Fleet/Work Truck Oil Change

[Triton_330]

I work summers part-time for my city on the street-department (we mostly patch roads with asphalt, and other related city upkeep). Today I was told by my supervisor to change the oil in the truck (I was all like "OH YEAH!" in my mind, of course, like a true BITOG-er).

Anywho, the truck is a 2007 F-350 with the 6.8L V10 Triton - the 3V Triton, of course - and though I love changing oil, it just bugged me a little to have to use the fleet oil, which is 15w40, when the truck specs for 5w-20. Now, in my own truck (01 F-150 with the 2V 5.4L) I use one grade up (5w30 instead of 5w-20), as I tend to drive heavy footed alot... However, I just wasn't too sure about 15w40 in the 3V modular. Obviously I had no other choice, and I'm sure many a fleet truck with Triton modulars have run 15w40, but, do any of you think that it might end up causing problems down the road? Also, the oil was Superol Gold 15w40, with the API specs for both diesels and gassers, but the gasser spec was SJ! Not even SL or SM! Anyone know anything about this oil?

~ Triton

 

[DSparks]

Not gonna hurt it..might be a little hard on it on real cold start ups....the phasers and top end actually like the higher oil pressure the thicker oil will give and will be much quieter when hot too....im running Mobil 1 15w50 in 2 of my 5.4 3v trucks...they love it..nice and quiet with it too.

 

[Triton_330]

Thanks DSparks. It's nice to know running heavier oil the Tritons doesn't hurt anything.

 

[yvon_la]

There are big rig blend now a day in the 10w30 a bit more expensive then old sxhool conventional 15w40 but probably better suited .or you could use delvac1 le5w30 wich is also a big rig oil cj-4 sn not sure if it is energy conserving if gf-5 is important in your part of the world.but this is probably the best one size fit all oil avail (for now,i suspect other oil company will make one size fit all oil .it isnt a big market but bragging right often play into this.since most that would bother using say a delvac le5w30 are likly to be semi driver that want to buy only one oil for simplicity.buying one oil for each toy can end up taking lot of space and mamaging that is a nightmare .wichgoes into what again ?i cant recall .was it the rotella 15w40 that went into the beetle 1968 or was it the moly 12000. Etc

 

[The Critic]

I can't believe that they let you service the company truck. That's very poor maintenance program if they're letting the employees (and not a dedicated team of in-house mechanics or an outside provider) service the vehicle.

With that said, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the practice since your company doesn't even use the correct oil in the vehicles.

 

[Flareside302]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I can't believe that they let you service the company truck. That's very poor maintenance program if they're letting the employees (and not a dedicated team of in-house mechanics or an outside provider) service the vehicle.

With that said, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the practice since your company doesn't even use the correct oil in the vehicles.

x2!! totally agree.

 

[jmb3675]

At least they got the oil changed. We got the truck I drive at work a little over a year ago. It has not had an oil change yet.
It has a 2 valve 5.4. It has gone 1500 miles in that year and has about 1500 hours of idling on it. We drive it a half a mile to an out building, load it and drive it to the main building. It does that 10 times per day, almost every day of the year. That's all it does. The speed limit on the property is 15 mph. . Half of the road it runs on is a really dusty dirt road. It's always covered in dust all summer. I think that qualifies as extreme use. I have added 3 quarts 5w30 from a bulk drum in the shop since we got it. I think I am the only one that checks it. It has a Fleetguard brand filter on it.
The funny thing is, when I ask when it's going to get an oil change, they say "Because we run 24/7 we don't have the time to take it out of service because we don't have a spare." I keep telling them I can be without it for as long as an oil change takes .Especially since it sits for 2-3 hours between trips. An engine replacement would take much longer.

 

[Mike_dup1]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I can't believe that they let you service the company truck. That's very poor maintenance program if they're letting the employees (and not a dedicated team of in-house mechanics or an outside provider) service the vehicle.

With that said, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the practice since your company doesn't even use the correct oil in the vehicles.

I worked 30 yrs for a State DOT and our mechanics at the highway maintenance garages did not change oil. Its was deemed a waste of their valuable time (highly paid). The truck drivers changed the oil and used oil from bulk drums and the only thing available was a lowest bid supplied 15w40. It went into every engine from the pickups and vans to snowplows, loaders, graders and anything with an 4-cycle engine. State law requires lowest bidder on everything purchased, if oil was a penny cheaper from one vendor, they bought from that vendor. Most were contracted on a yearly b basis. Longevity of the equipment was not the main concern, how much is being spent on maintenance was.

I had personally assigned vehicles (5) for my GPS survey team and I could go anywhere to have it changed. But the shop had to call in to get a purchase order before hand and instructions on what they could and could not do, such as "No Synthetic Oil", no ATF changing and no changing oil unless it has been 5,000 miles since last change.

I always used to chuckle when I would hear someone say those must be good vehicles if the state uses them when in reality its all about how much it cost. I had 1 Chevy suburban, 1 Dodge pu's and 3 Fords pu's.

 

[The_Jeff]

Presumably the OP had an hour to kill that would have been wasted driving across town to a job site and back again. Kudos on middle management for making work and at least somewhat maintaining the equipment.

We don't bust firemen for "wasting time" between calls polishing their trucks, why should the pothole patrol be any different?

 

[Triton_330]

Originally Posted By: Mike_dup1
Originally Posted By: The Critic
I can't believe that they let you service the company truck. That's very poor maintenance program if they're letting the employees (and not a dedicated team of in-house mechanics or an outside provider) service the vehicle.

With that said, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the practice since your company doesn't even use the correct oil in the vehicles.

I worked 30 yrs for a State DOT and our mechanics at the highway maintenance garages did not change oil. Its was deemed a waste of their valuable time (highly paid). The truck drivers changed the oil and used oil from bulk drums and the only thing available was a lowest bid supplied 15w40. It went into every engine from the pickups and vans to snowplows, loaders, graders and anything with an 4-cycle engine. State law requires lowest bidder on everything purchased, if oil was a penny cheaper from one vendor, they bought from that vendor. Most were contracted on a yearly b basis. Longevity of the equipment was not the main concern, how much is being spent on maintenance was.

I had personally assigned vehicles (5) for my GPS survey team and I could go anywhere to have it changed. But the shop had to call in to get a purchase order before hand and instructions on what they could and could not do, such as "No Synthetic Oil", no ATF changing and no changing oil unless it has been 5,000 miles since last change.

I always used to chuckle when I would hear someone say those must be good vehicles if the state uses them when in reality its all about how much it cost. I had 1 Chevy suburban, 1 Dodge pu's and 3 Fords pu's.


BINGO!!! Thanks Mike, you basically hit the nail on the head here. Though, in my case, I work for my CITY rather than the state... and my city is very small. Population of around 2500. Main street stretches maybe 3 miles at most (talking about the city boundary lines), and the width of the town is a little less than it is long.

SO... it ain't a big deal in my case. Things are done FAR from professional around here, let me tell yuh *eyeroll* lol.

AND...

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Presumably the OP had an hour to kill that would have been wasted driving across town to a job site and back again. Kudos on middle management for making work and at least somewhat maintaining the equipment.

We don't bust firemen for "wasting time" between calls polishing their trucks, why should the pothole patrol be any different?


Even more BINGO! Lmao, it's true, it's true... In a way, we really are just the pothole patrol. We do other things like mowing and weedeating public property, etc., as well as spread sand/white rock over streets that are bleeding tar... sometimes we cut ditches... clean out catch bases (street water drains)... and after storms we pick up debris. But mostly we're just patchers (pothole patrol, as you say).

To make it funny again, though: I'm 19, only just finished my freshman year of college. I've worked summer part time for the city since I was 15. Being in a small town, everyone knows everyone pretty much to some extent. And, having had the years of experience, and what with all they know about me, they trust me and know me capable, so it really wasn't a big deal they had me change the oil in the truck.

 

[yvon_la]

Originally Posted By: Triton_330
Originally Posted By: Mike_dup1
Originally Posted By: The Critic
I can't believe that they let you service the company truck. That's very poor maintenance program if they're letting the employees (and not a dedicated team of in-house mechanics or an outside provider) service the vehicle.

With that said, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the practice since your company doesn't even use the correct oil in the vehicles.

I worked 30 yrs for a State DOT and our mechanics at the highway maintenance garages did not change oil. Its was deemed a waste of their valuable time (highly paid). The truck drivers changed the oil and used oil from bulk drums and the only thing available was a lowest bid supplied 15w40. It went into every engine from the pickups and vans to snowplows, loaders, graders and anything with an 4-cycle engine. State law requires lowest bidder on everything purchased, if oil was a penny cheaper from one vendor, they bought from that vendor. Most were contracted on a yearly b basis. Longevity of the equipment was not the main concern, how much is being spent on maintenance was.

I had personally assigned vehicles (5) for my GPS survey team and I could go anywhere to have it changed. But the shop had to call in to get a purchase order before hand and instructions on what they could and could not do, such as "No Synthetic Oil", no ATF changing and no changing oil unless it has been 5,000 miles since last change.

I always used to chuckle when I would hear someone say those must be good vehicles if the state uses them when in reality its all about how much it cost. I had 1 Chevy suburban, 1 Dodge pu's and 3 Fords pu's.


BINGO!!! Thanks Mike, you basically hit the nail on the head here. Though, in my case, I work for my CITY rather than the state... and my city is very small. Population of around 2500. Main street stretches maybe 3 miles at most (talking about the city boundary lines), and the width of the town is a little less than it is long.

SO... it ain't a big deal in my case. Things are done FAR from professional around here, let me tell yuh *eyeroll* lol.

AND...

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Presumably the OP had an hour to kill that would have been wasted driving across town to a job site and back again. Kudos on middle management for making work and at least somewhat maintaining the equipment.

We don't bust firemen for "wasting time" between calls polishing their trucks, why should the pothole patrol be any different?


Even more BINGO! Lmao, it's true, it's true... In a way, we really are just the pothole patrol. We do other things like mowing and weedeating public property, etc., as well as spread sand/white rock over streets that are bleeding tar... sometimes we cut ditches... clean out catch bases (street water drains)... and after storms we pick up debris. But mostly we're just patchers (pothole patrol, as you say).

To make it funny again, though: I'm 19, only just finished my freshman year of college. I've worked summer part time for the city since I was 15. Being in a small town, everyone knows everyone pretty much to some extent. And, having had the years of experience, and what with all they know about me, they trust me and know me capable, so it really wasn't a big deal they had me change the oil in the truck.
wow in your case this site could save you (or your village)a lot of money

 

[Triton_330]

Originally Posted By: yvon_la
wow in your case this site could save you (or your village)a lot of money

Well, via my knowledge from BITOG - is that what you mean?
I doubt they'd really even care. As far as maintenance goes, their mindset would probably be "What we already have been using has worked just fine, why change it now?"
In fact, I casually asked about it to a guy that's been working full time for the city for over 25 years. I asked him why we were using the 15w40 in the truck that specs for 5w-20. His response? "Because we use the fleet oil in everything."
So... I don't foresee them changing anything any time soon, especially their thoughts about fleet oil.

 

[Jameson]

I dont want to beat a dead horse here but the triton motors have notoriously narrow oil passages in the engine. I wouldn't run anything over 5-30.

 

[JustinH]

For our fleet vehicles, the regular vehicles get 5w30 or 10w30, which ever is closer to factory grade.

We have both in bulk tubs.

I believe Napa provides the bulk oil and filters for us.