Did you know that equipment manufacturers have tightened their cleanliness specifications for service oils and lubricants? It’s true, and it makes sense. If your fleet maintenance schedule doesn’t include a plan to ‘keep it clean,’ you’re leaving yourself open to ‘getting dealt dirty’ with costly (and preventable) ongoing maintenance issues and need for repairs.

As a leading commercial fuel supplier in California, the team at Greg’s Petroleum Service knows from experience that the operators of heavy equipment across industries have invested a lot in their fleet. The vehicles and machinery that they rely upon must stand up to all kinds of conditions. But wind, water, temperature changes, and use conditions such as cold starts and short drive times can lead to contaminated oils and lubricants.

And you may think the biggest risk of contamination is seen by operators of off-road heavy equipment, such as the machinery used in construction. While that is a factor, you might be surprised at how common the problem of contaminated oils and lubricants can be. So, who needs to keep the system clean?

In reality, every operator of motorized equipment can benefit from cleanliness. But the following industries are most likely to see immediate cost savings and results from switching to cleaner lubricants and upgrading their maintenance process.

Agricultural: Such as tractors, pickers and belt systems
Construction: Such as excavators, trucks, and back hoes
Manufacturing: Including conveyor belts, and gears and levers
Service Fleets: Large mass transportation for schools, healthcare organizations, and other emergency and public service providers

Now that you know nearly every industry can benefit, it’s time to look at some facts about how lubricant contamination can impact overall costs. Did you know that two-thirds of lubricant-related machine failure and worn out components is due to abrasion?

And if you do know that, do you know what causes the contamination that leads to abrasion and failed equipment? Over time, oils and lubricants contaminated by small particles lose their protective qualities. The small particles can cause increased friction and abrasion, leading to damage, failure, and preventable issues.

Moreover, those small particles aren’t always obvious when you do a quick visual service inspection. Most particles that cause contamination issues are so small that they’re invisible to the naked eye.

That’s why regular oil and lubricant changes are recommended for equipment used in extreme conditions. But, cost is sometimes a factor that discourage operators from making the frequent changes. Also, some owners choose to use synthetics, which are more expensive and therefore less likely to be changed with the recommended regularity.

But the problems caused by contaminated oils and lubricants aren’t limited to wear and tear, or the failure of a single piece of equipment. Check out this guide with more information on the subject.

In short, equipment issues can lead to loss of productivity, eat into profits, lead to low team morale, and harm the reputation of the company. So, what can you do?

Tips for Keeping Cleaner Oils and Lubricants from a Commercial Fuel and Lubricants Supplier

For all of those reasons, we recommend taking the following steps.

1. Know the right oils and lubricants for your fleet. Many manufacturers are labeling equipment with this information, but it never hurts to double check.
2. Stick to a consistent maintenance schedule. Following the manufacturers guidelines for oil and lubricant changes is critical.
3. Choose a certified clean lubricant that adheres to the ISO cleanliness code. (Ask us, if you don’t know what the ISO cleanliness code is!)
4. If you don’t know whether or not your equipment is making use of the best practices for cleanliness, do your homework to check for specifications and guidelines. It never hurts to call in an expert to review your practices to make sure you’re not overlooking something, either.
5. Finally, we recommend that you get in touch with an expert team.

For more information, please contact us at Greg's Petroleum Service. As a leading commercial fuel and lubricant supplier in California, our team of experts know that the right oils and lubricants can make all of the difference. We can recommend products to reduce contamination and costly wear, as well as improve performance.

If we can provide you with information, service, or products please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!

We all know that brake wear, damage and the need for replacements can cause major problems. But did you know that choosing the right brake fluids can make a difference to the life of your equipment? If you’re trying to save time by not checking out your options or hoping to minimize expense by putting off routine maintenance and/or choosing poor products, you’re only going to run into more cost and expensive issues down the road.

Here at Greg’s Petroleum Service, we’re proud to offer fuel service, oils and lubricants, and top quality solvents and chemicals to maintain your fleet of valuable equipment. Based on years of experience, we know that making the correct choices can make all the difference in how your machinery performs and can even extend its lifespan.

So, what do you need to know to extend the life of your brakes, and improve their performance overall? To help, we’ve put together a guide of need-to-know basics. Read on to learn more about how to maintain your braking system.

Advice from a commercial fuel service provider: the right care for braking systems

The first thing we advise is to always keep up with routine fleet service. It’s often helpful to add a brake check to the schedule, just as you do regular oil changes. We recommend that you plan to have your brakes checked every three to six months, depending on the use of the vehicle. The brake check can be done at the same time you would have tires rotated, or on a seasonal basis.

What should you look for during a brake check? Ideally, you’re going to want to have the thickness of the brake pads checked, as well as the calipers, and look for evidence of wear to the drums. But that’s not all a good mechanic will look for as they are performing system maintenance.

Additionally, you must have your brake fluid system maintained. It’s a key part of the process, because brake systems function through use of hydraulics. In general, the way it works is that when you put your foot on the brake pedal, it moves a lever and piston that pushes the fluid through a cylinder. That process multiplies and transmits the power to stop through the brake system.

For that reason, routine brake maintenance should include a check for leaks. But even if no leaks are found, it’s still important to replace old brake fluid.

Did you know that sluggish brake response is a sign that you need to replace old brake fluid? The reason is because old brake fluid absorbs moisture, which will not only reduce the power of your brakes but can also cause the corrosion in the system that can lead to premature brake failure.

So, how often do you need to replace brake fluid to maintain power and prevent corrosion and failure? Many manufacturers recommend that you change every 20,000 miles, or at intervals of every 2 years. But of course, that will vary based on use and conditions.

Here are a few additional signs of a braking system that is having trouble:

- Sounds like squeaking, grinding, or scraping
- The vehicle pulls off to one side when you apply the brakes
- Bouncing up and down when you apply the brakes
- A burning smell

If any of those sound like something you’re experiencing, or you just have questions, it’s time to reach out to a mechanic.

And for more information about top quality, long lasting brake fluids and brake system flush, please contact us at Greg’s Petroleum Service. As the leading fuel fleet service providers in California, our team of experts know that the right fluid can make all of the difference, which is why we recommend and provide Valvoline Professional Series brake fluids.

If we can provide you with information, service, or products please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!

Did you know there’s a demand for lubricants to service the machinery and fleets of the agricultural and food production industry? Chances are, if you’re a butcher, a baker, farmer or beverage maker, you know that food grade lubricants are an essential ingredient in the mix.

So, what is a food grade lubricant? That’s a somewhat complicated question. The short answer is that not all lubricants are safe to use in the equipment and machinery used to produce food. Because the oil, grease and lubricants used in food production machinery could, through incidental contact, get mixed into the food, it must be deemed safe.

In the past, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) set safety standards for use of food grade lubricants that would come into contact with dairy and other food products. The standards cover use of lubricants, guidelines about additives used in the lubricants, product formulations, and how the lubricant can be used on the machinery.

Therefore, a food grade lubricant meets safety standards for use in the machinery and equipment used to process edible items. A lubricant that meets the standard is classified as an “H1” lubricant. There is also a registration process around lubricants and other nonfood compounds used in food production.

This helps to limit the risk of contamination, injury, and liability. It also meets a growing “hunger” or demand for the highest quality of safety and production for groups with specialized standards, such as those producing allergen friendly, kosher and halal certified foods.

What other applications are food grade lubricants used for? In general, the lubricants are most commonly used in the following industry areas:

- Animal Feed Industry
- Dairy Industry
- Bakeries
- Beverage Producers and Breweries
- Meat and Poultry Industry
- Edible Oil Processing Industry
- Food-associated processing plants
- Pharmaceuticals

But note, that list isn’t exhaustive. And although there aren’t currently penalties or requirements to use food grade lubricants, the market is moving in that direction due to increasing demand from both manufacturers and consumers.

How to choose the right food grade lubricant

So, what are the concerns around food grade lubricants? First, it helps to understand how the lubricants are used. The food industry has a need for gear oils, chain oils, compressor oils, hydraulic fluids and vacuum pump oils for equipment, just as any other manufacturer would. There are also specialty uses, such as can seamer oils.

And just as most manufacturers have varied fleets equipment, so do food manufacturers. Therefore, we run into concerns that are like those of operators that use non-food grade lubricants that no single oil or lubricant will be right for all of their machinery, and under all conditions.

There are questions around use, compliance, and which lubricant additives fall into the H1 category and are safe. So, where do you go for information?

You can visit this website to learn more about standards for food grade lubricants. However, we know that it can seem like a complicated process to review the lubricants and additives individually. It’s certainly time consuming. That’s why we also offer information and advice to help our customers get the answers they need.

As a commercial fuel and lubricant supplier in California, we have the products, service standard, and expertise to answer all of your questions. If you’re searching for food grade lubricants, we can help. And if you need information to help you choose the right lubricants for a varied fleet of equipment, we can help you make the right decisions.

Also, be sure to check out our recent blog choosing the right lubricant for agricultural applications, “You Reap What You Sow: The Right Lubricants For Agricultural Equipment Pays Off.”

Finally, please don’t hesitate to visit us online and/or give us a call if you are looking for a quality food grade lubricant for your equipment. Our team here at Greg’s Petroleum Service is here to help.

If you choose to live, work, and play in California, then chances are that you love our state and want to see the quality of life maintained. Speaking from the standpoint of a local business and member of the community, the whole team at Greg’s Petroleum Service wants that too!

So, this month we want to share some information about how the industry we’re in contributes to the overall quality of life, and how we’re striving to be a good neighbor as a commercial fuel and lubricant supplier in the California community.

We suspect that there’s quite a bit that people don’t know about the positive contributions oil and gas are making to keep up a high quality of life for people — friends, family, loved ones, and neighbors. For that reason, we want to share some of the facts about the ‘state we’re in’ with you this month.

In that vein, we’ve compiled a list of five things you should know about the California oil and natural gas industry. Full disclosure, we pulled our information from the California Resources Corporation, the largest oil and natural gas producer in California on a gross-operated basis.

Five Facts About How California’s Oil and Natural Gas Industry Supports Quality of Life

1. Local oil production supports our economy with a significant number of jobs and opportunities. Did you know that the California oil and natural gas industry supports nearly 368,000 well-paying local jobs? That amounts to number of families supported, who can put that money back into our economy when they buy other goods and services.

2. Jobs in the oil industry provide a path to the middle class, regardless of educational background. Consider that the average salary in our industry is $84,000 per year, even though approximately one-third of the workforce has a high school level education, or less. We provide solid jobs that support families comfortably.

3. Additionally, natural oil and gas revenues are taxed at a rate that provides billions in revenues that support state and local public safety and schools. That money supports the infrastructure families rely on in the community and provides opportunities for our future.

4. The local natural gas and oil industry supports the diversity of our community. California is ethnically diverse. Our industry not only reflects that but supports it to strengthen our neighborhoods. We offer opportunities that are unmatched in other industries. Consider that the industry local workforce is 29 percent Latino; 13 percent Asian; and 5 percent Black.

5. Our industry is a responsible member of the community concerned with maintaining air quality standards. Consider that between 1970 and 2016, the total emissions count of the six major pollutants dropped by 73 percent. That’s huge, when you consider that production, driving miles, and the population grew by 44 percent. We’re doing our part to be efficient and responsible, to maintain a high quality of life even as demand increases.

Are you surprised? Want to learn more? You can check out additional statistics provided here. As a commercial fuel service provider and lubricant supplier in California, Greg's Petroleum Service is a proud member of the local natural gas and oil industry.

We are proud to serve our customers with the information, resources, products and services they need to keep serving our economy and the people who live in California … and those that rely on our products and services across the country.

If you have additional questions, or want to know more, please feel free to reach out to us directly. We look forward to hearing from you!

About Us:
If you need additional information, please know that the team at Greg's Petroleum Service is here to help. As your commercial fuel delivery service provider and lubricant supplier in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clarita or Ventura, California areas, we are available to help answer any questions you might have. Visit us online or give us a call to learn more.

Major lubricant suppliers have announced a coolant price increase of all concentrated and diluted products up to 5% due to increasing costs of raw materials impacting the manufacturing of products. In certain instances, specific products may increase in amounts that are outside of this range.

Chevron, one of our major antifreeze and coolant manufacturers, announced that this price movement will be effective on November 19, 2018.

Competitor manufacturers such as Shell, announced it’s 5% coolant price increase will be effective November 30th, citing raw materials, glycol and market dynamics as the primary cause of this increase. Prestone and Old World’s price increase is already in effect as of October 15th.

We encourage you to place your antifreeze and coolant orders as early as possible to benefit from our current price levels, which allows us to meet your needs and requests in as timely a manner as possible.

We understand the impact of this news and how it may affect your business. We will strive to support your business by creating a plan to manage the price increases the best way possible. Greg's Petroleum Service strives to deliver quality products at affordable prices. For questions on how price increases across the industry may impact you, please contact us today.