Clean Informer Magazine New Years 2014 | Page 35

your vehicle you can set it on what temperature suits the weather in your part of the country. This solution works in many ways other than just keeping your equipment out of the danger zone, it keeps chemicals fresher and less likely to chemically separate or break down from severe temperature fluctuations not to mention it can feel like a million bucks in the cab on a cold morning. form inside of the combustion chamber. Worst yet it can foul spark plugs causing a very hard start or even a no start condition. This is where temperature regulation plays a key role and also using a quality fuel stabilizing treatment such as STA-BIL. Battery Woes As the temperatures dip into new record lows our batteries are taking a beating, not only does it take more power to start a cold engine but the cold creates discharge issues, sulfurization and complete battery failure especially on older batteries. My solution is a battery tender or maintainer as they are so called the device is very simple to wire and will keep your battery in top condition because no one wants to get to the jobsite, set up and the truck mount will not start. Be smart do not rely on just the truck mount to keep the battery fully charged! I highly recommend the Auto Meter 9201 Battery Extenders. I have three units and they are wonderful. Lubrication 101 Temperature has a direct effect on the viscosity (Thickness) of all Oils, Grease and lubricants therefore it is important to avoid temperature extremes. Lubricants protect and perform differently at lower temperatures so it is advisable to avoid freezing weather and allow equipment to adequately warm up before placing it into service. Be sure to use the appropriate engine oils, Grease and Lubricants with the correct viscosity rating for your area. I recommend consulting your owner’s manual or engine manufacturer for specifications. In closing I would like to say that taking the time to properly protect your equipment is the single most important preventative maintenance step you can do during the winter and the importance of it cannot be understated. Take the time to take care of the things that take care of you! Stay Warm- Joe Kennedy The Wonders of Gasoline Winter temperatures cause gasoline to gum up the inside of carburetors and cause varnish to 35