Pit & Quarry, December 2018

of fuel every hour it idles Combating this problem can be difficult Lubricants can offer protection from idling while also improving fuel economy THE ROLE OF LUBRICANTS A high quality heavy duty engine lubricant can reduce pumping and spinning losses while minimizing metal to metal contact between engine components This helps protect the engines vital hardware while also enhancing performance and improving fuel economy For heavy duty vehicles in the aggregate industry American Petroleum Institute CK 4 oils are now particularly relevant Offering increased shear stability this oil specification protects against both oxidation and aeration Off highway mining machinery can take on more air in their engine oil than usual so aeration control is important This is especially the case at the bearings where a robust oil film is required for protection Along with the extent of idling that an engine experiences operators should account for the region and climate their machines operate in These factors can affect the rate of engine wear when not properly lubricated For fleets operating in colder climates different oil requirements will be appropriate oils that are designed to provide protection in colder climates are marked with a W denoting winter that features after the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE grade Fleets in warmer areas are more suited to heavier oils like the SAE 30 or 40 grades which resist the breakdown that occurs at high temperatures to ensure adequate flow and engine protection Aggregate mines operate across the globe so its also important to consider the viscosity of oil that determines its ability to flow Too high of a viscosity may mean the oil resists easy movement delaying lubrication which will affect the protection of the engine and may result in increased engine wear To ensure oils can lubricate critical components even when operating in the coldest operating conditions its useful to look for industry standard tests such as cold crank viscosity CCS and low temperature pumpability MRV UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT Implementing a used oil analysis program can highlight if oil needs to be changed earlier than usual By bringing attention to maintenance issues before they turn into serious problems managers can save on repair costs as a used oil analysis will reveal the hidden impact idling can have An oil analysis can also help to extend oil drain intervals a step that should only be undertaken based on recommendations from an original equipment manufacturers manual and advice from technical experts Taking steps contrary to these recommendations may invalidate any warranty coverage if damage or engine failure occurs Typically a three step process used oil analyses involve taking a representative sample from the equipment before sending the sample to a qualified used oil analysis lab and then interpreting and acting on the recommendations of the results Additionally performing analyses at regular intervals helps to generate performance databases that can be used to establish data trends Scheduling this process allows maintenance plans to be adjusted in advance meaning it can be managed in line with planned downtime making the overall maintenance process more efficient FINAL THOUGHTS Engine idling can have a significant impact on aggregate operations By selecting high quality heavy duty lubricants fleet managers can improve the reliability of their fleet while reducing any unplanned downtime P Q Brian Humphrey is OEM technical liaison at Petro Canada Lubricants AUTOMATE www kpijci com pitandquarry com December 2018 PIT QUARRY 63