In the latest issue of Trains mag an article mentions that EMD’s do not need oil changes.
How is this possible? Even with filtration, would not the lubrication abilities degradate?
[#welcome] to the forums
That was a bit of a shocker for me too. I figured a locomotive would need oil changes a lot because of the amount of use most engines get now-a-days. Any of the engineers on here want to enlighten the rest of us about why this is.
Possible…The trucking industry has had a system available; that system periodically would remove several ounces of oil from a truck’s crankcase, and then inject it into the fuel tank. The replinishment was done from a resevoir on the unit [about a one or two gallon supply]. The filters were changed on a schedule relating to miles run. I am not sure how widespread it is used, but no reason why the larger diesels could not take advantage of a similar system; in particular, if both [trucks and locomotives] systems are sampled periodically for samples to be sent to a laboratory for testing. Such samples are checked for components of engine wear, contamination from water, and excessive carbon, caused by too much fuel injected, but not combusted…
This system of replacing small quantities of the oil at a time is used alot on large ships. The engines on cargo ships hold hundreds of gallons of oil and the cost of replacing it all would be tremendous so they hold replacment oils onboard and pump a few gallons at a time into the bunker oil tanks to be burnt in the engine and a few new gallons is added. Also note that Diesel engines are not as tough on oil as gasoline engines are so you can go longer periods of time between oil changes. Gasoline has a tendancy to blowby the piston rings and eventually dilute and break down the oil causing wear and grime in your engine. Sulphor is the biggest problem to the oil in a diesel engine and you can solve this with additives and high quality fuel.
EMD’s are pretty hard on oil , they lose enough through leaks and combustion to make oil changes unnecessary unless the oil becomes totally contaminated.
Been there…Done that…Have the no longer white T-shirt.
Nick
The key is spectroscopic oil analysis, which detects and quantifies wear products and contaminants. As long as those are within the limits specified for the given engine, total oil changes are unnecessary - especially if the engine design is such that a lot of oil leaks past the pistons into the combustion chambers and gets burned.
IIRC, this was even extended to certain aircraft engines before all the world turned to turbines, and is true of some turbine engines today.
Chuck
Yea … what he said .
Some of our engines blow enough out the stack, and leak enough, not to require changes. Just add more.[:D]
That sounds like my old Cutlass. I have not changed the oil in 7 years litterally I just change the filter every 6 months or so and add about a quart a week. I love that old car.
IIRC, the Detroit Diesel would have been based on the EMD 567. EMDs are 2 stroke design. Some are cleaner than others…
Would it also have anything to do with heat???
Oil breaks down with heat. So if the locomotive has a huge sump for the oil and the oil temprature is much lower then for example a car with a small hotter gas engine and a very small sump. The oil reaches a much higher operating temprature in a car.
ie; The oil in the rear axle differencial is usualy there for life on a car. The diff does get hot but not as hot as a car engine.
I worked for a guy that bought a new 67 Chevy and only added oil when it needed it. Never
changed the filter! At 50,000 miles he thought that would be a good idea. When he drained
the oil it came out like yogurt. After changing the oil and filter, he went back to his old routine.
He traded in the car at 95,000 miles having no adverse affects from his “maintenance” schedule.
Not too sure. On an engine, there is a fairly large oil-water cooler, and they hold 243-395 gallons of oil.
The idling might cause more consumption, as things are not hot, to expand and seal better. Fuel and water contaimination might also be a factor. The Soo Line used to have some of the lowest oil consumption, as they ran wide open most of the time. Their tonnage ratings were a bit “optimistic”.
AGREED!
It’s not just EMDs, Randy – my old Ferguson tractor operates exactly the same way…
Hey, I had 78 Buick Skylark that did that. About once a week I’d take a ride into Chicago, by the time I got to LWD the engine would cease up. add 6 quarts, wait 5 mintes and start her up. Did that for three years before the electrical fried.