Our editors are on vacation, so we're posting some of our favorite stories from the previous year which we thought worth repeating.
What are your engine oil specifications?
It’s important to follow what your original
equipment manufacturer recommends. Reading your owner’s manual is the key to
maximizing your equipment’s performance. Your manual contains vital API information
about caring for your engine, including which oil grades are best suited for them. For
example: SAE 15W-40, 10W-30, 5W-40 oil? Mineral, semi, or full synthetic base stock
needs to be considered.
How important is fuel economy?
How important is fuel economy?
If you’re keeping an eye on your miles per gallon, the
right lubricant can help your equipment achieve its maximum fuel efficiency. By
squeezing a few extra miles from each tank, you can see major savings over time. A semi
or full-synthetic diesel engine oil is your best option to deliver maximum fuel efficiency
without compromising engine performance, improving fuel economy by up to 2 percent
under normal conditions and by up to 3 percent during cold starts.
Does your diesel engine run in a range of temperatures?
Does your diesel engine run in a range of temperatures?
Speaking of cold starts,
temperature is another important consideration when choosing an engine oil. Extreme
temperatures, whether hot or cold, can be brutal on moving parts in your equipment.
Heat can quickly turn an engine into an oven, and the cold can thicken some oils until
they’re practically jelly.
How old is your diesel engine?
How old is your diesel engine?
Most diesel owners want to stretch the life of their
engine as long as possible. To perform their best, older diesel engines require attentive
care, and a quality lubricant can go a long way toward maintaining them. For example, is
your diesel running a DPF or no? Rebuilt for performance? Out of warranty?
Are you looking for more horse power or torque?
Are you looking for more horse power or torque?
Be sure to look at the oil’s data or spec
sheet to see if it addresses increased performance, or is high in anti-wear protection, etc. Look
for semi and full synthetic diesel engine oils that use shear stable synthetic base oils that are also high in film strength, have viscosity control, work with high compression,
have a higher TBN retention, and if needed, designed to address demands of turbo or
super-charged diesel engines.
We hope this has helped a little in your decision. Need a place to start? Take a look at these eight diesel engine oils: https://www.championbrands.com/diesel-engine-oils/
We hope this has helped a little in your decision. Need a place to start? Take a look at these eight diesel engine oils: https://www.championbrands.com/diesel-engine-oils/
THIS STORY ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN SEPTEMBER 2020