New Life Mills installed AME in the 350 hp Caterpillar engine of a 1993 Freightliner 120 Conventional truck 146,533 km (91,070 mi.) ago – and the original fill is still in service. "This is our main truck for feed deliveries. It’s on the road for 10 to 12 hours a day and home each night. Fifty percent of the time it’s on highways. The other fifty, it’s on back roads in sand country, making lots of stops and starts. I’d add 15 to 20 percent to the reported kilometers for idling or blowing time while deliveries are being made." Boyd agreed with the
Service Line
that this was hard service for both engine and oil.
The engine has 401,313 km (249,417 mi) on it, so it’s too early to tear it down to see how it’s wearing. However, Boyd said he was pleased with the wear control provided by AME based on oil analysis.
Oil Analysis Findings
The 146,533 km report shows oil viscosity of 13.49 cSt at 100ºC, which is a good midrange reading indicating no significant shearing loss or oxidative or soot-thickening gain; a Total Base Number (TBN) of 12, indicating no loss of neutralization ability; soot, oxidation and oxides of nitrogen levels are all well below condemnation limits, indicating no significant oil degradation; wear metal levels are all well below condemnation limits, indicating no excessive wear; and detergent and anti-wear chemistry levels are high, showing additive levels have remained ample with no significant additive depletion.
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