Kick The Yellow Bucket – Use OEM Filters And Lubricants

You invest a lot in your equipment. You expect it to be ready to roll — and keep rolling — when you need it, in the toughest conditions. You can help ensure your machines meet these demands by protecting and maintaining them only with the best filters and lubricants.

Today’s machines are built to the highest performance standards — each a highly engineered system of complex working parts. Relying on anything but original equipment manufacturer (OEM) filters and fluids creates a weak link in the system that can compromise performance.

Emissions trends have driven much of this innovation. Stricter emission regulations, new fuels, common-rail fuel systems and cleaner-fuel goals create the need for improved filtration technology.

Price is not always king

Sometimes it’s easy to let price dictate buying decisions. That generic yellow bucket of non-OEM-specified oil, or that “will-fit” filter might seem like it’s saving you a few dollars today, but these alternatives can reduce operating efficiency, wreak havoc on maintenance intervals and, ultimately, increase the total cost of ownership.

Using non-OEM-specified filters can introduce dirt and other contamination into the engine — essentially sand-blasting the engine from the inside. The machine will require more frequent maintenance, and it will run less efficiently. That means more time in the shop. And even when it’s on the job, it won’t be operating at peak performance.
OEM filters and lubricants can help hold down lifetime equipment cost of ownership. Via @Case_IH CLICK TO TWEET

MAT specifications

One of the ways CNH Industrial proves its superiority over competitive brands is through the MATs on its engine oils. MAT is a series of internal technical standards developed by the CNH Industrial engineering team that ensures all OEM-specified engine oils exceed the industry-standard American Petroleum Institute (API) requirements and have tighter tolerances than standard industry specifications. The MAT number on an OEM-specified oil container certifies the oil has been tested and approved by CNH Industrial engineers to meet the demands of the machine and help extend component life.

Don’t risk your warranty

It’s critical to follow all manufacturer recommendations for fluids and filters. As heavy equipment has become more technologically advanced, machine tolerances have changed drastically. Many components require tight fluid specifications for maximum efficiency and reliability.

Poor-quality oils and fluids can put warranty and support coverage at risk. Using OEM-specified fluids also ensures any warranty claims won’t be denied due to maintenance neglect.

You understand how important it is to protect your investments, minimize total cost of ownership and ensure you’re getting all you can from each piece of equipment. Using only OEM-specified filters and lubricants is one of the easiest ways to improve a machine’s life expectancy and ensure a machine is going to perform reliably throughout its lifetime.

(The previous article “Kick The Yellow Bucket – Use OEM Filters And Lubricants” was archived on “June 7, 2018” from “http://blog.caseih.com”)