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oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know

Posted By: Moparnut426

oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 07:10 PM

Hope this dosnt get moved because I know you race guys know oil.

OK so here at the shop we change ALL the oil on all emergency trucks, Fire, Rescue, and EMT trucks. Well the diesels have 200 miles on them sometimes less.

Well I run rotella t in my cummins.

The Fire chief is my friend and he told me MAKE SURE its changed, dont care on price.

Since I run Rotella in my Cummins, would you guys ever use oil with 200 miles on it in your truck?

I mean it looks new coming out. Not even black at all. I know My uncle uses some fleet oils from his fleet truck in his dailey driver cause he works for the CO-OP and send in samples.

Mind you I would NEVER use used oil but it seems a waste to throw 200 mile oil away.

Dont flame me too hard for asking a simple question.

Kasey
Posted By: 340Bird

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 07:19 PM

I guy I work with burns drain oil in his rabbit diesel. Cleans it and runs it.? maybe something else you could do with it.
340 bird
Posted By: lorenr

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 07:40 PM

Good question. I've been doing it for years.

Some of those Cummins diesels hold 20 to 30 quarts.

If your fire chief is that foolish, tell him he needs Rotella T6 and then if he'll let you have it use it for anything.

Changing oil at 200 miles is probably doing more harm than good. Make sure you pre-fill the diesel oil filters especially the big ones.

Freightliner told me to use synthetic and change the filter at 10,000 miles and then change oil at 20,000. Some truckers go nearly a 100,000 miles just using a regular analysis and filter change.

Oil is way to expensive to change more often than necessary. Same for diesel air and fuel filters. Diesel fuel is much cleaner than it used to be.



Posted By: Moparnut426

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 07:48 PM

Quote:

Good question. I've been doing it for years.

Some of those Cummins diesels hold 20 to 30 quarts.

If your fire chief is that foolish, tell him he needs Rotella T6 and then if he'll let you have it use it for anything.

Changing oil at 200 miles is probably doing more harm than good. Make sure you pre-fill the diesel oil filters especially the big ones.

Freightliner told me to use synthetic and change the filter at 10,000 miles and then change oil at 20,000. Some truckers go nearly a 100,000 miles just using a regular analysis and filter change.

Oil is way to expensive to change more often than necessary. Same for diesel air and fuel filters. Diesel fuel is much cleaner than it used to be.








Trust me,

We tell him its foolish. He keeps on doing it though. I personally prefill every filter on my own services, and I make sure any diesel gets prefilled by my lube tech.

Kasey
Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 08:29 PM

For years a normal oil change in my race car also meant the same oil went into the tow vehicle.We only used regular oil but changed it maybe 50 passes in a 12 second stocker.

You use 200 miles as the factor in determining the overall amount it was used. In something like a fire engine how many HOURS was it been used would be more relative to it's condition.
Posted By: 440Jim

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 08:36 PM

I am not a purist on this, but consider:

1) hours (especially idle time)
2) think months, not just miles

All my regular vehicles get the oil changed every 6 months since I don't put more than about 6,000 miles/year on any one vehicle (I drive a few...)

I do put my used race car oil in my lawn tractor.

Acids, etc can build up, and antioxidents can lose effectiveness over time.
Posted By: Get-X

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 08:39 PM

Quote:

For years a normal oil change in my race car also meant the same oil went into the tow vehicle.We only used regular oil but changed it maybe 50 passes in a 12 second stocker.

You use 200 miles as the factor in determining the overall amount it was used. In something like a fire engine how many HOURS was it been used would be more relative to it's condition.




Exactly Fred, 200 miles and 200 hours at idle. There is nothing that pollutes oil in a diesel worse than sooting it up idling. I'd look into that for sure.

Also as someone else mentioned some OTR truckers will run their oil up to 100k miles, but they're also using a bypass filter system as well as the OE filters.
Posted By: Moparnut426

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/12/11 08:48 PM

I can check the HR meter on the next Diesel we change. I do jot them down for a referance. And seeing how this stuff is cleaner coming out, than some bulk oil we use on the farm that goes into the farm tractors, I know its not a lot of hrs.

Good point though.

Kasey
Posted By: Crizila

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 01:19 AM

Quote:

I can check the HR meter on the next Diesel we change. I do jot them down for a referance. And seeing how this stuff is cleaner coming out, than some bulk oil we use on the farm that goes into the farm tractors, I know its not a lot of hrs.

Good point though.

Kasey


My heart goes out to you. One of the reasons I retired after 31+ years in the government fleet business ( including going through 4 fire chiefs ). I'm sure you are not running recaps on any of your fire trucks ether. Hard to deal with someone with the title of "CHIEF". Before I retired, my shop was using rerefined oil ( yes, used oil ) and had recaped tires on everything. Tip - it aint worth the fight. If you are a conscientious employee, you need to look for work outside of government.
Posted By: BobR

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 01:40 AM

Quote:

For years a normal oil change in my race car also meant the same oil went into the tow vehicle.We only used regular oil but changed it maybe 50 passes in a 12 second stocker.

You use 200 miles as the factor in determining the overall amount it was used. In something like a fire engine how many HOURS was it been used would be more relative to it's condition.




Absolutely correct. It's hours not miles on these kinds of vehicles. Idling can be worse than hard use.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 01:48 AM

If it still has the clear-ish color... I'd put it in
my diesel... it doesnt take long at all for a diesel
to turn it black
Posted By: Crizila

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 03:47 AM

Quote:

Quote:

For years a normal oil change in my race car also meant the same oil went into the tow vehicle.We only used regular oil but changed it maybe 50 passes in a 12 second stocker.

You use 200 miles as the factor in determining the overall amount it was used. In something like a fire engine how many HOURS was it been used would be more relative to it's condition.


Hours on all heavy equipment. We used 100 hours = 3000 miles as a general conversion rule. All heavy equipment will come with an hour meter, and their ( diesel Mfg )suggested change interval will be in hours. I have never seen an oil change interval less than 200 hours except on street sweepers. Maybe the chief ment hours? 200 miles = 15 hours. Ridiculous.

Absolutely correct. It's hours not miles on these kinds of vehicles. Idling can be worse than hard use.


Posted By: Moparnut426

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 03:59 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

For years a normal oil change in my race car also meant the same oil went into the tow vehicle.We only used regular oil but changed it maybe 50 passes in a 12 second stocker.

You use 200 miles as the factor in determining the overall amount it was used. In something like a fire engine how many HOURS was it been used would be more relative to it's condition.


Hours on all heavy equipment. We used 100 hours = 3000 miles as a general conversion rule. All heavy equipment will come with an hour meter, and their ( diesel Mfg )suggested change interval will be in hours. I have never seen an oil change interval less than 200 hours except on street sweepers. Maybe the chief ment hours? 200 miles = 15 hours. Ridiculous.

Absolutely correct. It's hours not miles on these kinds of vehicles. Idling can be worse than hard use.







Nope, Mike wants everything changed 1 time a year regardless of miles. The average this year is 200 miles, last year was 350ish. had more fire and rescue calls, and a few parades.

I am going to save all the oil out of the 3 big trucks. and send in a sample to be analized.

Kasey
Posted By: 440Jim

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 01:59 PM

Quote:

Mike wants everything changed 1 time a year regardless of miles. The average this year is 200 miles, last year was 350ish. had more fire and rescue calls, and a few parades.

I am going to save all the oil out of the 3 big trucks. and send in a sample to be analized.

Kasey


Once a year is not a bad call. But if you test it and the acid, particulate dust, soot, etc are fine then consider it.

200 hrs at 8 hrs/day continuous (25 days) is a lot easier on a motor oil than 200 hrs for 10 minutes here, 30 minutes there over 1 year.
Posted By: BobR

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 02:28 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Mike wants everything changed 1 time a year regardless of miles. The average this year is 200 miles, last year was 350ish. had more fire and rescue calls, and a few parades.

I am going to save all the oil out of the 3 big trucks. and send in a sample to be analized.

Kasey


Once a year is not a bad call. But if you test it and the acid, particulate dust, soot, etc are fine then consider it.

200 hrs at 8 hrs/day continuous (25 days) is a lot easier on a motor oil than 200 hrs for 10 minutes here, 30 minutes there over 1 year.




200 mile 1 year old oil acid will likely be the problem if there is one.
Posted By: Moparnut426

Re: oil question, NOT race related but Racers would know - 05/13/11 03:06 PM

Thanks guys,

very informative for sure!

Kasey
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