Caterpillar does not recommend the names of other commercial brands of lube oils. Caterpillar has established the following guidelines for the Field Performance Evaluation of lube oil in 3600 and C280 Series diesel engines.
Note: These Field Performance Evaluation guidelines provide a way for oil companies to "self certify" oil for use in Cat 3600 and C280 Series diesel engines.
Note: These guidelines are applicable to engines that use distillate fuel, heavy fuel oil, crude fuel oils, or biodiesel.
Note: Approximately 50 percent of engine problems are related to the cooling system. Follow the recommended maintenance practices.
Operating Conditions for the Field Performance Evaluation
Duration - The minimum number of operating hours for a single engine installation is 7000 hours. The minimum for one engine at an installation with multiple engines is also 7000 hours.
Load Factor - The load factor must be representative of the normal engine application at the site. High load factors are preferred.
Lube Oil - The candidate oil must be selected by the oil company.
The Cat Micro-Oxidation Test is recommended as a pre-screening method to qualify oils for Field Performance Evaluation.
Note: Passing the Cat Micro-Oxidation Test does NOT guarantee passing the Field Performance Evaluation, but oils that do not pass the Cat Micro-Oxidation Test will likely fail the Field Performance Evaluation.
Oil Analysis - Caterpillar recommends the S·O·S Services oil analysis program. Alternate oil analysis programs must measure oil condition and wear metals. Used oil samples must be obtained for analysis at 250 hour intervals.
Oil Change Interval - The oil change interval is determined by condemning limits that are established by Caterpillar. The limits are based on analysis of the used oil and the trend lines that are established. Generally, the service life of lube oil for engines that use distillate fuel is between 600 and 1400 hours. Usually for engines that use heavy fuel oil, the service life of the lube oil ranges between 300 and 700 hours. If SOS oil analysis and other factors allow, maximum oil service life for diesel fueled engines is 3000 hours. Maximum oil service life for heavy fuel oil fueled engines is 2000 hours. Refer to the S·O·S article in this Special Publication.
Fuel Analysis - An analysis of the fuel must be provided by an independent laboratory at the beginning of the Field Performance Evaluation. Subsequent analyses of the fuel must be provided at intervals of 2000 hours or provided when new shipments of fuel are received. The fuel must meet the guidelines that are listed in this Special Publication, "Fuel Specifications" topic.
Criteria for the Evaluation
Oil Consumption - The oil consumption must not exceed two times the initial oil consumption during the 7000 hour period. The initial oil consumption is established during the first 3000 to 5000 hours of operation with the oil that is being evaluated.
Final Inspection - At the end of the Field Performance Evaluation, these components from two cylinders must be removed and inspected: pistons, piston rings and cylinder liners. None of the following conditions are acceptable: sticking of the piston rings, scuffing of the piston rings or cylinder liners and excessive wear of the piston rings. Polishing of the cylinder liner bore must be confined to the area that is affected by the uppermost position of the top piston ring. The entire circumferences of the inlet valves and the exhaust valves must seal. Guttering of the valves is not acceptable.
If a new engine is used for the Field Performance Evaluation, all of the cylinders in the engine must be inspected with a borescope. The cylinder that shows the worst deposits or wear and the cylinder that shows average deposits or wear must be used for the visual inspection.
If the oil is evaluated in a used engine, two new sets of these components must be installed before the Field Performance Evaluation: pistons, piston rings and cylinder liners. Those new components will be examined for the final inspection.
Close up photographs that show the wear and deposits must be taken in order to document the appearance of these components: pistons, piston rings, cylinder liners, crankcase, top deck of the cylinder head, bottom deck of the cylinder head, valve guides, inlet valves and exhaust valves. Photographs that show the entire component must also be available on request.
Summary - This Field Performance Evaluation procedure provides the oil company and the engine owner with a method of evaluating a lubricating oil for the 3600 and C280 Series diesel engines. If the oil meets these guidelines for the 7000 hours of the Field Performance Evaluation, the oil has fulfilled the Cat requirements. Caterpillar will not endorse any oil for use in Cat 3600 and C280 Series diesel engines as a result of a Field Performance Evaluation. The oil company can use the Field Performance Evaluation as proof of performance.
Responsibilities
Care must be taken in order to define the responsibilities of each party that is involved in the Field Performance Evaluation. The oil company and the engine owner must recognize the responsibilities if the performance of the oil reduces the service life of the engine. Caterpillar recommends specific definitions of the responsibilities for the oil company and the engine owner in a Field Performance Evaluation agreement. The agreement should be made before the Field Performance Evaluation is initiated. Both the oil company and the engine owner must understand that the Field Performance Evaluation is not monitored by Caterpillar. The Field Performance Evaluation is not sponsored by Caterpillar.
Field Evaluation Agreement
The Field Performance Evaluation agreement is between the engine owner and the oil company. The agreement is a important part of the Field Performance Evaluation. The completion and signing of the agreement should occur before the initiation of the Field Performance Evaluation. The agreement must fully define the Field Performance Evaluation and the responsibilities of each party. This publication contains the information and guidelines that are necessary to write a detailed agreement. Initial Field Performance Evaluation involves some risk. Use of these guidelines will minimize the risk. If the guidelines are followed, the probability of a successful Field Performance Evaluation will be enhanced.
Responsibilities of the Oil Company
Performance - The performance of the oil is the responsibility of the oil company. The oil must maintain stable oil control and the oil must control deposits in the combustion chamber and in the crankcase. Engine service life must be maintained at the predicted stage for the particular engine application.
Supply - The supply of the oil is the responsibility of the oil company. If special storage and/or shipping is required, the oil company should cover the cost of those items.
Oil and fuel analysis - During the evaluation, the oil company should pay for the cost of the oil and fuel analyses. The oil samples should be analyzed by the local Cat dealer in the S·O·S Services program. The data that is obtained from the oil analyses must be plotted in order to establish trends. The fuel should be analyzed periodically by an independent laboratory. Results of the oil and fuel analyses must be sent to the engine owner. The owner should review the data. Also, the owner should be allowed to keep records of the data.
Hardware - If the oil is evaluated in a used engine, two new sets of these components must be installed before the Field Performance Evaluation: pistons, piston rings and cylinder liners. The cost should be covered by the oil company. These new components will be examined as part of the final inspection.
Final Inspection - The cost of the final inspection should be paid by the oil company. The costs of additional downtime can also be part of the cost of inspection. If the final inspection reveals severe deposits and/or damage to the hardware, the oil company must make the repairs that are necessary for restoring the engine to an acceptable condition.
End of the Evaluation - After completion of the Field Performance Evaluation, the oil company should work with the engine owner in order to restore the engine to normal operation. If the Field Performance Evaluation is not completed, the same conditions should be applicable. The oil company should bear the cost of the restoration. The cost includes the removal of storage tanks, special piping, flow meters, and instrumentation.
Final Report - the oil company must prepare a final report that documents the following items:
- Initial oil consumption and final oil consumption
- The data on oil consumption must be recorded on a minimum schedule of every week. A chart of the data must be included in the final report.
- Results of oil analyses
- Oil changes
- Replacement of oil filters
- Results of fuel analyses
- Fuel consumption or power output
- Average engine speed (rpm)
- The typical duty cycle
- Close up photographs of the following components from two cylinders must also be included: pistons, piston rings before removal and after removal, piston rings after removal, cylinder liners, crankcase, top deck of the cylinder head, bottom deck of the cylinder head, inlet valves and exhaust valves.
The final report should be confidential. The final report should be made available to the engine owner.
Responsibilities of the Engine Owner
Engine for the Evaluation - The owner must provide access to the engine for a minimum of 7000 hours. Special piping and instrumentation may be attached to the engine for the duration of the Field Performance Evaluation.
Operation and Maintenance - Daily operation and maintenance of the engine is the responsibility of the owner. Operation and maintenance of the engine must follow the guidelines in the engine Operation and Maintenance Manual. The daily records of this activity should be made available to the oil company.
Oil Samples and Fuel Samples - Oil samples and fuel samples will be collected by the owner. The samples will be sent to the appropriate laboratory for analysis.
Cat Responsibilities
Advisory - Cat will not assume an active function in the Field Performance Evaluation. However, Cat will provide technical advice and guidance to the parties that are involved. Cat understands that this function does not satisfy all of the situations that may arise in Field Performance Evaluation. Therefore, technical judgments may be required for the initiation of some evaluations.
To provide assistance with the Field Performance Evaluation, your Cat dealer or district representative can consult the appropriate technical support personnel at Caterpillar Inc.
Final Inspection - Under some circumstances, Caterpillar may be asked to assist with the inspection. The evaluation is on an individual basis. The decision depends on the availability of personnel and on the amount of technical interest.
Note: All associated travel, meals, and lodging are at the oil company expense.
Guidelines for the Use of A Proven Lubricant In Other Engines (Interchanging)
| NOTICE |
|---|
ALL risks associated with "interchanging" rests with the oil company and the engine owner. |
Interchanging - The information that is obtained from Field Performance Evaluations may be applicable to other 3600 and C280 Series diesel engines at other sites. However, guidelines must be established in order to limit the application of a lubricant that has been evaluated. The guidelines are for the protection of the engine and the engine owner. The limit on the application of the lubricant is defined as an interchanging.
The interchanging of the lubricant is limited by these factors:
- The oil viscosity grade
- The base stock of the oil
- The engine configuration
- The engine application
- The engine rating
- The engine load factor
- The fuel type (distillate, crude, heavy fuel oil, or biodiesel)
Engine Configuration
- Lube oil CANNOT be interchanged between engines that use different types of fuel. A separate Field Performance Evaluation is required for distillate diesel fuel, heavy fuel oil, crude oil, and biodiesel.
- Lube oil CANNOT be interchanged between engines with cuff type cylinder liners and engines without cuff type cylinder liners. A separate Field Performance Evaluation is required.
Engine Rating
The average power output that is produced by the engine during the Field Performance Evaluation is used to establish the power rating of the Field Performance Evaluation. The power output must be expressed as Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP). The power output is derived from one of the following sources:
- Output of the generator set
- Fuel consumption
To calculate the BMEP, the average engine power output must be expressed in kilowatts. Use the equation in Table 1 to calculate the BMEP.
| Equation for Calculating the Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) | |
|---|---|
| 120 000 x kW -------------------- L x rpm |
|
| = BMEP (kPa) | |
| kW is the average engine power output during the evaluation. | |
| L is the total displacement of the engine in liters. | |
| BMEP is expressed in kilopascals (kPa) | |
- Lube oil can be interchanged between engines at different sites that operate with a similar duty cycle. However, the interchanging is limited by a maximum of a 10 percent increase in BMEP.
Duty cycles can vary greatly between different sites and between different engine configurations. Therefore, it is difficult to determine an accurate degree of severity for oil in all the various duty cycles. For best results, only use the proven oil in applications with a similar duty cycle. When different duty cycles are introduced, the risk is increased.
Note: For cases with different duty cycles, the oil company and the engine owner will assess the risk in order to determine if another Field Performance Evaluation is required. In most cases, an oil with proven performance in a particular duty cycle will be preferred over an oil that has not been proven for that duty cycle.