The Complete Checklist for Diesel Engine Maintenance
October 24, 2024
Your truck is the heart of your operation, and as a driver, you know how important it is to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Routine maintenance is as important as making sure you have fuel in your tank, and a bit part of that maintenance is a consistent oil change schedule. Without fresh oil keeping the engine running well, you are putting your rig through unnecessary stress, increasing avoidable wear and tear and ultimately impacting the reliability and consistency of your operation.
Semi-truck Oil changes aren’t just a routine — they are absolutely necessary for any vehicle, whether it’s an around-town Prius or a long-haul 18-wheeler pulling double trailers from coast to coast. Your truck’s engine is massive, and making sure it’s lubed with fresh oil makes the difference between a smooth operation and the potential for a catastrophic failure like a seized or overheated engine.
LubeZone is proud to keep our trucking partners on the road and their rigs running for miles and miles to come with our comprehensive oil change services offered across the country. Read more below to learn about the benefits of keeping your oil changes regularly scheduled and how LubeZone can support you with our services.
Key Benefits of Regular Oil Changes
There is no one benefit of an oil change that stands alone — each benefit supports the other to keep your engine running efficiently and reliably. That said, the following benefits are important to consider as unique and individual benefits that feed into an overall comprehensive set of benefits that truckers can’t afford to lose. Take a look at some of the most important reasons that you should be prioritizing oil changes for your truck with regularity. Keep in mind that the frequency of your oil changes will depend on the miles you travel, so a long-hauler is going to be spending a lot more time getting oil changes compared to a regional or local distribution driver.
Engine Efficiency and Performance
An efficient engine is a cost-effective engine. Not only does a fresh oil change keep your engine lubricated to reduce friction and wear, but it also helps keep components cool, helping you avoid overheating during heavy hauls and long-distance trips. A cold engine won’t turn, but too much heat is a disaster for an engine. Every oil change represents an extension of your engine’s useful life, an investment in power delivery, and insurance that your engine is going to keep working as you expect.
Extended Engine Longevity
The engine is the powerhouse of your truck, and you need to know you can rely on it when it’s time to hit the road. Your customers rely on your engine as much as you do, and your operation hinges on making sure that you are going to be able to hit your delivery schedule consistently — without hiccups like a seized or overheated engine. Over a longer timeline, regular oil changes will push back on the wear and tear that can lead to costly overhauls or a full engine replacement.
Reduced Vehicle Emissions
The trucking industry sits at an important crossroads of keeping the economy running smoothly and leading the way with sustainability. One easy way that individual drivers can do their part is by making sure their truck is running efficiently by keeping up with oil changes. When your engine isn’t working overtime to push through sludgy oil and engine buildup, your exhaust system will be releasing fewer harmful byproducts over the miles.
When and How To Change Your Engine Oil
Knowing how and when to change your oil is a key part of making sure you’re keeping up with this important maintenance task. Luckily, LubeZone makes it easy with our many service locations across the United States. We can’t keep track of your odometer, but we can make sure that you are getting the service you need when you stop in for an oil change.
When Should Semi-Trucks Get Oil Changes?
The time between oil changes will vary significantly depending on the type of trucking you do, but the rule of thumb is an oil change every 25,000 miles. Will your engine seize at 25,0001 miles? Of course not. Are you allowed to get an oil change at 20,000 miles? Of course! The important thing is to keep 25k as a target and make sure that you incorporate your oil change into your route and timing to make sure that you are staying efficient without overspending on too-frequent oil changes or hurting your engine by going too far over.
In some instances, such as when you are driving in particularly challenging conditions like heavy loads, extreme weather, or other notable situations, you may want to get your truck in for an oil change sooner than 25,000 miles just to stay on top of any possible issues.
Step-By-Step Oil Change Guide
The truth is that changing your own oil is a major undertaking, which is why it’s best to leave it to the pros at LubeZone. Here are the steps:
- Show up at a LubeZone location without an appointment
- Request an oil change
- Hang out in our waiting area for 30-40 minutes
- Get back on the road!
It’s as easy as it sounds. If you need an oil change, roll into your nearest LubeZone location today.
How To Get an Oil Change With LubeZone
Just show up! We offer drive-in oil changes without the need to make an appointment. If you want to make sure that you are staying 100% on schedule and on plan, you can contact us to make sure that you can show up, hand us the keys, and have your full oil change done in 30-40 minutes.
Selecting the Best Oil for Your Truck
Choosing the right oil for your truck is absolutely critical, and one best left to the professionals at LubeZone. There are many different types fo oils, viscosity grades, and considerations like the climates you are driving in and the loads you are hauling. When you are scheduling your service, you will have an opportunity to call out any specifics about your work that will help inform our techs about the best oil selection for your truck and the unique conditions under which you’ll be using it.
Debunking Common Oil Change Myths
LubeZone is the best partner for you to keep your truck on the road and running great. Here, we will explore a few of the most persistent myths and debunk them with the facts.
Myth 1: You Need to Change Your Oil on a Calendar-Based Schedule
This is a good way to get in trouble by either spending WAY too much on oil changes or causing irreparable damage to your engine, depending on whether you’re getting oil changes much later or much sooner than necessary. When it comes to scheduling oil changes, throw away the calendar and focus on your odometer. Every 25,000 miles is a rule of thumb for changes, but it could be more or less depending on things like your engine model, type of oil driving conditions, and more. When you are working with LubeZone, we can help you answer this question based on your unique situation.
Myth 2: Synthetic Oil is Bad For Old Engines
Somewhere along the way, a myth started that synthetic might not be good for older engines because it could cause leaks. While that may have been true at one point, the fact is that today’s synthetic oils are designed not only to be compatible with old engines but oftentimes offer better protection against wear and tear in high-mileage situations. Talk to the pros at LubeZone about the right oil for your high-mileage engine.
Myth 3: Black Oil Means It’s Time for a Change
Oil turns black naturally as it absorbs combustion byproducts and diverts them from engine components. However, the color of the oil isn’t a great indicator to determine when your oil needs to be changed. Keep an eye on your odometer and follow the miles-per-oil change guidelines to ensure your rig is in top shape.
The LubeZone Approach to Oil Changes
We know that your schedule and routine out there on the road can change from day to day, and week to week, which is why you can show up at any LubeZone location for a drive-in oil change — no appointment necessary. However, if you want to show up with confidence that we can have you in and out in 40 minutes you also have the option to schedule.
Whichever way you choose to work with the team at LubeZone, we encourage you to try us for your next 18-wheeler oil change to keep your truck running smoothly, cleanly, and efficiently — just like the rest of your operation.
LubeZone is the fastest growing dedicated semi-truck service in the United States with locations in Texas, California, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Georgia. Our preventative maintenance solutions are designed to get the professional driver back on the road FAST.
