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3RC G3516 GAS ENGINE Operation & Maintenance

Media Number SEBU635502 Publication Date 1993/03/01 Update Date 1997/06/27

Top End and Overhaul

You must read and understand the warnings and instructions contained in the Safety section of this manual before
performing any operation or maintenance procedures.

Top End involves removal, inspection and rework (rebuild or exchange) of the cylinder head components. This maintenance
interval is dependent on loadsensitive items.

This section contains information about estimating overhaul intervals. Three methods are discussed:

1. Selecting predetermined intervals from a chart.

2. Calculating top end and overhaul intervals using fuel consumption rates.

3. Top End Overhaul determined by exhaust valve stem projection measurement.

The first and second methods should be used only when monthly monitoring of exhaust valve stem wear, crankcase
blowby, and S·O·S results have not been recorded.

The interval in the Top End and Overhaul chart gives Caterpillar's recommendation for doing a Top End and Overhaul.

Refer to the Service Manual for disassembly and assembly procedures to perform the required maintenance as shown in the
Maintenance Schedule. Contact your Caterpillar dealer for assistance.

Top End and Overhaul Chart

The chart can be used to estimate the Top End and Overhaul intervals. Use it only if fuel consumption information is not
available for your engine. The chart applies only for engines operating on dry natural gas with a low heat value (LHV) of
33.72 kJ/L (905 Btu/cu ft).

Use the following steps to select the top end or overhaul interval.

1. Find your engine model in the "Model" column.

2. Find the estimated output in the "Estimated Output" column.

3. Select the top end and/or overhaul interval (clock hours or fuel volume consumed or megawatt hours produced) from the
appropriate column.

Volume of fuel consumed and megawatt hours produced are also listed for top end and overhaul. Megawatt hours produced is
often easier to keep records on then millions of cubic meters (cubic feet) of fuel consumed. If this is the case, use megawatt
hours produced as the top end or overhaul indicator.

NOTE: Multiply cubic feet by 0.283 to obtain cubic meters.

G3500 Gas Engine Top End and Overhaul Intervals for Dry Natural Gas [LHV 33.72 kJ/L (905 Btu/ft3)]

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Calculating Top End and Overhaul Intervals Using Fuel Consumption

The "cubic meters (cubic feet)" value is the most important criteria for determining when a Top End or Overhaul should be
performed because it compensates for application and engine loads. Use the following formula to estimate the Top End or
Overhaul clock hour interval if records have not been kept on the total cubic meters (cubic feet) of fuel consumed. Also, use
it for estimating intervals for new engines.

*
Overhaul interval (hours) = "cubic meters (cubic feet)" (from the chart) / cubic meters/hour (cubic ft/hour) ( ).

*
Use actual fuel records if available. If the actual cubic meters (cubic feet) per hour is not available, use the following steps to estimate the fuel consumption rate.

· Estimate the percent load of the rated engine or generator set output.
· Refer to the specification sheet to determine the cubic meters/hour (cubic ft/hour) for the estimated percent load. Use this
value in the overhaul interval formula.

NOTE: For engines operating at less than 50% load, use the 50% load fuel consumption rate to determine the top end or
overhaul hour interval.

Adjusting Chart for Fuels With Different Low Heat Value (LHV)

The interval and fuel consumption (cubic meter [cubic feet]) listed on the chart applies only for engines operating on
preferred fuels as defined in the Gas Specification Section of this manual. The consumption volume listed was established
for dry natural gas with a low heat value of 33.72 kJ/L (905 Btu/cu ft).

If your engine is operating on another preferred fuel with a different low heat value (LHV), the total volume of fuel
consumed must be adjusted for both the Top End and Overhaul using the following procedure:

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· Select the fuel consumption value (cubic meters [cubic feet]) from the Top End or Overhaul columns of the chart.
Example: G3516 TA overhaul occurs at a fuel consumption of 64.7 million cubic meters (228.7 million cubic feet).

· Calculate the adjustment factor by dividing 33.72 kJ/L (905 Btu/cu ft) by the low heat value of the gas being used.
Example: 905 Btu/cu ft / 750 Btu/cu ft = 1.2.

· Adjust the fuel consumption value (cubic meters [cubic feet]) by multiplying it by the adjustment factor.
Example: 228.7 million cubic feet x 1.2 = 274.44 million cubic feet.

· Use this adjusted fuel consumption for your overhaul interval formula.
If your engine is operating on a fuel other than a preferred fuel, contact your Caterpillar dealer for assistance. He can help
determine the effect of the fuel on engine life.

Top End Determined by Measure of Exhaust Valve Wear

Monitoring exhaust valve wear by measuring valve stem projection and crankcase blowby can help determine when a Top
End Overhaul is required.

Base line exhaust valve projection measurements should have been recorded at initial startup of the engine. The valve take
up should then have been monitored and recorded at the Every Two Months or 1500 Hours interval to keep a record of the
valve wear over time.

The measurement of each valve stem projection and recording the adjustment will help to determine when the cylinder heads
need Top End overhaul maintenance.

The Top End cylinder head maintenance should have been scheduled when the valve adjustment takeup total was 1.78 mm
(.070 inch). The Top End maintenance work should be completed before allowing the total measurement to reach 2.9 mm
(0.090 inch).

Refer to the Exhaust Valve Data Sheet in this manual for the form to record valve stem wear, crankcase blowby and cylinder
pressure.

Refer to the Service Manual or your Caterpillar dealer for more information on this procedure.

Copyright 1991, 2013 Caterpillar Inc.

All Rights Reserved.

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