Cold Starts and Hot Days Can Damage Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oils

It’s a cliche but it’s true, on a jobsite time equals money. When heavy duty machinery operates inefficiently or when it goes down unexpectedly there’s a cost. Not just to the repair or replacement of the equipment but also to the job because the work can’t continue until the machine is up and running, or you can get a new one on site. And then there are downstream effects to all of it.

Let’s look at some of the key factors in heavy duty engine failures and how heavy duty diesel engine oils can help you avoid unexpected downtime.

Where Do Engine Failures Start?

What drives an engine to disrepair? Ask a dozen drivers, and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Some will say the miles driven, others might say it’s the hours the engine runs, while others will hold that it’s not maintaining strict service intervals. The answer is probably found in a combination of them all, with the addition of operating conditions.

5 Key Operating Condition Concerns

Frigid mornings, sweltering afternoons, uneven duty cycles, and excessive idle periods are just some of the operating conditions that heavy duty equipment can find itself working in. Conditions that can cause serious concerns for the engine.

1. Cold start damage. Heavy duty diesel engine oils flow differently in lower temperatures than they do in higher ones. This means that on cold mornings, the full benefits of lubrication will be delayed until the oil heats up and flows more uniformly. This can lead to an increase in metal-to-metal parts contact before the oil circulation stabilizes. This process, repeated over time, can lead to cumulative wear damage within the engine.
2. High temperature and thermal stress. While mileage plays a big part in the long-term effectiveness of diesel engine oil, the consistently high internal temperatures of the engine breaks down oil chemistry even faster. While this is an unavoidable product of the combustion process, this breakdown can be accelerated in engines that have a sustained load time vs those with a shortened duty cycle.
3. Startup wear vs steady-state operation. Where short duty cycles can help with managing temperature stresses on an engine, the constant on/off of the engine, that is part of the cycle, can lead to an increase in stresses on the engine lubricants.
4. Idle time and soot loading. Extended idling periods increase the soot contamination in an engine. This can lead to the formulation of deposits and lessen the effectiveness of the diesel engine oil.
5. Miles and hours. Service schedules need to be established based on more than just numbers. For example there is a big difference between an engine that has run for 30,000 miles and one that has run for 15,000 in harsher environmental conditions.

Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oils Protect Your Investment

When your heavy duty machines go down you aren’t just faced with repair costs, you have to manage jobsite delays and fight reputational damage as well. That’s why it is extremely important to match your diesel engine oil selection to your job environment and equipment usage periods.

Your Experienced Industrial Oil Distributors

The best way to offset complicated operating conditions is through preparation, and that includes utilizing the best diesel engine oils.

As your diesel engine oil suppliers, we’ll work closely with your equipment manager to understand the work your team is performing and where the jobsite is. Knowing these types of environmental conditions, we’ll be able to help you develop a lubricant and service plan that keeps your heavy duty engine operating.

Learn more about our heavy duty equipment lubricant services.