| Author | Message | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
DIESEL SEMINAR LESSON: As per instructor John Green, Senior Technical Advisor, Service Training Manager, Caterpillar Engines. These facts are meant to apply to ANY diesel engine. While I suspect many of you will wish to question/argue these points, I suggest just taking them for whatever value you find in them. NOT in any particular order. Typical engine fuel injectors operate at 23,000PSI. Average of about 100,000 gallons fuel consumption to be needing a rebuild. Should analyze engine oil every time oil is changed. Can get prepaid kits from Cat for $20 each. Always ask to have TBN tested. TBN is Total Base Number. TBN is related to the amount of sulfur level which is residual from fuel. If we use low sulfur fuel (0.5% or less) the minimum TBN is 6.0. If we use high sulfur fuel (1.0% or more), minimum TBN is 9.0. Iron ppm is 1000 with 1% sulfur but only 100 with 0.2% sulfur. Use minimum SJ class oil. (NOT FOR DETROIT!!) ECF-1 is current oil classification to use as minimum. Use synthetic oil for better wear. Synthetic oil does not extend change time however. Can NOT use multiweight oil in transmission. Motor oil cools, supports, protects, cleans. Buy and install a pre-lube system. Aftermarket available from about $150. Coats engine with oil prior to starting. Don’t start/run engine unless you are going to put a load on it as oil temperature does not get hot enough to burn off water (from condensation). Minimum Jacket Water Temperature should be 175 degrees and minimum oil temperature should be 205 degrees. Buy and install a block heater. Typical cooling system is 3% to 6% SCA (supplemental cooling additive). It should never be more than 8%. Balance should be 50% DISTILLED water and 50% antifreeze. Replace thermostat often – not more than every two years. Can NOT run diesels without thermostat. There are 19 combustion cycles per second in the engine @ 75% load. If SCA is low, there will be cavitation in the cooling system. Caterpillar makes a product which is compatible with ALL manufacturers. It is called E.L.C. and stands for Extended Life Conditioner. It is meant to be added to your radiator. DAILY system checks: cooling system level, engine air cleaner, engine oil level, fuel system primary water drain. Every engine burns oil. The formula to determine what YOUR engine will burn is HP x LOAD FACTOR x BSOC (Brake Specific Oil Consumption – get from your engine manufacturer) divided by 7.5 (weight of gallon of oil). Multiply this number times number of operating hours. Turbo engines are about 40% efficient, NA’s are about 25%. Operating in colder water is best. Exhaust restriction should be less than 40”h2O. Maximum permitted exhaust temperature is 1100 degrees. Turbo’s do not fail by themselves - - The four major causes of turbo failure (in order) are: 1. Lack of lubricant, 2. Contaminated lubricant, 3. Foreign objects, 4. Exceeding maximum temperature. Information Stolen from another board, FAST FRED | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Thanx, FF. Great information for longevity and who knows what more?? Appreciate the Xtra effort on your part.  RCB | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Thanx, FF. Great information for longevity and who knows what more?? Appreciate the Xtra effort on your part. RCB | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Double thanx,........I guess ...?????? RCB | ||
| Jackhammer343 Rating: N/A |
Good Stuff FF | ||
| Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A |
Wow, FF. Good info. This should put to rest forever the neighsayers that claim "idling does not hurt diesels". Oh, nevermind, the people that make these claims put more stock in Joe the Truckdriver that idled his rig for decades than they put in the people that design, build, and repair the diesels. Thanks, sir! BB | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Rating: N/A |
Thank you, as always, Good Sir. | ||
| John Jewett (Jayjay)
Rating: N/A |
Just drop one zero from injector PSI and it will be correct. 2,300 not 23,000. I don't care how many times you go back and proof-read your posts...'yer gonna' miss one sooner or later. 23K gave me a chuckle though. ...JJ | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
The newest diesels indeed use 20,000 to 30,000 psi on the fuel rail, and inject the fuel 3 times during one firing stroke. First gets the fire lit , with lean mix that doesn't knock, second is fuel for power , third helps clean up exhaust. Would not like to own one of these in a boat where it may be the only lightning attractor for 30 miles . But in a coach the QUIET and 10% -15% claimed extra fuel milage might be worth the risk. FAST FRED | ||
| jimmci9 #2 Rating: N/A |
ff is correct.... the 3500 series electronic cat diesels use 30-40,000 psi injection pressures... really atomizes fuel...and use 2 micron filtration... |