| Dale Wagner, Chief Mechanic for the Central Yavapai Fire District and the City of Prescott Fire Department shared the following: |
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"The City of Prescott and Central Yavapai Fire District developed a joint fleet maintenance program to maintain a combined fleet of 58 vehicles. "...Keeping a strict preventive maintenance program has always been an important goal in Central Yavapai Fire District and Prescott Fire Department Maintenance. The preventive maintenance program, component replacement and routine service previously revolved around 200 hour service intervals during which time minor and major repairs were completed. Fire apparatus typically requires more from a mechanic than normal over-the-road trucks because of the pumps, tanks, compartments, electrical and hydraulic systems, equipment, severe load and operational environment. All this makes for a heavier than normal work load. A quick solution would have been to hire additional personnel. However, the time was not right to increase the budget and justify a new position. I felt that three mechanics could handle the work load if adjustments were made. |
| "...In October 1993, I made the decision to try AMSOIL in two of my busiest engine companies. Every 200 hours or sooner, a sample was taken and sent to Cleveland Technical Center for independent analysis. After 1000 hours of use, the lab called me to inquire why I was sending so many samples on these two units. What was my concern? I explained that I had changed to a synthetic based oil and was expecting to find a failure in the oil after five change intervals had passed and the same oil was in the crankcase. The lab tech explained the test results and I began to realize that... after 1000 hours of use, AMSOIL had better test results than the previous oil I had been utilizing unused straight from the container. |
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"...My initial manpower dilemma has been solved. The time between service intervals increased 100 percent. instead of a pumper coming in four to six times a year, two to three times is sufficient. Even when the engines do come in, very little time is spent changing oil, which also reduced manpower hours. "...Yearly savings are about $2000 in engine oil alone. "...Labor costs for changing oil is minimal, but we are servicing the vehicles approximately half as often. This saves Prescott Fire and Central Yavapai Fire. District about 400 hours per year, or $9600. "... The waste that is not produced saves us about $1400 a year in disposal fees." |
| Copyright © Amsoil Oct 97 |
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