This will make you cringe...

[wander2039]

At my job every other weekend it's my duty to check all the vehicles (fuel, oil, lights etc). Around 30 with the shuttles and other cars/vans/trucks and I've been doing it for more than a year. I'm one of those nuts that could tell you which one will be low and by how much without looking.. I consider it a talent.

To the point.. We have a couple new Toyota Sienna not quite six months old. One's at 6k the other a 9.5k. Judging by oil colors and no stickers in the window has to be original fills the way it looks. The oil is black on the 9.5k and it's Toyota that isn't normal.. don't care if you want to argue that color doesn't matter. Next victim a Prius at 107k the sticker says it needs to be changed at 100k... they're supposed to do 5k changes so that would make 12k and it's a half quart low (not normal). The last one I'll mention (there was alot more) is a E150 with 86k. The sticker on the windows says change at 70k... almost 21k on this oil change if that's right. Ought to see the oil on that one you don't have to you can smell it as soon as you pull on the dipstick. All they run is dino. I noted it again but probably like all the other times it will be ignored.

Last but not least the ones that had no oil on the dipstick. E350 shuttle with the 6.8L absolutely nothing on the dipstick. Has to put 2.5 qts to get the the bottom hole on the dipstick.. that would make around 4qts low. They only hold 6qts. Had to put 2.5 gallons in a 7.3L powerstroke about month ago.

Must say even with the abuse the vehicles get here I'm amazed how they keep running. Some with well over 100k. I know this place isn't alone in not taking care of it's fleet. I know this has been said a few times but with the way some of us take care of our vehicles the engines alone should last a millon + miles.

 

[wirelessF]

Is it a big rental company that will pick you up?

 

[panthermike]

Watch when they sell some of these; "fleet-maintained"

 

[wander2039]

Nope it's a hospital. The last vehicle they sold had to be picked up with a flatbed... blown motor.

 

[Pablo]

These kind of outfits should do (a bit more) controlled OCI's.

"...it's my duty to check all the vehicles (fuel, oil,..."

It should be your duty to hook them up with correct lubes for the tasks. You could be a hero.

 

[JHZR2]

If it is your job to check this stuff, why are they all so far off? Do you just check with no say on actually adding oil or doing changes?

 

[wander2039]

I've tried.. I absolutely refused to put 15w-40 in the 6.8L and other small gas engines and they had ask me why not. They also tried to make me put regular 10w40 in the diesel. Tried to tell them they ought to run thinner than Rotella 10w30 in the same 6.8L. They absolutely refuse to listen to me although that's normal around here. If they can't control you you don't matter. If some of these isn't done in a couple weeks I will be going higher up the chain.

 

[pennzoil_guru]

When I used to work as a paramedic many years ago, the EMS department provided cases of oil to top up the ambulances and response SUVs in the stations between OCIs. Every station was supplied with a case of 12 1 litre bottles ofPetro Canada maximum 10W30 (API SJ-CE or SL CF). this was fine for the Tahoe and Expedition first response units and supervisor units but not for the ambulances which were Ford E350 with the 7.3 litre diesel. No amount of emails or phone calls to the fleet manager, telling him that SL-CF 10w30 was not the correct oil for the 7.3, ever made any difference. He said it was fine. I used to wait until the 7.3s needed fuel and then top them up with a 15W40 diesel oil at a gas station (Rotella, Esso XD or PC Duron). Amazingly, some of these ambulances were still on the original motors at 350,000km when decommissioned. Keep copies of all your requests etc to cover your butt.

 

[labman]

Well the way people neglect their own stuff, how can you expect them to take care of work stuff? When I managed a factory, I was constantly being beaten up for taking care of my people and equipment.

Never mind that after a few years, I had mostly the same old people and equipment turning out 2-3 times as much with a lower scrap rate.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
It should be your duty to hook them up with correct lubes for the tasks. You could be a hero.

I see what you did there.

 

[oilboy123]

Companies should be smart and save money labor etc. So why do they play the stupid cheap card?

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Companies should be smart and save money labor etc. So why do they play the stupid cheap card?


Because they can't see past the tips of their noses. It takes more of today's money for material and labor to do the job on schedule and right than it does to put it off.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: pennzoil_guru
When I used to work as a paramedic many years ago, the EMS department provided cases of oil to top up the ambulances and response SUVs in the stations between OCIs. Every station was supplied with a case of 12 1 litre bottles ofPetro Canada maximum 10W30 (API SJ-CE or SL CF). this was fine for the Tahoe and Expedition first response units and supervisor units but not for the ambulances which were Ford E350 with the 7.3 litre diesel. No amount of emails or phone calls to the fleet manager, telling him that SL-CF 10w30 was not the correct oil for the 7.3, ever made any difference. He said it was fine. I used to wait until the 7.3s needed fuel and then top them up with a 15W40 diesel oil at a gas station (Rotella, Esso XD or PC Duron). Amazingly, some of these ambulances were still on the original motors at 350,000km when decommissioned. Keep copies of all your requests etc to cover your butt.
Those motors should last at least 700,000 miles.

 

[levi]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Companies should be smart and save money labor etc. So why do they play the stupid cheap card?


Because they can't see past the tips of their noses. It takes of today's money for material and labor to do the job on schedule and right than it does to put it off.


Many, many moons ago I used to sell lubes to commercial accounts. Here's a few things I learned real fast.

-Most of the time, the person doing the purchasing of the lubes knows absolutely nothing about them, and they don't want to know. They want to know if you can beat their current supplier's prices. And if you do, they will many times just use that to get their present supplier to drop his price, and then of course stay with them, cause that's easier than switching vendors.

-Sometimes the decisions are actually made by one of the mechanics because the purchasing agent has enough sense to know that he/she doesn't know squat about engines and lubes. But be assured that the mechanic who makes the decision already has his mind made up based on all the crazy myths that are discussed routinely on this board. And trust me, you can't tell them otherwise.

-Most companies (but certainly not all) will only purchase one grade of oil to be used in everything from a Prius to a Peterbuilt, and more oftern than not, it is a 15w40 oil. Many reasons for that, mostly because its easier and cheaper to do it that way.

-Price rules. Period.

 

[pennzoil_guru]

In normal service they should. These things went from stone cold to full throttle acceleration, extensive idling, etc. EMS would be the most severe of severe service. The engines were still good but the body and many chassis components were shot. They had to be replaced at 350,000 km or 54 months as per policy.

 

[RacerE7773]

Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Nope it's a hospital. The last vehicle they sold had to be picked up with a flatbed... blown motor.


I hope not a "bus."

 

[wander2039]

It was a van and didn't have alot of miles either. On the EMS side they actually take good care of the ambulances. Not sure if they handle the maintenance or mast. Probably something about being sued when one breaks down..

 

[Gary Allan]

All the ambulances that we have locally are on umbilical's 24/7. There shouldn't be too much of an issue with going from start to fast and furious with red flashing lights.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: labman
Never mind that after a few years, I had mostly the same old people and equipment turning out 2-3 times as much with a lower scrap rate.
In corporate America for the last twenty years, it's about control and abuse. Efficiency (read making money) is second priority. Those with untreatable anti-social personality disorders rise to the top and that is that. No wonder out industries are being bought out by foreigners.

 

[Chris142]

Any oil will be better than no oil at this point. Go ahead and put the 15w-40 in the v10. I don't see any problems other than reduced mpg. Even 10w4o in the diesel is better than the pump sucking wind.