Oil change
After years of testing, Scania is now launching a series of different types of oil under the product name Scania Oil.
Photo: Tobias Regell
Researchers Henrik Åström and Mattias Berger, who head Scania’s oil development programme, are both tribologists. Tribology is the science of friction, lubrication and wear. The term comes from the Greek word tribos, which means “to rub.”
TEXT: PER-OLA KNUTAS
The right oil makes a difference, both for the truck’s well-being and for the environment. The right choice of oil means longer intervals between workshop visits. And, tests show, it could also save fuel.
“Oil is a spare part, and it should be given the same attention as other spare parts,” says Mattias Berger, responsible for engine oil testing at Scania. “A day not spent in the workshop is a day the truck can be out on the road making money.”
Attention is just what Berger, a PhD in material science, and his colleagues give oil. Since 1996, when Scania’s research laboratories started a special oil specification and testing programme, the company has field-tested 50 different motor oils and 30 different gearbox and axle oils.
Tough tests
The tests take from one to three years to perform, depending on the application, since each field test must involve at least two oil changes.
“Our tests are known in the industry to be tough,” says Henrik Åström, a PhD in machine elements and responsible for gearbox and axle oil testing at Scania.
“We don’t think that running bench tests in laboratories is enough,” Åström continues. “Trucks and buses should be run under ordinary field conditions in order to simulate the normal forces at work on engines, including engine braking, polluted air, powertrain vibrations and asymmetric road vibrations.”
Years of experience from testing oils now brings Scania Oil to counters in workshops over the world. Since early 2008, Scania has been filling every new engine at the factory with Scania Oil.
“The range of Scania oils are carefully tested on our components and evaluated for highest possible quality. They are specifically made to suit Scania vehicles under all driving conditions. These oils are quality-assured through extensive rig and field testing, which means it is approved and good for our vehicles”, says Henrik Åström.
Thick or thin?
Lubricating oil creates a thin, slippery barrier between two moving metal surfaces that reduces friction and dissipates heat, thus preventing wear. Good oil has the right viscosity at different operating temperatures. If it is too thin, it offers insufficient protection. If it is too thick, it offers resistance to the moving parts. In addition to the right viscosity, the oil should be unaffected by chemical changes due to heat and oxidation.
