient.