Tag: heavy equipment maintenance: Page 5

Construction Equipment

From refinery, to delivery trucks, to your storage tank, chances for diesel fuel contamination are ever present

Most of us know that clean fuel is necessary for the high-pressure common rail fuel injectors (HPCR) used in today’s Tier 4 Final engines. Fuel system pressures approaching 40,000 psi require particle filtration as small as one or two microns. The problem is that as fuel system requirements are becoming more stringent, actual diesel fuel […]

September 14, 2015

Construction Equipment

Extended life coolants: Long life? Yes. Maintenance free? No.

Extended life coolants (ELCs) started gaining traction in the heavy-duty trucking and construction equipment industry about a decade ago. These coolants are so good they can in many cases last the life of the engine: 12,000 to 15,000 hours for off-road equipment, 600,000 miles for heavy-duty diesel trucks. Some claim even longer. For most OEMs […]

July 2, 2015

Business

Low-viscosity oils are only the beginning; new EPA diesel fuel economy rules will significantly impact your future

Earlier in June, Shell Lubricants went into great detail telling journalists about how the soon-to-come, low-viscosity diesel lube oil category will help heavy duty trucks improve fuel economy by roughly one percent. And while a one percent improvement in fuel economy may not get those of you in the heavy construction business too excited, another […]

June 24, 2015

Construction Equipment

Are you ready for Tier 5 emissions regulations?

Is Tier 5 on its way to the United States? That’s up to the EPA, but if Europe is any indication it won’t be a big deal. One thing that clearly stood out at the Intermat trade show this spring is that the diesel engine emissions saga isn’t over yet. The good news is the next […]

June 5, 2015

Oils & lubricants

New heavy-duty diesel oil standard: What you need to know

There’s a new heavy-duty diesel oil standard in the works. It will not be available until late next year or early 2017, but the performance requirements for it tell you a lot about where the diesel engine industry is headed. The industry periodically updates standards to address performance and emissions requirements from OEMs, says Sam […]

February 10, 2015

Construction Equipment

Cut operation costs by keeping lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids free of contaminants

In July, we showed the importance of keeping our weapon (grease gun) in good condition and using the proper gun. Now we’ll look at keeping the ammo (lubricant) clean and free of contaminants.  Machine owners are seeking ways to make their businesses more profitable. But you may be failing to recognize one of the most […]

October 1, 2014

Construction Equipment

9 things you must know to get a handle on DEF

“Why does it have to be this way? Why are we having to do one more thing?” Those are typically the first questions customers ask Heath Watton, regional manager for Southeastern Equipment, Cambridge, Ohio, when they’re told about Tier 4 Final engines and the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) they need to operate. The frustration is […]

September 1, 2014

Business

How to save money and protect equipment by creating an anti-idling policy at your construction company

In construction bids, nobody likes to leave money on the table. Yet the biggest controllable expense—fuel cost—is rarely scrutinized for savings. That’s unfortunate, given that the average idle time for heavy equipment is 40 percent, says Komatsu’s Ken Calvert. Komatsu started putting telematics on its machines in 2006. When they looked at the aggregate data […]

April 1, 2014

Construction Equipment

Heavy equipment technicians should avoid “mechanical logic” when diagnosing electrical problems

Even the best mechanics and technicians tend to get brain freeze when faced with an electrical problem. Fleet managers and shop supervisors who get impatient with the lack of progress only make things worse. Why? Because mechanical work and electrical work are two different animals. “If you try to apply mechanical logic and thinking to […]

February 28, 2014