Optimized Service Intervals for Caterpillar Equipment

Introduction
Lubricating oil is the lifeblood of heavy-duty equipment. Oil provides a film of protection
around the moving parts and protects those parts from abnormal wear. It is important to
understand that all lubricated components have a normal wear rate. This normal wear
rate can be seen in a series of oil samples, where the wear metals show a slow steady
increase. Likewise, lubricating oils have a normal rate of degradation. Oil samples will
show a slow steady increase in oxidation and viscosity as an oil degrades. A properly
designed oil drain will maintain the normal wear rate and will fully utilize the life of the
oil. If the wear rate is not increased, the equipment will obtain full useful life.
Extensive testing and analysis has been done to understand the useful life of lubricating
oils. This analysis has led to oxidation and viscosity guidelines that protect lubricated
components from abnormal wear. The oxidation guideline is designed to protect
components from corrosive wear. A highly degraded oil may form acids, and these
acids could cause corrosive wear. Corrosive wear damages surfaces. The viscosity
guideline is used to verify an oxidation increase. Viscosity is also important for the
formation of the oil film. The correct viscosity provides a cushion of oil between moving
parts. If the oxidation and viscosity guidelines are followed, the oil film will protect
components from abnormal wear.
This guideline will provide step by step instructions for extending oil drains. If these
steps are followed, the lubricated components will maintain normal wear rates. And, the
life of the lubricant will be efficiently utilized.

Risks verses Rewards

There are several reasons why a customer may choose to optimize oil drains. The
most compelling reason is to lower maintenance costs. An optimized oil drain will lower
maintenance costs by:
 Reducing the volume of oil used
 Reducing time spent servicing equipment
 Reducing disposal costs for used oil
 Reducing labor costs for servicing
 Reducing travel time to service remote equipment

An optimization program can also be used to bring service intervals into alignment for
an entire fleet. OMM recommendations for older equipment may have shorter service
intervals. However, oil drains on the older equipment can be extended, to be in
alignment with newer machines.

A well designed oil optimization process will reduce risk and provide a way to monitor
equipment performance in the optimization program. The well designed optimization
program consists of: good leadership, realistic goals, detailed planning, premium Cat
maintenance products, and careful monitoring of results. If these program elements are
executed properly, then risk will be minimized. This document will discuss all these
program elements and provide guidelines for success.

Project Management

Service interval optimizations all require management by the Caterpillar dealer and the
customer. Management of the optimization project requires planning and careful
monitoring of the results. Ideally, there should be a project manager on the dealer side,
and a project manager on the customer side. Caterpillar dealers have the latest
information on optimized service intervals, and they know what equipment is already
qualified for longer oil drains. The dealer manager ensures that the dealership is
providing the needed guidelines, parts, and services for the customer. The customer
manager ensures that the plan is being executed at the job site. The customer
manager should be aware of the risk involved with poor maintenance practices at the
job site. Every effort must be made to perform fluid sampling and maintenance
according to the project plan.

Dealer Project Management

The Caterpillar dealer provides the leadership for optimized service intervals. This
leadership involves planning and executing the optimization plan. Planning is done with
the customer to evaluate their equipment and set reasonable goals. Execution of the
plan involves various groups at the dealership and overseeing the work done at the
jobsite.

In the planning stage, the dealer has a number of resources available to help the
customer establish a reasonable plan. These resources include the following:

 Guidelines for Optimized Service Intervals

 Cat Fluids, Cat Oil Filters, & Cat Air Filters
 S·O·S Services Fluids Analysis
 Equipment Repair History
 Condition Monitoring
 Access to Caterpillar Service Engineers thru the DSN
Proper use of these resources will develop a plan that provides the customer with the
lowest risk. This information may change as new products are developed and as new
services become available.

The dealer project manager is responsible for coordination and communication of the
optimization plan within the dealership. The parts department, the service department,
and the S·O·S Services lab, must be aware that the customer is running optimized
service intervals. It is especially important that the S·O·S Services interpreters are
aware of optimized service intervals. Optimized service intervals will require some
additional work when interpreting samples. Additional emphasis must be placed on
trend analysis to make accurate interpretations.

It is also important for the dealer project manager to oversee the optimization operation
at the jobsite. This involves a review of the oil sample results and a review of the
service work done. If the customer is not following the plan, or if problems arise, the
dealer should work with the customer to correct these issues.

Customer Project Management

The customer project manager should work closely with the dealer project manager to
develop and execute the service interval optimization plan. The customer project
manager provides a point of contact for the dealership. If any of the monitoring tools
indicate a problem, the dealer must be able to contact the customer and discuss the
options.

If the equipment is not covered by a Customer Value Agreement (CVA), then the
customer project manager may be responsible for taking oil samples and for servicing
the equipment. Since oil drains are extended, it is very important that oil sampling and
oil drains are handled on a timely basis.

The customer project manager is also responsible for managing the operation at the
jobsite. If unexpected problems occur, the customer project manager must make sure
that the equipment is properly inspected and or repaired.

Caterpillar Equipment for Optimized Oil Drains

In this document, the term Caterpillar Equipment is used to describe heavy duty engines
and earthmoving machines manufactured by Caterpillar. Engines contain a single
lubricant in the crankcase or lubricated compartment. Earthmoving machines have
several lubricated compartments, and each compartment may have a unique lubricant
requirement. This document will provide guidelines for optimizing oil drains on most
engines and machine lubricated compartments.
Caterpillar Engines

Within the engine category, there are two broad engine types, defined by fuel type.
Caterpillar diesel engines operate on a liquid fuel that is distilled from crude oil.
Caterpillar gas engines operate on gaseous fuel that may come natural gas and various
other sources. Oil drains may be optimized on diesel and gas engines. There will
however be different guidelines for the optimization process.

Caterpillar Machines

Caterpillar earthmoving machines contain multiple lubricated compartments. The

service intervals for all of these lubricated compartments may be optimized. A general
listing of machine compartments is shown below.

 Engine (diesel)
 Transmission (powershift, XE)
 Hydraulic System (implement, steering, hydrostatic drive, hoist/brake)
 Gear (final drives, differentials, axles, manual transmission, transfer case,
gearbox, swing drive, tandem)

Caterpillar machines are powered by a diesel engine. The optimization guidelines in

this document can be applied to diesel engines in machines and to diesel engines in
other applications, such as: generator sets, marine, locomotive, industrial, and
petroleum.

The transmission compartment generally refers to Caterpillar transmissions that contain

gears and wet clutches. Transmission shifting is electronically and or hydraulically
controlled. These transmission compartments are filtered and usually cooled by jacket
water systems.

Caterpillar has released several machines with the XE designation. These machines are
designed with a unique drive train that provides improved fuel efficiency. The term XE
refers to the Extra Efficiency that these machines provide for the customer. The XE
machines achieve these improvements with many different technologies, such as:
electric drive, flywheels, and variable speed transmissions. Even within these
categories, there are different designs. XE drive trains may be optimized. However,
please consult the latest service information for any restrictions on oil drains.

Hydraulic systems on Caterpillar machines are used to perform a number of functions.

The implement, steering, and hydrostatic drive systems are generally pure hydraulic
systems that do not contain wet clutches or wet brakes. Some machines have a
hydraulic system that also cools the wet brakes. All hydraulic systems are filtered and
cooled. Some of the hydraulic systems are cooled by engine jacket water heat
exchangers, and others are cooled by air to oil heat exchangers. All of these hydraulic
systems are candidates for optimized service intervals.

Gear is a very general category that describes lubricated compartments that always
contain some type of gear set. As the list shows, there is a lot of variability in these
gear compartments. Most of the gear compartments are not filtered or cooled.
However, a few of them are filtered and cooled in the larger machines. Some of these
gear compartments contain wet brakes, most notably are the: backhoe loader rear
axles, wheel loader axles, and motor grader tandem drives. Gear compartments
present some challenges for service interval optimization. Some of these
compartments hold a relatively small volume of oil. These small oil volumes can be
overwhelmed by wear metals and contaminants. Gear compartments are also
susceptible to dirt and water contamination. Seal leaks and operation in wet areas often
cause contamination and abnormal wear in gear compartments. If these problems are
present, the oil drain should not be extended.

Equipment Condition

Any piece of equipment considered for optimization should be in good operating

condition. The age of the equipment is not as important as the operating condition.
Many customers have optimized their entire fleet of equipment. These fleets contained
new equipment, older equipment, and equipment that has been overhauled.

For engines, oil consumption is a very important factor. A healthy engine will have
consistent and low oil consumption. Since oil consumption is an important measure of
engine health, it should be measured during the optimization process. An engine near
the end of life will oftentimes show a gradual increase in oil consumption. If the engine
is near the end of life, it should not be part of an optimization program. Wait for the
engine overhaul or replacement, and then start the optimization process. Engines
should also be set up with the latest software. Software enhancements may help
reduce soot levels and improve fuel economy.

Powershift transmissions must operate without slippage and without unusual noises. If
there is concern about the health of the transmission, a thorough inspection should be
completed before optimizing the oil drains.

Hydraulic systems should be leak free before starting an optimization period. Oil
leakage from a hydraulic cylinder can also be a source of dirt entry. The hydraulic
system should operate normally, and there should not be any unusual noises coming
from the pumps or motors. If the hydraulic system includes brake cooling, then the
brakes must be tested for safe operation. If any of these issues are present, the
hydraulic system should not be a candidate for optimized oil drains.

Gear compartments operate with a wide range of wear metal levels in the oil. Older
machines may operate with relatively high levels of Fe in the oil. While newer machines
may operate at relatively low levels of Fe in the oil. A careful study of the historic oil
sample results will reveal the typical normal trends for the gear compartment. Like
hydraulic systems, gear compartments should be leak free. A leak from an axle or final
drive could be a source of dirt or water entry.

Maintenance Requirements

Lubricants

Successful oil drain optimization requires the use of high quality lubricants. Caterpillar
has a full line of high performance lubricants that are specifically designed to meet the
needs of Cat equipment in all types of applications. All Cat fluids are designed for
extended service intervals. Synthetic or synthetic blend Cat fluids provide higher
performance for the longest oil drains. Therefore, Caterpillar fluids should be used to
ensure component protection and guard against fluid degradation.

Cat DEO and Cat DEO-ULS engine oils can be used for extended oil drains. Low
emissions diesel engines in HRC regions must use one of the DEO-ULS oils. There are
several different DEO-ULS oils with different viscosity grades and different base stocks.
For lesser regulated diesel engines in LRC regions, DEO or DEO-ULS may be used for
extended drains. DEO has shown excellent long drain results in LRC engines.

Cat NGEO Advanced 40 and Cat NGEO Ultra 40 should be used for extended oil drains
in gas engines. Better long drain performance will be obtained with NGEO Ultra 40.

For powershift transmissions, Cat TDTO oils or Cat SATO oil is acceptable for extended
oil drains. SATO and TDTO-TMS are multigrade oils. Multigrade oils are especially
useful when the extended oil drain spans significant ambient temperature changes.

Hydraulic systems will primarily use Cat HYDO Advanced for extended oil drains.
Alternatively, Cat TDTO, Cat DEO, or Cat DEO-ULS could be used. If the hydraulic
system contains wet brakes or wet clutches, then a Cat TDTO must be used.

Gear compartments like differentials, final drives, and axles should use Cat FDAO or
Cat TDTO, depending on the compartment type. If the gear compartment contains
friction materials, a TDTO must be used.
Cat Fluids Recommendations guides provide a listing of Caterpillar lubricants, lubricant
application, and lubricant performance. There are four guides published to cover the
range of Cat equipment: Machines (SEBU6250), Commercial Diesel Engines
(SEBU6251), Gaseous Fuel Engines (SEBU6400), and C280 Series / 3600 Series
Diesel Engines (SEBU7003). These guides list the currently available Cat lubricants
and their recommended application. Ambient temperature recommendations are also
provided. Additional resources on Cat lubricants can be found on dealer.cat.com.

Filters

Caterpillar manufactures a full line of oil, fuel, and air filters for Cat equipment. Cat
filters are highly differentiated filters that have been designed and manufactured
specifically for Cat equipment. Cat filters and fluids are designed to work together as a
system to optimize Cat equipment performance and reduce downtime. Most Cat filters
are available in three performance levels: Standard Efficiency, Advanced Efficiency, and
Ultra High Efficiency. The higher efficiency levels provide filters with extra protection
and extra capacity to hold contaminants. For optimized oil drains, the best choice would
be an Advanced or Ultra High Efficiency filters.

Similar to the Fluids Recommendations, there is a Filters Recommendation guide

(SEBU9208). This guide provides general information on design and performance of
Cat oil filters, fuel filters, and air filters. There are other tools available to help select the
correct filter for Cat equipment. These filter selection tools are available on
dealer.cat.com.

Coolants

Cat ELC should be used for diesel engines and machine cooling systems on optimized
oil drain programs. ELC is already a premium or optimized drain fluid with a life of
12,000 hours or 6 years. Gaseous fuel engines must use Cat NGEC (Natural Gas
Engine Coolant). Most gas engines allow NGEC to be used for 24,000 hours or 3
years.

Fuels

The fuel used in an optimization program may influence the life of the lubricant in the
engine. If the fuel contains a high level of corrosive constituents, the byproducts of that
fuel can produce acids in the engine oil. These acids can cause corrosive to internal
engine components. Fuel combustion quality can also influence the life of the oil. A
fuel that does not burn properly may form deposits in the combustion chamber.
Combustion chamber deposits can cause cylinder bore polishing, piston ring wear, and
loss of oil control. Combustion chamber deposits can also build up on valves and lead
to valve guttering.

The type of fuel used in diesel engines is dependent on the engine type and the local
government regulations for diesel fuel. Diesel engines equipped with after-treatment
devices must use a diesel fuel with strict sulfur limitations. If the correct fuel is not used,
there could be problems with the after-treatment system. Local governments also have
regulations regarding fuel chemistry and sulfur content. These government regulations
are in place to reduce diesel exhaust emissions. Therefore, it is very important that
fuels meet the minimum requirements as specified by Caterpillar and the local
government. Fuel specifications for Cat diesel engines are found in the Fluid
Recommendations: SEBU6250, SEBU6251, and SEBU7003. Gaseous fuel engines
have fuel guidelines in SEBU6400 and LEBW4977 (Application and Installation Guide
available from Cat Oil & Gas)

Fluid Sampling & Analysis

Fluid sampling and analysis is an integral part of an oil drain optimization program. Oil
analysis is used to measure the wear rate of the lubricated compartment and to
measure the chemical health of the lubricant. Coolant analysis is used to evaluate the
health of the cooling system and the coolant. Fuel analysis is used to determine if the
fuel meets Cat recommendations.

The Caterpillar S·O·S Services program provides a complete group of tests to evaluate
lubricating oil, heavy duty coolant, and diesel fuels. A listing of the S·O·S Services tests
can be found in the brochure “Listen to the Lifeblood of Your Machine” PEDJ0338. This
document provides a brief description of each fluid analysis program and the tests
associated with each fluid type.

S·O·S Services does not provide testing of gaseous fuels. Contact the gas engine
customer service representative to locate laboratories that provide gaseous fuel testing.

Interpretation of the fluid sample results is also critical to the success of the optimization
program. S·O·S Services provides comprehensive training for fluid analysis
interpreters. This interpretation training involves both on-line training and classroom
training. For optimized oil drain projects, understanding trends is very important.
Therefore, training in Trend Analysis and oil drain optimization is part of the curriculum.

Before an optimization project is started, it is advisable to obtain baseline analysis of the

fuel, coolant, and lubricants. For diesel engines, an analysis of the fuel should be
available from the fuel supplier. If the fuel supplier cannot provide the analysis, a fuel
sample should be sent to an S·O·S Services lab for a Fuel Monitoring analysis. A Level
2 Coolant sample should also be analyzed by an S·O·S Services lab for each piece of
equipment under test. Baseline samples of the lubricant should be taken to establish
the new oil values for Oxidation and Viscosity. These two parameters are important
measures of oil health, and each oil formulation has a unique starting value.

Sampling Intervals and Service Intervals

The frequency and accuracy of fluid sampling is also important. Fuel analysis reports
should be obtained anytime the fuel supplier is changed. Coolant Level 2 analysis
should be done annually. Oil sampling is based on the oil hours and the optimization
sampling schedule for the compartment. The oil drain process sections of this
document will outline specific oil sampling intervals. In any case, oil sampling should be
done within 10% of the specified time.

Special attention should be given to the service meter reading and the fluid hours on
each oil sample. During oil drain optimization, sample results are plotted to evaluate
trends. These trends are used to evaluate current oil condition and to estimate oil life.
Incorrect fluid hours will cause errors in the trend analysis. If there are errors in the fluid
hours, service meter hours can be used to calculate the fluid hours.

Likewise, service work should be done within 10% of the specified time. Careful
attention to service work keeps the equipment in the best possible condition and lowers
risk.

Operating Conditions

The environment that equipment operates in may influence the life of the lubricants.
The environmental conditions that should be considered are: ambient temperature,
altitude, air quality, and job sites. The Operation and Maintenance Manual will usually
list the conditions that are considered severe for Cat equipment. If severe conditions
are listed, there will be special guidelines for operation under these conditions. The
presence of severe conditions does not eliminate the opportunity for extending the oil
drain. However, they do require special attention to detail and may require additional oil
sampling at the beginning of the extensions.

Ambient Temperature
Extremely high or extremely low temperatures may cause concerns for extended oil
drains. Higher than normal oil temperature may cause the oil oxidation rate to increase.
If a lubricated compartment is operating within normal temperatures, the oxidation rate
is very slow and controlled. However, if the cooling system cannot sufficiently control oil
temperatures, then the oxidation rate may increase. Also, if a non-cooled compartment
is operating in a high temperature environment, there could be an increase in oxidation
rate. These increases in oxidation rate will be evident in the oil sample results. Careful
analysis of the oxidation results and the viscosity results should be done to ensure that
guidelines are not exceeded.

Equipment operation in low ambient temperatures does not necessarily harm the
lubricants. However, there are some problems that often arise when equipment is
operated in cold or arctic climates. First, the equipment should be filled with the correct
lubricant for low temperature startup. Caterpillar has a full line of multi-grade lubricants
that are designed for low temperature startup. These lubricants provide an oil film to
critical locations when temperatures are low. They are also designed to operate at
normal oil temperatures and provide full protection. If these low temperature lubricants
are not utilized there could problems with oil starvation, and lube system failure.

Secondly, the engine must be kept at normal operating temperature when running in
cold climates. If the engine is idled for long periods of time in cold temperatures, there
may not be enough heat generated, and water could form on internal components. This
water could combine with chemicals in the oil to form acids. These acids will degrade
the oil and shorten oil life. The results for oxidation and viscosity should be used to
monitor the formation of these acids. Therefore, in cold climates, it is very important to
maintain normal operating temperatures. Excessive idling of the engine should be
avoided. The cooling system should be maintained to keep temperatures at normal
levels.

Altitude

High altitude operation may be a problem for engines. The other lubricated
compartments are not affected by altitude. The Operation and Maintenance Manual
usually defines the altitude limitations for engines. If an engine operates above this
altitude, there is not enough oxygen in the air for complete combustion. This may cause
the engine to run slightly hotter and it may cause increased soot in the oil. The oil drain
may still be extended. However, the oxidation, Fe, and soot results should be closely
monitored.

Air Quality
In some OMMs, there is a reference to operation in dusty or dirty air conditions. This
appears to be out of place, since Cat machines are generally involved in dirt moving
operations. However, this caution is for severe air conditions that could quickly plug an
air filter. A plugged air filter will increase soot levels and the soot will increase Fe levels
in the oil. Prolonged operation with a plugged air filter will certainly increase wear rates.
This is obviously not a good situation for an extended oil drain. Efforts should be made
to control dust at the jobsite if there is a dust problem. Also, more frequent air filter
maintenance may be required to maintain proper engine operating conditions.

Another issue with air quality is found on landfill sites or in waste processing buildings.
The air directly above a landfill and the air inside a waste processing building may
contain gasses that are harmful to diesel engines. The air in these locations oftentimes
contains siloxane gas. Siloxane gas is not abrasive to engine components. However, it
does produce a particulate in the diesel engine exhaust. The particulate from siloxane
gas can form deposits on: exhaust valves, turbochargers, and diesel particulate filters.
Siloxane gas will also increase the Si level in the used engine oil. This form of Si in the
oil is not abrasive, but it does interfere with the ability to identify dirt in the oil. Oil drains
can still be extended with siloxane gas in the air. However, siloxane gas presents
unique problems for oil interpretation. The customer and the dealer should be aware of
these issues and know what to expect.
Extending and Monitoring the Oil Drains

Equipment Selection

If a customer has approached you about oil drain optimization, you probably have a list
of equipment that the customer wants to optimize. In this case, review the extended oil
drain options with the customer, and select the best oil drains for their operation. You
may also want to review the Cat fluids that they are using and determine if they are the
best fluids for the optimization program.

Another option is to analyze your customer database and look for opportunities to
optimize oil drains. A customer that is already using Cat fluids and filters would be an
excellent candidate for optimized oil drains. Also, a customer that is sampling on a
regular basis and has good maintenance practices would be a good candidate.
Optimizing oil drains for these customers will lower their maintenance costs and thereby
increase the value of their Cat equipment.

Many new Cat models are already approved for extended oil drains. The OMM
Maintenance Interval section will list the extended oil drains. If your customer owns one
of these machines, there is no testing or evaluation period required. The OMM
extended oil drains may be used as recommended. SOS Services will provide Wear
Tables at the extended oil drains. Therefore, the interpretation process will not change.

Selection of Oil Drain Intervals

The chart below shows oil drains that have been safely utilized by Cat extended drain
programs. Also, Cat customers on extended oil drains have successfully used oil drains
listed in this chart. These oil drains should be used when discussing an extended oil
drain program with your customers. In most cases, these oil drains will be two to three
times longer than their current oil drain.

Lubricated Compartment Safe Oil Drain - hours

Diesel Engines 1000
Powershift Transmissions 2000
Hydraulic & Steering Systems 6000
Hoist / Brake Hydraulic Systems 4000
Differentials & Final Drives 3000
Table 1
Oil drains may be extended beyond the values shown in the chart. If you are extending
engine oil drains beyond 1000 hours, extend in 250 hour increments. For example, if
the results look good at 1000 hour oil drains, set 1250 hours as the next oil drain target.
Run at least three oil drains out to 1250 hours and evaluate the results.
For all other lubricated compartments, use a 500 hour increment. For example, on
Powershift Transmissions, set the target oil drain at 2500 hours. Run at least three oil
drains at 2500 hours and evaluate the results.

Oil Sampling Intervals

In the past, oil drain optimization programs recommended frequent oil sampling at short
intervals of 50 to 100 hours. Current testing has shown that these short sampling
intervals are not needed. Oil degradation is slow and gradual under normal operating
conditions. Therefore, sampling intervals can follow standard guidelines published by
SOS Services and the Product Groups. For engines, a 250 hour sampling interval is
sufficient. For all other lubricated compartments, a 500 hour sampling period is
sufficient.

Critical Parameters

During an oil drain extension program, there are certain test results that should be
closely monitored and plotted. Of course, all the test results should be evaluated;
however, the critical results are important to an extended oil drain program. Additional
test results can be added to this list, if needed. These are considered the minimum for
a safe extension program.

Critical Parameters Oxidation Viscosity Fe Soot Pb Cu Si

Diesel Engines X X X X X
Gas Engines X X X X X
Powershift Transmissions X X X X X
Hydraulic & Steering Systems X X X X X
Hoist - Brake Hydraulic Systems X X X X X
Differentials & Final Drives X X X X X
Table 2

The guidelines for these critical parameters are published by SOS Services in the
Interpretation Training material. A review of those guidelines follows.

Oxidation – Oxidation will increase slowly during an extended oil drain. The Oxidation
Yellow Alert guideline is an increase of 10 UFM over the new oil Oxidation value. The
Oxidation Red Alert guideline is an increase of 20 UFM over the new oil Oxidation
value. Using the safe oil drains listed in the chart, will usually keep Oxidation below a
10 UFM increase.
Viscosity – Viscosity will usually increase during an extended oil drain. Oxidation and
soot will cause viscosity increases. A +/- 2 cSt change in viscosity is the Yellow Alert
guideline. A +/- 3 cSt change in viscosity is the Red Alert guideline. Using the safe oil
drains listed in the chart, viscosity will rarely increase more than 2 cSt.

Diesel engines may show a viscosity decrease if the oil is diluted with diesel fuel.
Significant fuel dilution problems must be repaired before they lead to a major loss of oil
viscosity. Engines with small manageable amount of fuel dilution may run on extended
oil drains. Use the SOS Services fuel dilution guidelines to determine if the fuel dilution
is at a level that requires repair.

Soot – Soot guidelines are shown in the chart below. These are the latest

S·O·S Services Soot Guidelines for Caterpillar Diesel Engines

Oil Classification
Product Group Engines CH-4 CI-4 & CK-4
Yellow Red Yellow Red
LPSD C27 to C175 60 100
IPSD-L & LPSD C7 to C32 (HEUI)* 60 60
IPSD-Large C9.3 to C18 100 140 160 200
IPSD-Medium C2.8 to C7.1 100 140 100 140
* Applies to all engines with HEUI fuel systems
Table 3

Fe, Pb, Cu, Si – Wear metal guidelines are published in the Cat Wear Tables. For
equipment with extended oil drains in the OMM, there will be Wear Tables available at
the extended oil drains. For equipment with standard oil drains in the OMM, the
standard wear tables can be used to evaluate the historic results.

Experience has shown that wear metals increase in a slow linear trend. The trends
established at the standard oil drain will transfer to the extended oil drains. Therefore,
Wear Tables are not needed to extend oil drains. This document will show several
examples of oil drain extensions without Wear Tables.

Extending Oil Drains

This part of the document will demonstrate the process of extending oil drains on
engines and powershift transmissions. The actual extension process will be divided into
four phases as listed below. Engine oil drains will be the first compartment
demonstrated.

 Phase 1: Select a target oil drain, and determine compartment health

  Phase 2: Develop wear metal guidelines
 Phase 3: Extend oil drains and monitor
 Phase 4: Evaluate results and make recommendations to the customer

Extending Engine Oil Drains

Phase 1: Select a target oil drain, and determine the current health of the engines

In this example, a customer would like to extend engine oil drains on a fleet of three
992Ks. The customer has been operating these machines at 500 hour engine oil
drains, and intermediate oil samples are taken at 250 oil hours. Table 1 recommends a
1000 hour oil drain for the engines. This 1000 hour oil drain will be the target for this
example. Table 2 recommends 5 critical parameters for close evaluation: Oxidation,
Viscosity, Soot, Fe, and Pb.

To begin, the historic results for the 5 critical parameters should be plotted and
compared to SOS Services guidelines. For this example, the following Wear Table will
be used.
992K Engine - 500 hours
No Action Monitor
Element
Required Compartment
Cu 7 9
Fe 19 23
Cr 2 4
Al 2 4
Pb 2 4
Si 7 9
Sn 2 4

The plot below shows Fe verses oil hours. The green line is the No Action Required
value from the 500 hour Wear Table. The red line is the Action Required value from the
Wear Table. None of the Fe results exceed the Wear Table guidelines.
The plot below shows Pb verses oil hours. The green line is the No Action Required
value from the 500 hour Wear Table. The red line is the Action Required value from the
Wear Table. A few of the samples are in the Monitor Compartment range. Since the
Pb values are very low, a few samples in the Monitor Compartment range do not
indicate a problem.

Oxidation verses oil hours is shown below. Starting Oxidation for this oil is
approximately 14. An Oxidation increase of 10 is shown by the green line, and an
increase of 20 is shown by the red line. The Oxidation results from these three engines
are well below the two Oxidation alerts.
Viscosity verses oil hours is plotted below. New oil viscosity for this oil is 13.8 cSt at
100 degrees Centigrade. For viscosity, there are upper and lower guidelines. The No
Action Required guideline is +/- 2 cSt from new oil. Action Required is +/- 3 cSt from
new oil. The results from these three engines are trending lower. These lower viscosity
results are probably caused by a small amount of fuel dilution. Two samples are at the
Action Required guideline. Further analysis of the data showed that these two low
viscosity results were not part of a decreasing viscosity trend. Subsequent oil drains did
not repeat the low viscosity results.
Finally, a plot of Soot verses oil hours was created, and it is shown below. The engine
in a 992K is a C27. The 100 UFM Soot guideline for the C27 engine is in Table 3. Soot
results are well below the guideline value.

These five plots were created to review the historic oil sample results for the three 992K
engines. Comparisons were made to SOS Services guidelines. These comparisons
verified that these engines were running normally and capable of an oil drain extension.
There was some concern about low viscosity and possible fuel dilution. Since viscosity
is one of the critical parameters, it will be monitored closely as the oil drains are
extended. This early work could have been done without creating scatter plots.
However, these scatter plots will also be used to monitor the progress of these engines
as the oil drains are extended.

Phase 2: Develop wear metal guidelines.

A typical dilemma when extending oil drains is the availability of Wear Tables. Most
older Cat machine engines have 250 hour and 500 hour Wear Tables in the SOS
Services database. These Wear Tables were developed to coincide with the oil drain
recommendations in the OMM. As oil drains are extended beyond 500 oil hours, there
is a need to create reasonable wear metal guidelines.

To create these guidelines, use the scatter plots from Phase 1. First, create a linear
regression line from the historic results. Extrapolate that regression line to 1000 oil
hours. Engine testing on a number of different Cat engine platforms has shown that
wear metals increase in a slow linear trend, as oil drains are extended.
The two plots below show Fe and Pb with linear trend lines. The trend lines have been
extended forward to 1000 oil hours. As the oil drains are extended, the Fe and Pb
trends will generally follow this extended trend line.

After the trend lines are created, the next step is to create a rectangle around the data.
The rectangle will indicate typical data scatter. As the oil drain is extended, a similar
amount of data scatter should occur. Position the rectangle on the same slope as the
regression line.

In the plots below, the data scatter rectangles have been created and positioned with
the regression line. As the oil drain is extended, there may be small changes in the
slope of the regression line. The data scatter rectangle should be repositioned to follow
the slope of the regression line. However, the data scatter rectangle should not be
resized.

Phase 3: Extend oil drains and monitor

The customer is now ready to extend oil drains and monitor the oil sample results for
any abnormalities. The target oil drain is 1000 oil hours. And oil sampling is
recommended at 250 hour intervals. In the plots below, the results are shown for the
extended oil drains. The data shown in these plots represents 26 engine oil drains at
1000 oil hours, from three 992Ks. Each individual extended oil drain will not be
discussed. However, any unusual results, that did not follow trend will be evaluated.

The Fe results followed a linear trend. The data generally stayed within the scatter
rectangle that was established at 500 oil hours. There were a few Fe results that
exceeded the rectangle by about 3 ppm. These were random occurrences.

Pb also produced a linear trend with data that stayed within the scatter rectangle.
Similar to the Fe results, there were a few Pb results that exceeded the scatter
rectangle by a small amount. There was one Pb result of 11 ppm that was significantly
higher than the population. This was a random Pb result that did not repeat. On the
very next oil drain, the Pb was 3 ppm at 1000 oil hours.

The linear Oxidation trend showed very little data scatter. The regression line showed
an increase of about 7 UFM in 1000 oil hours. This is a very safe amount of Oxidation
increase. The Yellow Alert for Oxidation starts at an increase of 10 UFM. At this rate of
Oxidation, these engines would reach a 10 UFM increase at about 1600 oil hours.
Soot results were also linear with a small amount of data scatter. The guideline for soot
is 100 UFM guideline. These engines were very safe from any soot related issues.

Viscosity showed a slow decrease over time. In Phase 1, there was some concern
about low viscosity and possible fuel dilution. Two of the engines did experience a few
low viscosity results during this series of extended oil drains. These were isolated
events with low viscosity. Subsequent oil drains showed viscosity results well above 11
cSt.

Phase 4: Evaluate results and make recommendations to the customer

A careful review of the critical parameters showed slow linear trends for wear metals
and oil condition. There were a few samples that needed further investigation. These
investigations showed that the samples in question were outliers. These outliers did not
represent a problem with the engines and the results did not repeat in subsequent oil
drains.
Therefore, the oil sample results were acceptable on multiple oil drains of 1000 hours.
Trends were linear and repeatable over several oil drains on each engine. The
customer should be advised to continue with 1000 hour engine oil drains. Optionally,
the customer could consider a further extension to 1500 oil hours. The Oxidation trend
at 1000 oil hours indicates that Oxidation levels would be acceptable. If the customer
chooses to evaluate a longer engine oil drain, the target oil drain should be set at 1250
hours. If the samples are acceptable at 1250 oil hours, the target may be moved out to
1500 oil hours.
Extending Powershift Transmission Oil Drains

Phase 1: Select a target oil drain, and determine the current health of the transmissions
The process for extending powershift transmission oil drains is the same as extending
engine oil drains. In this second example, a customer would like to extend powershift
transmission oil drains on a fleet of three 777Gs. The customer has been operating
these machines at 1000 hour transmission oil drains, and intermediate oil samples are
taken at 500 oil hours. Table 1 recommends a 2000 hour oil drain for powershift
transmissions. This 2000 hour oil drain will be the target for this example. Table 2
recommends 5 critical parameters for close evaluation: Oxidation, Viscosity, Fe, Cu,
and Si.
To begin, the historic results for the 5 critical parameters should be plotted and
compared to SOS Services guidelines. For this example, the following Wear Table will
be used.
777G Powershift Transmission - 1000 hours
No Action Monitor
Element
Required Compartment
Cu 27 37
Fe 12 15
Cr 2 4
Al 2 4
Pb 2 4
Si 6 8
Sn 2 4

The historic results for Fe, Cu, and Si are plotted below. The green line is the No Action
Required value from the 500 hour Wear Table. The red line is the Action Required
value from the Wear Table. The majority of the wear metal results are in the normal
range, below the green line. There are a few results in the monitor compartment range,
between the two lines. None of the historic results are in the action required range.
These results do not indicate abnormal wear for these transmissions.
The historic Oxidation results are well within the guidelines at 1000 oil hours. Starting
Oxidation for this oil is approximately 7. An Oxidation increase of 10 is shown by the
green line, and an increase of 20 is shown by the red line.

Viscosity verses oil hours is plotted below. New oil viscosity for this oil is 10.5 cSt at
100 degrees Centigrade. For viscosity, there are upper and lower guidelines. The No
Action Required guideline is +/- 2 cSt from new oil. Action Required is +/- 3 cSt from
new oil. All of the historic viscosity results are within the guidelines.
These five plots were created to review the historic oil sample results for the three 777G
powershift transmissions. Comparisons were made to SOS Services guidelines. These
comparisons verified that these transmissions were running normally and capable of an
oil drain extension.

Phase 2: Develop wear metal guidelines.

The next three plots show the regression line and the scatter rectangles. The
regression line has been extrapolated to 2000 oil hours. The data scatter rectangles
have been created and positioned with the regression line. As the oil drain is extended,
the oil sample results should remain within these rectangles.
Phase 3: Extend oil drains and monitor
The customer is now ready to extend the oil drains and monitor the results. The next
five plots show the results from 7 transmission oil drains at 2000 oil hours.
Fe and Cu wear metals showed a slow linear increase over the 2000 hour oil drain. Si
showed almost no increase. Two of the results for Fe and one result for Cu were
slightly outside of the scatter rectangles. Oxidation and Viscosity had very slight
increases during the 2000 hour drain.

Phase 4: Evaluate results and make recommendations to the customer

A careful review of the critical parameters showed slow linear trends. There were two
Fe samples and one Cu sample that needed further investigation. Their results were
slightly higher than the scatter rectangle. Investigations showed that the samples in
question were outliers. These outliers did not represent a problem with the
transmissions and the results did not repeat in subsequent oil drains.
Therefore, the oil sample results were acceptable on multiple oil drains of 2000 hours.
Trends were linear and repeatable over several oil drains on each transmission. The
customer should be advised to continue with 2000 hour transmission oil drains.
Optionally, the customer could consider a further extension to 3000 oil hours. The small
increases in Oxidation and Viscosity show that oil degradation was minimal. If the
customer chooses to evaluate a 3000 hour powershift transmission oil drain, the target
oil drain should be set at 2500 hours. If the oil sample results are acceptable at 2500
hours, set the next target drain at 3000 oil hours.
Extending Hydraulic System Oil Drains
The process for extending hydraulic system oil drains is the same process as shown in
previous examples for engines and powershift transmissions. This discussion will cover
both “pure” hydraulic systems and hoist-brake hydraulic systems. Consult the machine
OMM to determine what type of hydraulic system or systems are on a Cat machine.
A pure hydraulic system does not contain clutches or wet brakes. These systems can
safely extend oil drains to 6000 hours. Pure hydraulic systems can extend oil drains on
a wide variety of lubricants. Cat HYDO Advanced is usually the first choice. However,
pure hydraulic system oil drains can be extended with Cat TDTO oils or with Cat DEO
oils.
A hoist-brake hydraulic system is very common on Cat off-highway trucks. This system
uses the body hoist hydraulic system to cool the brake friction material. These systems
can safely extend to 4000 hours. In hoist-brake hydraulic systems, the lubricant must
be a Cat TDTO. TDTO is formulated to provide the proper friction characteristics for
wet clutches and wet brake friction material.

Extending Differential and Final Drive Oil Drains

The process for extending differential and final drive oil drains is the same process as
shown in previous examples for engines and powershift transmissions. This discussion
will cover two major differences in these geared compartments. The OMM may contain
the information necessary to identify these differences, or you may need to contact the
DSN for clarification.
Like hydraulic systems, some differentials and final drives are “pure” geared
compartments. A pure geared compartment does not contain any brake or clutch
friction materials. The primary components in these compartments are gears and
bearings. Typical pure geared compartments are: track-type-tractor final drives, off-
highway truck rear axles, and excavator final drives. Track-type-tractor final drives and
off-highway truck rear axles typically use an FDAO oil. Excavator final drives typically
use a TDTO oil. Either oil will be acceptable for extended oil drains.
There are a few machines that use gear oil in axles or final drives. Wheel tractor
scrapers and telehandlers use gear oil in the differentials and final drives. Use Cat GO
for extended oil drains.
Some geared compartments contain friction materials. Axles may contain brake
material that is cooled and lubricated by the axle oil. Drop boxes may contain wet
clutches. Typical machines with friction material in gear compartments are: wheel
loaders, articulated trucks, and backhoe loaders. These gear compartments must use a
TDTO oil for standard and extended oil drains. TDTO is formulated to provide the
proper friction characteristics for wet clutches and wet brake friction material.
All of these various gear compartments can safely extend oil drains to 3000 hours. With
many of these gear compartments, contamination may end the oil drain. Therefore,
closely monitor the oil test results for signs of dirt entry.

Extending Gas Engine Oil Drains

The process for extending gas engine oil drains is the same process as shown in
previous example for diesel engines. With gas engines soot will not be present in the
used oil samples. Therefore, soot is not one of the critical parameters for a gas engine
oil drain extension. Si is used in place of soot as a critical parameter. Elevated Si may
be caused by dirt contamination or by siloxane gas in the fuel. Engines operating on
landfill gas may experience high levels of siloxane gas in the fuel. Siloxane gas is not
abrasive. However, it does show up as elevated Si in the used oil samples. The gas
engine product group prefers to keep Si (from siloxane) levels below 125 ppm.

Summary

The guidelines in this document provide a safe process for extending oil drains on Cat
equipment. Under normal operating conditions, changes in oil condition occur very
slowly. There should be little concern about sudden oil failures or component failures
caused by an extended oil drain. Oil sampling at the intervals in this document will
provide adequate warning of oil related problems.

Experience has shown that current production Cat equipment and older Cat equipment
can operate at extended oil drains. The historic oil sample results will determine if a
lubricated compartment can be extended.

For best results, Cat oil and Cat oil filters should be used in an extended oil drain
program. Cat maintenance products provide the highest performance and the lowest
risk when extending oil drains.

Pay special attention to the critical parameters when extending an oil drain. However,
do not forget about the other oil sample results. Remember that most oil related
problems occur because of contamination. The oil does not fail; instead, the oil is
contaminated, and the contaminants cause a failure.

Wear will be slow and linear during an oil drain extension. Therefore, oil drains can be
extended without wear tables. A data scatter rectangle can be constructed around the
historic wear metal results. This scatter rectangle will provide guidance for future oil
samples, at extended hours.
Finally, the extended oil drains in Table 1 are very safe. Those extended oil drains have
been successfully used by a number of customers. Further extensions beyond what is
shown in Table 1 are possible. Always allow the oil sample results to determine the
next target oil drain. If another oil drain extension is desired, use the same process that
was outlined for the first extension. The most important parameters are Oxidation and
Viscosity. Wear metals that increase in a slow gradual trend are not a problem.

David Nycz
SOS Services
Global Services Division

PEXQ1233-00