Doing your own Preventive Maintenance

It only takes a few minutes for their machine to spit out the results.

 

Not real sure, they could use the same machine for all I know.

I think the Speedco machine is fine, as long as they clean it properly between samples.

 

+1 on the PMs. You can save yourself a lot of money doing simple things yourself! One Driver mentioned the quick valve. For the heck of it, I priced one at Freightliner. Pretty spendy. If you have one truck, it might work for you, but I have two trucks, half a dozen tractors, self propelled sprayer, combine, personal vehicles. Here's what I use. http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-5097.aspx Plus If I had the quick valve, I could see stopping at a truck stop for 5 minutes, and someone would open it. Also you can get some 55 gallon drums for used oil. Usually costs between 0-5$. If you have a place to change oil, you probably have a place to store 55 gallon drums. Reason being is some places will charge an oil disposal fee. Or if you find someplace to get rid of it for free, you're LOSING money! I know oil and fuel prices have come down over the last few years, but you used to get 0.50$ a gallon for used oil! Make sure you don't have any moisture in it tho! They won't take it. Some places require 300 gal before they pick it up (for free), others don't. I have a place to store it, so it doesn't cost me anything to let it sit! Another thing is brakes are very easy to adjust! Takes about 5 minutes. Dealer will charge you like $60! Find a level place to park. Chock the wheels, make sure the brakes are fully releases. Then tighten the adjuster will the shoe hits the drum. Release 1/2 turn. Easy! If you want to do diff or trans fluid, get a topper for a 5 gallon bucket. Very cheap, and will save you a lot of headache! Also another Driver was talking about using a manual grease gun. I like electric. When I have downtime I can grease everything at one go. Plus you can take off the tip and use it to grease the 5th! Just my two cents.

 

A 25 dollar filter wrench and a thirty dollar grease gun. Then a drain pan of some sort. Ive used the same 20 dollar cooler for twenty years. Had to trim an inch off one end to get it under the pan on this last truck.

 

That's all i use for my 12.7. While I've never cut one open and put it under a microscope. The engine went a million miles before i tore it down for an advance pm.. aka rebuild. Liners still had the cross hatches.

Edit to add: i buy them at the dealer where i get most my parts. By the 12 ct case they are just over 8 bucks a piece.

 

QUOTE:>pullintrains:>> No matter what the idiot at the truck stop said..

No way, they don't have idiots at truck stops! No, it cant be.

Disposing of oil these days is easy, there are companies will pay you for it if you have several drums saved up.

 

To me that's a ridiculously high price. I can change my 2 oil filters and fuel filter for 30 bucks. Another 130 bucks 10 gallons of rotella at Walmart. 1.5 tubes of grease for 2.50 each. Add in 7 percent sales tax and will be looking at under 180 total. That's over a hundred dollar savings and takes me no more time than speedco and gets me under the truck to look for future problems.

 

quick valves are nice for changing oil. We have it on 1 truck. Our oil pan we just cut a 30 gallon oil drum down to fit under the pan and welded some handles on it. With a torch/welder/ air compressor/ basic tools and common sense you can work on quite abit of your own things and save money.