Any Detroit diesel guys here?

DO NOT do anything that is not in your job description, it can come back to bite you in the ***. Document in writing anything you do as far as YOUR maintenance goes, as well as document any & all correspondence you have about things malfunctioning. If you have all of your documentation & something happens because your suggestions were ignored, your *** is covered. In todays world, stuff slides down hill & upper management tries to distance themselves from the liabilities. In other words, CYA the best way you can.

I keep a log of all fluid levels, how much is added, whether or not any linkages need tightened, etc. I fill it out each morning.

That is as far as it goes, as far as maintenance. If a filter change doesn't do the trick (which I dont expect it to), then that's as far as I'm willing to go with it by myself. Last thing I need is to lose an engine and be pushed onto the bank. I agree, I've seen it happen with locomotives on the railroad. There is a never ending paper trail as well as a digital one for every task performed, and someone always gets nailed for it.