A few years ago people anticipated the demise of the trucking industry.  Manufacturers tested autonomous trucks, and people speculated the end of human semi-truck drivers locally and nationally. This wasn’t just a problem here in the United States.  Every economy predicted it across the globe.  Once the newsworthy sound bites became a dull roar, the trucking industry went back to normal operations.

This year COVID-19 disrupted the supply chain for products and food nationally.  It put a lot of strain on the trucking industry to deliver what customers wanted and needed.  That demanded human drivers again.  The economy needed more trucks on the road to deliver goods.  Semi-trucks were again on the road longer, traveling coast to coast.  In other words, this means their maintenance is desperately needed now more than ever.  Could AMSOIL from Buy Great Oil help those semi-trucks rack up mile after mile helping the nation move forward?  Absolutely! Could you run your semi-truck to a million miles helping the economy?  Yes!  Here are a few ways to get your semi-truck to a million miles:

Semi-Truck Diesel Engine Oil and Filter

The first thing that usually comes to mind when you consider routine maintenance is an engine oil filter change.  Your semi-truck should have the diesel engine oil changed around every 25,000 miles.  That can fluctuate based on the model of engine, and also by the age of the truck.  Newer semi-trucks are pushing past 25,000 miles with the help of technology.

Is 25,000 Miles A Lot?

It doesn’t take long to rack up 25,000 miles on the odometer.  You may find that you can put 2,000 miles on the odometer in a week.  In other words, that 25,000 miles will be on the odometer in a hurry.

In order to protect your investment (i.e. your semi-truck), run a high-quality engine oil and filter.  You want to keep the engine lubricated and performing at its best.  AMSOIL Premium Diesel Oils offer 4x better cold-temperature performance when compared to a conventional SAE 15W-40 oil, excellent viscosity control, and outstanding extreme-temperature performance.  You can run heavier loads pushing your semi-truck.  Best of all it will not void any warranty you currently have.  AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel Oil allow extended drain intervals that can push past the limits of conventional oil.  More miles on the road, less time in the shop, and less worry is worth the upgrade in diesel oil.

The AMSOIL Line of EA Oil Filters

AMSOIL also offers a line of EA oil filters.  These filters allow you to run the maximum miles between oil change intervals.  AMSOIL EA Heavy-Duty Extended-Life Oil Filters (EaHD) provide supreme filtering efficiency and high contaminant capacity for heavy-duty diesel applications.  Imagine driving the maximum drain interval recommendation with AMSOIL synthetic engine oils every time you’re on the road!  These intervals shouldn’t exceed one year, but they will increase convenience and reduce maintenance costs year over year.  That one-million miles seems like a reasonable challenge with AMSOIL oil and filters.

Extending Intervals

An extra option to extend drain intervals and provide more protection for the engine would be adding Heavy-Duty Bypass System for the diesel engine oil.  The system in semi-trucks partially filters the flowing oil as your semi-truck is driving.  Likewise, it removes over 97% of contaminants that build up in the diesel engine oil.  The kit comes with all parts needed to make the complete the installation easily.  It allows your diesel engine to run up to 125,000 miles or one year between oil changes.

Kits cost around the same or slightly more than a commercial oil change at the truck stop.  But they allow you to run 5x longer between oil changes.  That’s hours that you don’t have to wait between shipments, better fuel efficiency, and less buildup in your engine.  The investment of the kit and two extra quarts of oil (10% of the oil in the engine) are liquidated in just a couple of months of the first year.  Then the reduced maintenance cost is pure profit for your bottom line.

Diesel Fuel System and Semi-Trucks

Your semi-truck diesel fuel system is robust and well-designed from the manufacturer.  The key for longevity is staying up on basic maintenance and keeping the right additives in your diesel fuel.  This keeps efficiency high and deposits low.  The fuel injectors on your engine are designed to last approximately 500,000 miles.  Keeping them flowing well is simply as easy as adding AMSOIL Diesel Injector Cleaner into the fuel tank when you fill up.  The cleaner also helps to lubricate your complete fuel system to reduce fuel pump wear.  And it keeps fuel lines lubricated from drying out and leaking.  Likewise, it can boost your fuel efficiency up to 8%.

Pouring in just one bottle in can restore your fuel system and reduce deposit buildup.  In rare cases, owners have driven the one million miles on the original injectors before changing by using AMSOIL Diesel Injector Cleaner and other additives.

Beyond the basic AMSOIL Diesel Injector Cleaner, AMSOIL does have specific products to increase Cetane points, increase cold flow by reducing fuel gelling in colder climates, and additives that combine all properties that you may need to run coast-to-coast.

If you need more Cetane, perhaps because you’re running a heavier shipment, pour bottle of AMSOIL Cetane Boost in your fuel tank before your next shipment.  Or, if you’re running in northern states or Canada during winter, you may want to add a bottle of AMSOIL Diesel Cold Flow to help fuel flow well with the lower outside temperatures.  If you need the best in every situation, go with the AMSOIL Diesel All in One for your fuel system. It has all additives for the best of all situations no matter the weather, time of year, or load amount.

Chassis Lubrication on Semi-Trucks

The engine seems to get all the glory for maintenance.  But we can’t forget how important the transmission is to your semi-truck.  The question on which AMSOIL product to use comes down to whether your semi-truck has a manual or automatic transmission.  If you have a manual transmission, AMSOIL SAE 50 Long-Life Synthetic Transmission Oil will be your best option at your next transmission fluid change. This oil allows drain intervals up to 5 years or 500,000 miles, depending on which comes first.

If you have an automatic, no matter what brand or how many gears it has, select AMSOIL Torque-Drive® Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid. It offers smoother shifts, smooth engagement, and reduce internal wear for your transmission in any climate you haul in.

Other chassis areas to consider are your differential, which also can be put on the infrequent but crucial list for fluid changes. Add AMSOIL Synthetic Gear Oil to your differential and increase your replacement time to 5 years or 500,000 miles similar to your automatic or manual transmission. It may be easy to do them both at the same time to reduce downtime between loads and have one reminder for service.

Don’t Forget the 5th Wheel Mount

You can also grease your 5th wheel mount with AMSOIL Synthetic Fifth-Wheel Grease to keep trailers going on and coming off smooth with minimal wear to the attaching plate. The rest of the chassis can be well lubricated with AMSOIL Synthetic Greases in polymeric or multi-purpose varieties.

Keeping Your Semi-Truck in Top Shape

Keeping your diesel semi-truck in great shape for years to come can sound like a daunting task, especially trying to achieve the daunting one-million mile mark. Getting to that milestone is all about dedicated routine maintenance, and adding AMSOIL products from Buy Great Oil is also the best way to reduce your maintenance cost for your complete trucking fleet. The results have been documented again and again, and in fact one owner has gone over two million miles with his semi-truck using AMSOIL products. If you’re unsure about which AMSOIL product is best for your semi-truck, feel free to drop us a line. We can help with the products that best fit your requirements because we are your local best local AMSOIL dealer.