Notes from the Lab

Engine Oils in the News

Engine Oils in the News

Engine Oils in the News Every day we face common objections and resistance to switching over to SWEPCO products. One of the most common objections is that they can’t use SWEPCO products because the manual doesn’t specifically list SWEPCO. While SWEPCO products are not listed in many OEM manuals by name, we are in practically ALL OEM manuals by virtue of meeting the industry specification required. We are also face with warrantees that claim no coverage unless certain products are [...]

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Engine Oils specifications

Engine Oil Specifications: There has been a great deal of comment lately concerning engine oils. The State of California is looking to remove all of the oils that only meet obsolete specifications’ from the store shelves. API (American Petroleum Institute) has released new Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oils Specifications CK-4 and FA-4. New Diesel Engines from Ford exhibit excess valve train wear with these new oil specification oils, and other news items. Engine oils have been divided into two (2) main [...]

Lubricating Natural Gas Engines

Lubricating Natural Gas Engines Years ago Natural Gas Engines were usually only found in corn fields for irrigation or as a pump drive at a natural gas well. Today they are everywhere and growing in number. These units are being used for transportation, power generation, pumping stations, and agriculture. Many major cities have converted city vehicles, buses, and public transportation to CNG, LPG, or LNG. Companies like UPS and FedEx are switching many of their short haul trucks to natural [...]

What is GF-6 and PC-11? Or Upcoming engine oil changes!

What is GF-6 and PC-11? Or Upcoming engine oil changes! You may have seen, heard, or read about future changes in engine oils and wondered “Why?” It all has to do with the Clean Air Act and air quality. There are still major air quality issues in large cities and now in developing countries. The major polluter has been identified as the internal combustion engine, both gasoline and diesel. CAFÉ The U.S. Congress has set a goal of 50 mile per gallon for [...]

Building A High Performance Hydraulic Oil

Building A High Performance Hydraulic Oil Do you know what the VI is for SWEPCO 703? Do you know why such a high VI gives our products an advantage? What percentage increase does 703 offer in efficiency of the equipment? After you read this Technical bulletin you will be able to answer these questions and know why we are building A High Performance Hydraulic Oil for you (or actually 2…) More demanding, tighter tolerances and wider operating temperatures Hydraulic systems are widely used in a variety [...]

Syntheon: Advanced Base Fluid Technology

Introducing Syntheon: Advanced Base Fluid Technology Walk into any auto parts store and in the engine oil area you will find a variety of products offering full synthetic, partial synthetic, synthetic blends, the list goes on and on. A key point to remember is that according to a 1999 U.S. Court case the term Synthetic is a marketing term rather than a scientific term. current definition of the term synthetic Many of us started in this business with the understanding that the term synthetic [...]

High Copper Levels in Used Oil Analysis

High Copper Levels in Used Oil Analysis reasons for concern?  From time to time traces of Copper show up in used oil analysis reports ranging from a few PPM to over a 1000 PPM. Generally, high Copper levels are not a cause for concern unless other wear metals are present in unusual levels. Copper is a soft metal so it will not promote wear, abrasion, or other damage in equipment. Copper is a component of Bronze and Brass which are used [...]

Total Cost of Ownership in a different perspective

Total Cost of Ownership in a different perspective We have received an interesting document from SWEPCO Head Office of looking at total cost of ownership. Please read and it might help you getting a more clear picture of SWEPCO compared to other lube manufacturers. We all have different ways we present SWEPCO products.  We use buzzwords, demonstrations, and other valuable tools we have learned from experience.  One successful way that we teach at our Lubricants Training School is to really focus [...]

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The Importance of Keeping Lubricants Dry

The Importance of Keeping Lubricants Dry Water is everywhere and tends to get into everything. Plants, animals, and people need water to live, however water is not desirable in lubricants. Let us look at how water gets into equipment, the damage it does, how to test for water and how to keep it out of your lubricants and equipment. The Importance of Keeping Lubricants Dry is often underestimated. Clogged breathers There is water in the air and it is more apparent on humid [...]

Preparing a Diesel Engine for Winter

Preparing a Diesel Engine for Winter Now is the time to switch to the SWEPCO 501 Premium Diesel Fuel Improver Winter version to protect your equipment when a cold snap occurs and possibly causes problems. Once a fuel has gelled, it must be warmed up and completely thawed to treat it. 501 Winter improves the Cetane Number in diesel fuel for easier starting, shorter warm up time, and less white smoke at start up. SWEPCO 501 Premium Diesel Fuel Improver Winter version contains wax modifying [...]