If you are running a fleet of vehicles, large trucks, or industrial equipment, engine oil changes are critical. Choosing the right oil to protect the motor on all your equipment can extend the life of the equipment and reduce the operating cost over time. 

Standard Motor Oils

While standard motor oil is good, there are some things that can affect it adversely. Heat is one of the biggest concerns with industrial motor oil and will break the oil down over time, making it less effective. Equipment running for extended periods may need oil changes more frequently to combat this breakdown and ensure the industrial motor oil you are using keeps everything inside the motor lubricated adequately. 

There are many different grades of industrial motor oil that you can choose from, but in most cases, using the oil weight and type that is recommended by the equipment manufacturer is your best option. Truck motors may need a heavyweight oil, while smaller equipment may not be able to use the heavy oil, so having several different oils on hand may be required. 

Synthetic Motor Oils

Changing to industrial synthetic motor oil for all your equipment can have some advantages, although the oil and filter cost is often higher. The thermal breakdown with industrial synthetic motor oil is slower, and the life of the oil in your equipment can be twice what it is with standard oil.

The synthetic oil is engineered to do a better job of reducing friction and heat in the motor, and when you use the right grade of oil, combined with the right filter, it can add a significant amount of protection for your trucks and equipment. Changing all your equipment to synthetic motor oil is often a little expensive. Still, once everything is swapped over, the cost savings can be realized in the oil's additional life, fewer oil changes, and less wear inside the motor. 

Specialty Oils

For equipment that already has a lot of hours on the motor, you may want to use a different industrial motor oil than you use in newer equipment or trucks. Working directly with the vendor to choose the right synthetic motor oil for these motors can help because they can explain the different oils and the benefits that each offers. 

Finding the right one for your situation could be the difference between getting a few more years from the equipment or having to replace it or make significant repairs to the aging motor. While synthetic oils are not always right for your situation, your oil dealer can go over the current products and let you know if an industrial synthetic motor oil replacement would benefit your operation.