Petro-Canada Lubricants
By Brian Humphrey, OEM Technical Liaison
Reading Your Used Oil Analysis Report
D
ecreasing fleet downtime and associated costs is a continual process for fleet owners and operators, who are always on the lookout for gains in efficiency and productivity to improve fleet performance. Along with reflecting on driver style, idle time and the design of the truck, there are also proactive measures that can be taken, such as used oil analysis. Regular oil analysis can help identify signs of mechanical failure before it becomes too expensive or serious to repair. It also offers the potential to extend oil drain intervals* – another method for fleet owners looking to reduce maintenance costs and increase the time that their fleet is on the road. A THREE-STEP PROCESS Oil analysis is a simple three-step process: taking a representative sample from the vehicle, sending the sample to a qualified used oil analysis laboratory, and then interpreting and most importantly, acting upon the recommendations once the results are received.
It’s during this process that technical advisors can evaluate the results and trends developed over time to provide recommendations on whether it’s possible to extend oil drain intervals without compromising the protection of vital engine components. REPORT READING Technical advisors will provide knowledgeable insight into the findings of a fleet’s used oil analysis, but it’s useful for fleet owners and operators to be aware of what they might find on their report and what this could mean for their fleet. This can help trends and anomalies in the report to be identified quickly and any errors or maintenance needs resolved. For example, results demonstrating that glycol or coolant is present in the engine oil could be an indicator of a failing EGR cooler seal. The first signs of this would be an increase in silicon, potassium or sodium within the engine oil. Other properties to be aware of are a significant increase in iron, and alum-
ANDY TRANSPORT
100 Volvo Trucks & 200 Manac Trailers
M
ontreal, Quebec – Andy Transport is pleased to release its asset acquisition plan for 2019. Following last year’s purchase of sixty-two (62) Volvo VNL 760 2019 units, Andy Transport continues the expansion of its fleet with a purchase order of 100 new Volvo VNL 760 2020 tractors with Le Centre du Camion Ste-Marie Inc. and approximately 200 new Manac trailers, resulting in an annual investment of over $25 million. Andreea Crisan, EVP and Chief Operating Officer of Andy explains: “We listen to our clients’ needs and we are uniquely placed to help them achieve their growth plans. In fact, it is our corporate culture that differentiates us in a marketplace that is facing a major labor shortage.” “Safety has always been a core value of Andy. All new purchases are equipped with Volvo Active
22 April 2019
Driver Assist (VADA including Bendix Wingman Fusion), a safety system that combines camera, radar sensors t o det ec t m et a l l i c ob j e c t s and vehicles that are stationary in front of the tractor and to automatically engage the brakes if the driver cannot react”, adds Ilie Crisan, President of Andy. “Expected as of May 2019, we look forward to the integration of VADA/ Bendix and ISAAC – our partner of choice for telemetry, communication and tracking. This integration will offer Business Intelligence to support better decision making and take us one step closer to our commitment to road safety and our drivers’ wellbeing”, outlines Andreea Crisan. “We thank all our partners for supporting us in our growth as well as for their commitment to continuously improve their products and services”, adds Golan Moryoussef, CFO.
V
inium. There are a number of potential causes for this such as a failing camshaft, coolant leak attacking the liners, engine bearing issues or the engine requiring mechanical adjustment – so it’s important to spot the signs early. Presence of unburnt fuel combined with an increase in wear metals (iron, aluminium, lead and copper) within the sample can also indicate that protection of crucial engine components may be compromised. In all these circumstances, seeking expert lubricant advice is recommended to help resolve issues. Used oil analysis provides a vital method of predicting wear throughout service life and highlighting maintenance needs before they affect engine performance and become more expensive to address. By monitoring the levels of key properties in the engine oil, the impurities can reveal how and why machinery is wearing down, as
well as help identify the reason for the wear. Used oil analysis can predict future maintenance and prevent imminent failures to reduce unplanned downtime. * Extending drain intervals should always be undertaken in conjunction with an oil analysis program.
V