Fleets Maximise Bulk Oil Use to Improve Efficiency

Time is money and operating heavy truck maintenance shops as efficiently as possible is the key to minimising downtime and keeping fleets rolling. Using reliable, high-volume equipment, including correctly sized pumps with flow rates to handle the higher volumes of fluids these trucks require, makes excellent business sense.

Quick truck lube centres that service hundreds, if not thousands of trucks a month are always looking to transfer oil faster. These centres can perform multiple quick oil changes simultaneously using high flow pumps, meters and reels, all while oil use is tracked and accounted for using a fluid management system, such as Graco’s Pulse^® Pro Fluid Management system.

An innovative wireless fluid management system for fleet service, the Pulse Pro system provides forward-thinking service operations with the insight, control and analytics to drive profitability in the age of seamlessly connected shops. Pre-set meters eliminate over or under-dispensing so the correct amount is always dispensed.

The Pulse Pro system improves accuracy by allowing technicians to pull up work orders right at the meter. Technicians simply enter a PIN or scan an NFC tag to get started, and all data is tracked directly to the meter, technician and work order to simplify fluid management.

Because the Pulse Pro is a wireless system, it’s fast and easy to install and troubleshoot compared to wired systems. Adding this system to existing maintenance shops is an easy, cost-effective way to enhance efficiency.
As synthetic oil use continues to grow – and more and more types of fluids with different weights are used – it’s important for fleet maintenance facilities to have the right oils and high-volume use fluids in bulk tanks with overhead plumbing so they can be piped directly to the bay.

In addition, roll-around carts and oil bars are necessary to directly dispense into vehicles those grease and speciality fluids that aren’t utilised in overhead dispensing systems. The return on investment of fluids stored in 200 litre (55-gallon) drums and the time required to roll them around, compared to storing them in bulk tanks must also be considered.

Having an adequate number of properly sized pumps, hose reels and accurate tank metering systems in place improves efficiency and accuracy. This also minimises the number of steps technicians must take to change the oil and keeps them in the bay.

“How many physical steps do your technicians take to change oil?” asks Lube-Tech Business Development Manager Mike Mars. “If you consider the number of lost minutes you can reduce, multiplied by the number of technicians you employ, it might work out to roughly $400/day. Multiplied by 250 work days a year ($100,000) and you’re talking real money.”

The importance of having reliable pumps and other equipment can’t be overstated, particularly considering the backup plan for pump failure likely involves using 3.8 litre (1-gallon) pails to distribute fluids.

For more than 65 years, Graco Fire-Ball® pumps and packages have been a mainstay in the lubrication marketplace and are known for their durability and long life. Designed for the toughest applications, Fire-Ball pumps consistently outperform and outlast the competition.

“Graco is a great company and their roll-around systems, hose reels and metering systems provide excellent solutions to real problems,” adds Mars. “We value our partnership with Graco because their employees look to solve customers’ problems, not just sell products.”

Engineered with high-quality materials, tested and proven to perform right out of the box, Graco products last longer and minimise equipment downtime.