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Care must be taken to ensure that fluids are contained during performance of inspection, maintenance, testing, adjusting and repair of the product. Be prepared to collect the fluid with suitable containers before opening any compartment or disassembling any component containing fluids. Refer to Special Publication, NENG2500, "Caterpillar Tools and Shop Products Guide" for tools and supplies suitable to collect and contain fluids on Caterpillar products. Dispose of all fluids according to local regulations and mandates. |
Take the oil samples as close as possible to the standard intervals. To receive the full value from S·O·S oil analysis, you must establish a consistent trend of data. To establish a pertinent history of data, perform consistent oil samplings at set intervals.
Operate the machine for a few minutes before you obtain the oil sample. This will thoroughly mix the oil for a more accurate sample.
Reference: Refer to Special Publication, PEHP6001, "How To Take A Good Oil Sample" for more information about obtaining an oil sample.
| Type of Fluid | Change Interval | Sampling Interval | Sampling Valve |
| Engine Oil | 250 Hours | 250 Hours | Yes |
| Transmission Oil | 1000 Hours | 500 Hours | Yes |
| Hydraulic Oil | 2000 Hours | 500 Hours | Yes |
| Differential and Final Drive Oil | 2000 Hours | 500 Hours | No |
| Coolant | 6000 Hours | 500 Hours | No |
Consult your Caterpillar dealer for complete information and for assistance in establishing an S·O·S program for your equipment.
Location of Sampling Valves
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| Illustration 1 | g00274449 |
The sampling valve for the engine oil is located on the engine oil filter base on the right side of the engine compartment.
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| Illustration 2 | g00534636 |
The sampling valve for the transmission oil is located next to the transmission hydraulic control valve on the top of the engine.
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| Illustration 3 | g00524487 |
The sampling valve for the hydraulic oil is located near the main control valve on the left side of the front frame.
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| Illustration 4 | g00535224 |
Front Axle | |
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| Illustration 5 | g00535225 |
Rear Axle | |
The axles are not equipped with sampling valves. Obtaining a sample of the differential and final drive oil will require a vacuum pump or an equivalent. Remove the filler plug and withdraw the oil through the filler opening on each axle.
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| Illustration 6 | g00270343 |
The cooling system is not equipped with a sampling valve. Obtaining a sample of the coolant will require a vacuum pump or an equivalent. Slowly remove the cooling system pressure cap on the right side of the radiator and withdraw the oil through the filler opening.
More Frequent S·O·S Sampling Improves Life Cycle Management
Traditionally, the suggested S·O·S sampling intervals have been at each oil change (250 hours for engines and every 500 hours for all other compartments). However, more frequent oil sampling is recommended in severe applications. If the machine is operated under a high load and/or in high temperature conditions, sample all compartments at every 250 hour interval.
Application
Studies have revealed that obtaining oil samples at every 500 hours is too long a time interval in some applications in order to predict potential failure modes. A sampling interval at every 250 hours provides more data between oil change intervals. More data increases the chance for detecting a potential failure.
Determining Optimum Oil Change Intervals
Sampling the compartments at every 250 hours provides information for oil condition and for oil performance. This information is used to determine the optimum usable life of a particular oil. Also, more points of data will allow closer monitoring of component wear rates. Close monitoring also allows you to obtain the maximum use of the oil. For detailed information about extending oil change intervals, please contact your Caterpillar dealer.
Optimizing the Component Life Cycle
An increase in the number of oil samples provides a better definition of the trends in data between oil change intervals. More oil samples will allow you to closely monitor wear patterns of components. This action will ensure that the full life of the components are achieved.
The standard interval that is used between S·O·S oil samples is 250 hours for all Caterpillar engines. While 500 hour intervals remain acceptable for nonengine compartments, these intervals are not necessarily optimum. If the machine is operated under a high load and/or high temperature condition, sample all compartments at the 250 hour interval.