Your truck can be your livelihood, but pushing your engine with long hours and heavy hauls can have severe impacts on your engine life. In 1952, the average new gas vehicle could go 500 miles (804 km) between oil changes. Thanks to modern technology and new gas engines, using products like full synthetic oil, an oil change interval can now go for as long as 25,000 miles or 40,000 km before wear and tear are noticeable. Frequent oil changes can be costly for your vehicle as you lose time on mechanical repairs and spend hundreds of dollars on oil.
Oil change intervals are an essential aspect of vehicle maintenance. Whether it’s the synthetic oil change interval, or a more specific full synthetic oil change interval, or even the synthetic blend oil change interval, it’s crucial to know what’s best for your vehicle. For instance, Ford’s recommended oil change intervals provide a great guideline for many Powerstroke engine owners. For oil recommendations for your specific engine, check out our previous blog post.
Your medium duty diesel engine holds more potential with new product designs and optimized crate engines. We have run a series of tests on engine performance with Speed of Air Hyperformance Pistons, and we have found that they are reducing oil change intervals on average by 50% or more!
Factors impacting oil change intervals
No one knows your engine and how your truck drives better than you, and every vehicle’s oil life can vary. Based on the industry standard, the average oil drain interval is around 5,000 miles (10,000 km), but individual factors can change your intervals.
Engine design, age and condition
Within your engine, the combustion efficiency can improve your overall engine life, but carbon deposits are a major player for contaminants. When hydrocarbons are not fully burned during the combustion process, they can escape the combustion chamber and make their way into other parts of your engine. Your engine design and condition can depend on the sealing efficiency of the pistons rings, regulated temperature control, and emissions. Every engine is designed with an expected total operating hours and mileage, but good filtration and sealing can help to prolong your engine.
Driving patterns and conditions
What kind of road and temperature conditions do you work within? If you are constantly driving in extreme temperatures on both sides of the spectrum, it can impact your engine oil. Continued cold starting can result in oil thickening, which can impair lubrication for bearings and cylinders. If you drive regularly on steep roads, with high loads and many stop-and-go instances, it can lower your fuel efficiency as your engine oil is working harder. Dusty roads or areas with high humidity can also increase airborne contaminants getting in your engine oil.
Oil properties
Your oil properties are related to the oil quality and formula performance. When it comes to contaminants, some that we look for in your engine oil include:
- Sludge and soot
- Water and coolant ingression
- Fuel dilution
If you are looking for a specific recommendation for your engine based on your line of work and driving conditions, our team at DFC Diesel is here to help to keep your engine operating as it should.
Are Speed of Air Hyperformance Pistons compatible with my engine?
We are proud to be in collaboration with Speed of Air Technologies in creating game-changing crate engines. For over two years, we have been testing and refining our crate engines with a variety of Powerstroke, Cummins and Duramax designs. Speed of Air’s Hyperformance Pistons are compatible with a wide range of engine applications and fuel types such as diesel, natural gas, and gasoline engines.
Our crate engine applications are specialized for medium-duty work trucks and are fit for your unique working conditions and industry. The pistons are designed with turbulators, or a dimple effect, to minimize resistance during the combustion process, allowing for a more complete process and less carbon buildup forming within the engine.
What does this mean for your engine? Reducing the carbon buildup in your engine prolongs the surface life and allows for extended periods between oil change services. Our extensive testing found that your oil change intervals are extended by over 50%. Interested in seeing the benefit for your engine? You can find personalized fuel efficiency and maintenance savings with our Speed of Air calculator.
Why work with DFC Diesel?
Since 2010, our team at DFC Diesel has been serving customers across North America by building the highest quality engines with the most comprehensive warranty in the industry. As Canada’s largest diesel remanufacturing facility, we have adopted rigorous standards to create quality products that we take pride in. When you work with a remanufacturer, you can trust that every engine part is made to the same or greater standards as your original parts, while also measuring up to OEM tolerances, durability, and quality.
Our Speed of Air series crate engines are made with Hyperformance Pistons that will keep your engine running more reliably and efficiently so that you can spend more time on the road doing what you love, and less time in the shop. Interested in learning more about our engines? Check out our Speed of Air series engines and find your match. For more information, contact us for a quote today and preorder your new engine!