Cutting oil costs through fewer changes

20th September 1974, Page 120

20th September 1974

Page 120

Page 120, 20th September 1974 — Cutting oil costs through fewer changes

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TWO and a half years of testing have been concluded at Indianhead Truck Line in St Paul, Minnesota. Vicepresent of maintenance Bob Sargent has been evaluating the possibility of vastly extended oil-change intervals.

In order to find out whether longer drain intervals were possible, Mr Sargent met engine manufacturers, oil suppliers and filter producers. including the, Fram Corporation, of Providence, Rhode Island.

Earle Fulford, product and technical services manager, recalls the first meeting. "We told Bob that no filter manufacturer should ever guarantee a period of use longer than that of the engine company's recommended practice. However, we wanted to participate in a controlled test such as this one." Mr Sargent agreed to use three Fram Filcron CI 75AP by-pass filters in his test programme.

The Fram by-pass filters have been used for the past 18 months with Cummins NHC-250 engines in International DF-400 tandem tractors. These vehicles average about 2,000 miles per week running in a combination of bunking and local delivery service. Operating hours per day, according to Mr Sargent, vary between 14. and 20.

"The results of this testing have proved that our tractors can go on a 50,000-mile oil and filter change interval," says Mr Sargent. "I would, however, caution other truck operators that there are many factors to consider before taking a step like this. First and foremost, the engine must be kept clean. If this is not accomplished, all else is lost."

Mr Sargent estimates that it takes a man two hours to change oil and both filters in conjunction with other preventive maintenance. He therefore projects an estimated savings of 2,560 man-hours per year. This time can be better spent, he says, on valuable repair and diagnostic efforts.

Aside from saving, money, longer drain intervals offer other advantages. Oil purchase is cut by half; there is only half as much used oil to get rid of.

Extending the oil and filter changes, previously scheduled at 16,000-mile intervals, Mr Sargent estimates an annual savings of $16,000. All 320 trucking tractive units the company operates will be converted to a 50,000mile change interval.