Service technicians can save time and money by reusing engine coolant recovered and removed from engines during routine maintenance and service. But doing so — and passing that savings on to their customers — can be a dirty job without the right equipment. The 3011-1200 coolant recovery unit keeps it clean, eliminates maintenance headaches and enables equipment owners to maximize the ROI of their antifreeze.
The problem with removing engine coolant
It’s key to ensure that coolant is flushed and replaced according to maintenance schedules. Protecting a truck or excavator engine against heat and the challenging conditions it’s exposed to during operation is essential. In some cases, the fluid is replaced prematurely when technicians perform other routine maintenance. While it preserves the critical protection coolant provides, this also adds cost to engine maintenance over time and causes antifreeze ROI to decline.
The solution
But with the 3011-1200 coolant recovery cart, removing and reusing antifreeze is a clean, efficient task. The cart is often used in truck and machinery dealerships and repair shops. They’re used to vacuum antifreeze from trucks while maintenance and repairs are performed on the engine. With the 3011-1200, the operator has the ability to store vacuumed antifreeze, then put the same fluid back into the engine when maintenance is completed.
“Reusing antifreeze based on maintenance schedules helps owners keep their engines running smoothly while getting the highest return on their investment,” said Sage Oil Vac CEO Aaron Sage. “While some operators go too long before they replace antifreeze, there are a lot who flush out systems too soon because they’re conducting other maintenance tasks. This recycler cart makes the job clean and easy, so service techs can do it at exactly the right time.”
Why coolant recovery is important
The functional lifespan of antifreeze depends on the engine, how hard it’s working and the composition of the coolant itself. On top of its role in managing engine operating temperatures, antifreeze also absorbs rust and other contaminants from engine parts. If the contaminant load is too high, it can be recirculated and deposited on other parts. This sometimes causes long-term engine damage.
Standard silicated antifreeze typically lasts around two years or 30,000 miles. Extended drain coolants perform up to five years or 100,000 miles (up to 15,000 hours). Engine maintenance needs are inevitable between scheduled antifreeze flushes and replacements. This is especially true with extended drain coolants. A 3011-1200 recycler cart gives service technicians the ability to preserve the fluid through its full operating life by cleanly and efficiently reusing it.
3011-1200 specs
The coolant recovery unit’s enclosed system uses vacuum pressure to remove fluid without the danger of contamination. The wheeled unit features a 20-gallon tank for ample storage and a 15-foot, ½-inch (1.27 cm x 4.5 m) hose. This enables technicians to easily reach antifreeze tanks. A CV-20 vacuum generator provides power along with a required additional air source.
The 3011-1200 coolant recovery cart comes equipped with the patented Sage Oil Vac vacuum process and fluid level sight plugs. This enables the operator to precisely remove and refill antifreeze before and after performing engine service. The process helps owners like Jay Craighead pass new savings on to their customers.
“We’ve been using the Sage Oil Vac recycler cart since 2014, and all of our technicians rely on it,” said Craighead, Service Manager at Bruckner Mack Volvo in Amarillo, Texas. “It’s easy, efficient, clean and it saves our customers money by ensuring reliable reuse of their coolant.”
Find out more about our coolant recovery carts and procure this win-win product for your business today!
For over 50 years SOO Foundry, located in Canada, has earned a reputation for quality, dependable service and innovative approaches to unique problems within the fabrication, machinery, and the hydraulic millwrighting industries. However, it was only five short years ago when Robert Cohen, SOO Foundry President, began to notice the wind energy industry had many needs in the marketplace that were not being met especially concerning wind turbine oil changes.
“We discovered a need for wind tower maintenance providers and quality oil changes as towers were getting older across North America,” Cohen said. SOO then began its search to purchase gearbox equipment to perform wind turbine oil changes with flush capabilities.
Enter Sage Oil Vac.
“Ivan Brlecic (SOO Operations Manager) did some research and quickly discovered that the leader in that field was Sage Oil Vac,” Cohen said. Even though the SOO Foundry and Sage Oil Vac businesses were located thousands of miles apart, Brlecic made a call that would ultimately launch a flourishing business relationship.
“It quickly became apparent that Sage Oil Vac was not only the leader in the wind energy gearbox oil change industry but that they had a very proactive approach to it,” Cohen explained. “They really recommended that we not look at an oil change as just an oil change. They wanted to make sure we knew where we wanted to go in the future with our business and that that was offering the best service to the customers.”
The solution: efficient wind turbine oil changes
Once they knew Sage Oil Vac could create an efficient method to manage wind turbine oil changes, SOO purchased the Sage Oil Vac Gear Oil Exchange System (GOEX) which features four tank units to hold used oil, fresh oil, flush fluid and rinse fluid.
“The deal was, Sage Oil Vac would come up here and train our people to use the equipment for the first three wind turbine oil changes in the tower gearbox,” explained Rick Oliver, SOO Field Manager. “I learned a lot from them in our trainings and the business relationship just grew from there. We’ve had really strong support from them.”
Cohen says the gearbox is like the heart of the wind tower and he considered that comparison when it came time to invest company money into new equipment.
“Why not spend a little bit more money to have the best equipment out there, do the best job and get the best results in an oil change for your customer? It’s just common sense,” Cohen said.
“It was not just about selling a piece of equipment and walking away,” Cohen continued. “The Sage Oil Vac consultant was not going to leave until he felt absolutely comfortable that we could operate the equipment.” The SOO team has changed the oil on 126 towers successfully in the last two years. The company personally owns two Sage Oil Vac GOEX machines.
Originally the SOO team was only looking to rent Sage Oil Vac equipment, but with no dealerships operating in Canada at the time, they opted to purchase the systems instead. The transaction also led to SOO becoming the only Sage Oil Vac representative outlet in Canada. Talk about service after the sale.
“There is so much opportunity to grow,” Oliver said. “We’ve got people working in Alberta, people working in Ontario and we’re still looking to expand.”
Are you looking for an efficient way to manage wind turbine oil changes? Learn more about our offerings here.
