When it comes to fluid intake needs, those who care deeply about satisfying all of those diesel engine-powered products scattered around worksites will find it a bit of a challenge these days.
It’s not that the machines are thirstier, but moreso that they’re a bit more selective when it comes to the fluids they desire and require.
What was once simple – an initial filling of a nice, thick oil, some complementary green coolant, and a steady supply of diesel fuel – is now clouded by the need for better performance. Extended maintenance intervals, longer engine life and those now-omnipresent emissions requirements only add to the mix.
But if one pays attention to a few simple clues, it’s possible to keep those diesel engine-powered products happy and faithful for a long time. To do that, here are some of the things you need to remember each day.
Oils
Diesel oils were straightforward for many years, with a new category coming along every few years and only a few well-known viscosity offerings. Of course, who doesn’t think “the thicker the better” when it comes to oil for protecting an engine?
But the world of developing oils is actually quite complex, with both mineral and synthetic base stocks now available and many additives utilized to ensure a range of properties are accomplished. The oil companies just continue to get better at fine-tuning their individual recipes, and it gets ever more difficult to separate one from another.
To succeed with these, it’s necessary to first select the proper viscosity for given operating conditions (primarily expected temperatures) and then, secondly, to ensure that it’s approved by the American Petroleum Institute.
The latest offering is CK-4, and it’s worth being sure that’s what you’re using as it’s a major upgrade from the prior CJ-4.
Be cautious about the new FA-4, which is a particular oil specifically developed for better efficiency and only approved for some of the newer on-road engines. In fact, it’s only to be offered in thinner viscosities, as the push to use thinner oils continues. The problem is that if any of it makes its way into an engine not ready for it, the necessary engine protection won’t be there.
Coolants
When it comes to coolants, the menu was rather simple for a long time as there was basically only one product available: the very familiar inorganic acid technology, also known as “green stuff.” But the coolant folks didn’t wish to be left behind the technology trail, and their work has pushed the boundaries of performance and longevity.
There are some newer products available and in use these days, primarily for the larger displacement engines. But many of the small ones still rely on the “green stuff.”
The new offerings are based on organic acid technology (OAT) and offer substantially longer in-use life before needing to be changed. In contrast, the “green stuff” needs to be changed regularly, and it remains crucial to pay close attention to this requirement – particularly in the severe application of off-road diesel engines.
The trick with the OAT products is the wide variation available these days. Each engine manufacturer will have a specific recommendation and, quite commonly, will offer its own product as the best of all. It’s healthy to pay very close attention to what they’re saying regarding each engine you might have onsite.
A specific concern of diesel engines with wet liners is cavitation on the backside. The engine companies are concerned about this and, fortunately, have several approaches to prevent this based on their individual base blends and additives.
Another concern is incompatibility with materials that the coolant might encounter in a particular engine. A coolant offered and recommended by an OEM will clearly be suitable and not a worry performance-wise, or if a warranty situation should arise.
While we could discuss all the factors involved these days in even greater detail, a simpler approach would be, when it comes to coolants, it’s prudent to simply be sure you’re using one approved for a particular engine and to have some additional supply nearby and properly labeled for any topping-up needs.
Diesel fuel
Diesel fuel remains, for the most part, a single product needed by all – specifically the current ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), a mineral product refined from petroleum taken out of the ground. There is little in the way of differentiation from one retail supplier to another.
This is what is now supplied across the country after its introduction a few years back, and the “ULS” aspect indicates a low sulfur level at 15 parts per million. It was introduced to both reduce the production of unwanted sulfur-based combustion byproducts in an engine, as well as to minimize the poisoning of catalysts that would be employed in the exhaust after-treatment system to reduce emissions.
As to the loss of lubricity with the loss of sulfur, the ASTM D975 standard was quickly updated to require the addition of lubricity additives.
A variation of this is biodiesel, a retail offering consisting of a portion of the blend being sourced from “bio” sources. The use of this is well-accepted with engine companies having long ago blessed it.
When considering purchase and use, it’s important to keep in mind that, like some foods, biodiesel fuel will spoil if you don’t plan to use it in a relatively short period of time. With that said, it’s sometimes just better to use the straight mineral stuff, which is still good, without the need to feel guilty. Overall, diesel engines are much cleaner these days.
Fluids management
When it comes to keeping track of all this, the requirements are more critical than ever.
There are two important aspects to keep in mind: One is to be sure the correct fluid is going in, and the second is the need for an even greater level of cleanliness than ever before.
A well-managed operation will have systems in place to identify all of the various products and ensure they are to be used where required – and additional labels and cautions and warnings don’t hurt.
On the cleanliness front, some new habits might be necessary. Oils and coolants are for the most part okay, as they remain in factory-sealed containers until they are dispensed into either an engine or the cooling system (radiator or overflow tank) of an engine. And continuing good habits should suffice.
Diesel fuel, however, can be more of a challenge. After it is first produced, it will be transferred multiple times from one open container to another until it is finally put into the fuel tank for a given engine, and each transfer point provides the opportunity for contamination.
Those who have been paying attention to the needs of the latest engines are well-aware that the tolerances of the fuel injection systems are quite small and the injection pressures are quite high, so even the smallest of particles can generate considerable damage.
It is, therefore, the wise individual – no matter his or her role in the process – who takes every precaution possible to prevent any contamination from occurring.
Additional filtering is also something to consider, and absolute attention to cleanliness at each fuel transfer point is something to require from each and every individual involved in this task.
John Fischer has extensive experience in the engine industry and assists a range of companies regarding their technical, commercial and regulatory requirements for these products.