How often do diesels need to change thier oil? Do they have to go to the shops or can they top off on the run?
This thread would be better served in the prototype forum.
I don’t have any data on recommended service intervals, but for example, the 12 cylinder prime movers in an EMD E8 each carry 165 gallons of lube oil and have large canister oil filters - This is to say the least a little more involved than a trip to Jiffy Lube.
Sheldon
I’m not sure about the Tier II & III emissions units, but units prior to Tier II standards only get a complete oil change if the oil is contaminated. The oil tends to get burned off before it really needed changed, so topping off is usually all that is needed.
Nick
i have been gone from prototype railroading for decades but as i remember, just about any locomotive servicing facility could add lube oil to an engine when needed.
both companies i worked for had oil test facilities where samples of engine lube oil were sent on a regular basis. the analysis would dictate when the oil needed to be completely changed out. it would also indicate what foreign materials and metals were in the oil. for instance, a high concentration of cadmium might indicate premature bearing wear while a high iron content would show cylinder liner wear etc. etc.
provided with this information, the power dispatching desk could then schedule the required work in conjunction with the monthly inspection or sooner if warranted.
i could look this up in some of my old locomotive manuals if i can find them and be more specific.
as for filters, i think they were only changed out when all the lube oil was replaced as they usually had a bypass feature that insured sufficient lube oil flow at all times.
grizlump
This is from my experience using the same diesels engines in a marine environment - yes we had Alco diesels powering our ships (Coast Guard cutters). Fairbanks-Morse gained their diesel reputation from powering the diesel submarine fleet.
In the '60s and earlier, oil changes were based strictly on operating hours. As was mentioned, an oil change is not a Jiffy Lube job. Large external auxiliary tanks stored the oil that was not circulating through the engine, not a crankcase pan.
In the '70s, off-engine oil filters and purifiers were added to the plumbing to extend oil life. A lot of the same stuff is done to reuse the oil is done right on the ship as is done to “re-refine” the oil when you take it in for recycling. No reason not to install the filters and purifiers on a locomotive; I just don’t know whether it was done or not.
Labs developed the capability to do thorough oil analysis, which gave you important information on the internal health of the engine. The oil analysis could also tell you how loaded the oil was with contaminants, and whether the centrifuge filters, purifiers, etc., were doing their job. FWIW, oil analysis is standard practice with jet and turboshaft engine maintenance as well.
My 2010 Honda also does some analysis, but is based on engine operating parameters tracked on the computer, not lab analysis of the oil. The filter itself doesn’t have any sensors, although there is probably a pressure differential reading across the filter. The computer drives a readout that tells you the remaining life of the oil as a percentage. It counts down as a percentage, and will count down faster if the engine is used hard for extended periods. Cruising on level interstate in moderate weather will count down slower.
Hope this hel
Great information guys, thanks. The oil change came to mind when I was thinking about schuduling shop maintenance for my diesels.
Usually, diesels go in the shop every 90 days for test. There is a list of things that get checked each time. There are also 1, 2, and 3 year tests. There is another list of things that are gone through for these tests, in addition to the regular 90 day tests.
A lot of the testing has to do with air brake components. I think during a 3-year test most of the components are replaced. The brake manufacturers (and probably some railroads) rebuild the control valves and so forth, and these are swapped out as needed for freshly rebuilt and tested parts.
The dates the last tests were completed are recorded on the blue card in each locomotive’s cab. When it is time for test, the engine cannot be used for power, and must be handled to the shop that does the testing straight away. If the engine is not used for an extended period (at least 90 days I want to say), time credit is applied, and the next due date for test is pushed back by the time the unit wasn’t used.