Caltex Lubricants 

  Routine maintenance is a necessity to keep the vehicle’s performance from slipping. With changing seasons come the new upkeep focal points on trucks that drivers need to replace before they hit the road. During rainy months, truckers must pay closer attention to the repairs on the truck’s airbrake and suspension; in summer, pay attention to the engine’s cooling systems. Did you know that there are six important parts that work in harmony to create a fully functioning cooling system that includes the cooling fan, radiator, water pump, thermostat, rubber hoses, and anti-freeze/coolant? The key thing to note is that if one component goes bad, then it could create a ripple effect that will send your vehicle to a nearby repair shop. Top signs of the failure of an engine’s cooling system One of the many ways to protect your engine’s cooling system is to lookout for indications of any failure of the engine cooling system. Here are some warning signs:  One of the most common signs o...

The hydraulic system is key to construction equipment with these systems demanding lubrication to function dependably, for which they require efficient hydraulic fluids, ones with optimal viscosity and low power consumption properties. Not all hydraulic fluids are the same with three types being synthetic, petroleum, and water-based, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses.  A few features to remember about hydraulic fluids is that high-viscosity oils cause hydromechanical inefficiencies within the system, i.e. slower flow, with the advantage of improved volumetric efficiency resulting in less leak. Whereas low Low-viscosity (thinner) oils cause volumetric inefficiencies through leakage, but with the boon of improved hydromechanical efficiency (better flow) However, when buying cheaper hydraulic oils, most will lose efficiency either due to loss of flow or volumetric leakage. Typical monograde oils have reduced control over their viscosity, as they are either unable to fl...

  Maintaining a mixed fleet is no easy task. Many managers take a traditional approach to maintenance schedules and oil drain intervals by trying to find a common interval that works across the fleet.  The reasoning behind this conservative schedule is that they believe this will eliminate the need for regular oil analysis. However, what these managers don’t understand is that oil analysis is not only about oil.  Through oil analysis you can recognize all kinds of problems with your equipment –fuel dilution, dirt contamination, coolant leakage, or some other issue that could undermine performance. Oil analysis helps you predict and possibly avoid unforeseen equipment failures. By setting up one common maintenance schedule across one's fleet, and removing oil analysis, one may increase material and labor costs, while raising one's risk of failure on any machine by up to 11%. For example, take a common piece of equipment, such as a scraper. Oil changes, including the cost o...