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Lube Filtration
Extended Service

Extended Oil Drain Intervals

Filter Manufacturers Council Technical Service Bulletin 98-1 LUBE FILTRATION

Extended Oil Drain Intervals Oil service intervals are Engine designs today are cleaner burning with
pre-determined by engine manufacturers (OEM’s) and reduced emissions and make excellent candidates
are designed to provide maximum engine protection for extended oil drain intervals; However, most
under a wide variety of conditions. While a majority of customers cannot afford to buy new equipment every
equipment owners follow these guidelines there is a year and normally fleets have a mixture of equipment
growing trend to extend oil service intervals beyond varying in vintage and service life. As piston rings
the OEM recommendations; However, Extended Oil and valve guides wear in the engine, combustion
Drain Intervals (EODI) are not for everyone. To fully by-products increase. These combustion by-products
understand the risks involved you must look at the end up accelerating oil additive depletion and create
key factors affecting EODI’s. harmful deposits on internal engine surfaces making
the engine less likely to benefit from an EODI.
Engine lubricating oil is often referred to as the life
blood of the engine. This analogy is not made simply Oil filters remove contaminants from the oil before
because the oil circulates through the engine but they generate wear on engine component surfaces.
more importantly because the oil performs critical There are many filtration products offered in the
functions necessary to maintain engine performance industry today with some claiming to allow for
and maximize useful service life. There are two basic extended oil drain intervals. The fact is, the filter alone
types of oil available today: Mineral and Synthetic will not extend the life of engine oil. The filter has
oils. While these oils are completely different in one function, and that is to filter contaminants from
composition and beyond the scope of this service the oil. While most filters today do an excellent job
bulletin, they must still meet the American Petroleum in filtering, the trend of extending oil drain intervals
Institutes (API) qualification criteria recommended by 2 to 3 times the normal service interval has pushed
the engine manufacturers. There are many suppliers the materials used in the manufacture of filters to
of oil in the market today and not all meet the the limit. Adhesives, Rubber Compounds, Filter
stringent requirements of the API standard. Insuring Media, and even the steel construction in spin-on
your oil meets these requirements and understanding filters needs to be designed to meet the extended
the factors affecting the engine oil is the first step period of time they are expected to be in service.
before extending your oil service interval. Before considering an EODI make sure the filter
manufacturer will warranty their product when used
Equipment operating extremes of Heat, Cold, Idle in this manner.
Time, Airborne Contaminants, and Engine Load
adversely affect engine oil. Excessive Heat will break If after considering all the factors affecting extended
down engine oil and create deposits in the engine oil drain intervals you feel your equipment is a
adversely affecting engine life. Severe cold will limit candidate for EODI’s you will need to develop a test
the ability of the engine oil to lubricate at start-up program to determine what length EODI is right for
and may add unwanted moisture and unburned fuel your equipment. To determine the correct length EODI
to the oil. Extended Idle Time can result in increased you must first implement an oil analysis program
amounts of unburned fuel entering the oil resulting in to develop history on each piece of equipment
oil dilution and inadequate lubrication. Extreme dust scheduled for extended oil service. This will allow
conditions may tax even the best air filtration system you to determine if there is any usable life left in
adding fine contaminants to the oil overloading the the oil. The primary indicators will be Silicon (dirt),
additive package that keeps them in suspension. Viscosity (Oil Film Strength), Soot (Combustion
Heavy loads on the engine can produce extra heat by-product), and Total Base Number (TBN). Most
putting a greater demand on the cooling system engine manufacturers have oil analysis guidelines.
and increasing the importance of cooling system Typically you will want to keep your silicon within
maintenance during EODI’s. Offroad operation will 15ppm of the initial oil sample, your Viscosity within
likely see more of these extremes than on-highway
operation.
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