| NOTICE |
|---|
Every attempt is made to provide accurate, up-to-date information. By the use of this document, you agree that Caterpillar Inc. is not responsible for errors or omissions. |
The information provided are the latest recommendations for the Cat diesel engines that are covered by this Special Publication. This information supersedes all previous recommendations which have been published for the Cat diesel engines that are covered by this Special Publication. Special fluids are required for some engines and continued will be necessary. Refer to the applicable Operation and Maintenance Manual.
This publication is a supplement to the Operation and Maintenance Manual. This publication does not replace the engine Operation and Maintenance Manuals.
| NOTICE |
|---|
These recommendations are subject to change without notice. Consult your local Cat dealer for the most up to date recommendations. |
| NOTICE |
|---|
In order to avoid potential damage to your Cat machine and/or Cat engine, only purchase Cat fluids and Cat filters through your Cat dealer or Cat authorized outlets. For a list of authorized Cat parts outlets in your area, consult your Cat dealer. If you purchase what appear to be Cat fluids and/or Cat filters through other outlets/sources, you are at a very high risk of purchasing counterfeit ("look-alike") products. Counterfeit or "look-alike" products may visually appear the same as the original Cat product, but the product performance and internal quality will typically be very low. Counterfeit or "look-alike" products have a very high likelihood of causing and/or allowing engine and/or machine compartment damage. |
Follow all industry standard safety practices when operating engines and/or machines and when performing all recommended and/or required maintenance.
Note: Instructions for the installation of the filter are printed on the side of each Cat spin-on filter. For non-Cat filters, refer to the installation instructions that are provided by the supplier of the filter.
| NOTICE |
|---|
In order to meet expected fuel system component life, 4 micron(c) absolute or less secondary fuel filtration is required for all Cat diesel engines that are equipped with common-rail fuel systems. Also, 4 micron(c) absolute or less secondary fuel filtration is required for all Cat diesel engines that are equipped with unit injected fuel systems. For all other Cat diesel engines (mostly older engines with pump, line and nozzle type fuel systems), the use of 4 micron(c) absolute or less secondary fuel filtration is strongly recommended. Note that all current Cat diesel engines are factory equipped with Cat Advanced Efficiency 4 micron(c) absolute fuel filters. In order to obtain additional information on Cat designed and produced filtration products, refer to the "Reference Material" article, "Filters" and "Miscellaneous" topics in this Special Publication. Consult your Cat dealer for assistance with filtration recommendations for your Cat machine. |
| NOTICE |
|---|
Caterpillar does not warrant the quality or performance of non-Caterpillar fluids and filters. |
General Recommendations and Guidelines
Follow all applicable industry standards and all applicable governmental, environmental, and safety guidelines, practices, regulations, and mandates.
Note: These general recommendations and guidelines concerning maintenance and care of fuel and fuel storage systems are not intended to be all inclusive. Discuss proper fuel safety and health, handling, and maintenance practices with your fuel supplier. Use of these general recommendations and guidelines does not lessen the engine owners and/or fuel supplier responsibility. All industry standard practices for fuel storage and for fuel handling must be followed.
Note: Where recommendations for draining water and/or sediment and/or debris are stated, dispose of this waste according to all applicable regulations and mandates.
Note: Cat filters are designed and built to provide optimal performance and protection of the fuel system components.
- Discuss application-specific fuel concerns, needs, and requirements with a reputable fuel supplier.
- Purchase fuel from a reputable supplier.
- Use fuel that meets or exceeds Cat requirements for distillate diesel fuel. Refer to the "Cat Specification for Distillate Diesel Fuel for Nonroad Diesel Engines" table in this Special Publication, "Distillate Diesel Fuel" article.
- Confirm with the filter manufacturer that the fuel filter/filters to be used are compatible with the fuel type that will be filtered.
- Follow all the "Contamination Control Recommendations for Fuels" that are provided in this chapter. Dispense fuels of "ISO 18/16/13" cleanliness level or cleaner into the machine or engine fuel tank as detailed in the "Contamination Control Recommendations" section.
- Follow all industry standard grounding and other safety practices.
- Test for microbial contamination on a regular basis and take proper corrective action if contamination is present. Properly dispose of cleanup waste according to all applicable regulations and mandates.
- Every 3 months, or sooner if problems are suspected, have a complete analysis of the bulk storage fuel per the "Cat Specification for Distillate Diesel Fuel for Nonroad Diesel Engines" table in this Special Publication, "Distillate Diesel Fuel" article. Take corrective action if necessary. Corrective actions may include treating the fuel, cleaning of the fuel storage tank/system, and replacing the problematic fuel with fresh fuel.
- Keep the fuel storage tank clean of water, debris, and sediment.
- Drain water and sediment from the fuel storage tank weekly. Drain water and sediment before the tank is refilled.
- Keep the area around the fuel tank filler neck clean of debris in order to prevent contamination of the fuel tank.
- As required, clean the inside of the engine fuel tank and the inside of the bulk storage fuel tank.
- Drain water and sediment from the engine fuel tank daily. Drain water and sediment from the tank at the start of each shift. After the fuel tank has been filled, allow the fuel to settle for 10 minutes. The water and sediment will separate from the fuel. Then, drain the water and sediment from the tank.
- Install fuel/water separators at the bulk storage fuel tank dispensing point and install fuel/water separators on the engine. Wire mesh media is NOT recommended.
- Drain the water from the fuel/water separators daily.
- Cat Advanced Efficiency fuel filters are required for distillate fueled diesel engines in order to provide maximum life to the fuel system.
- Change fuel filters at the scheduled interval. Never fill the new secondary fuel filter with fuel before installation. Use the fuel priming pump to remove air from the system.
- Install and properly maintain four micron(c) absolute breather filters on the engine fuel tank vent. Install and properly maintain four micron(c) absolute breather filters on the bulk storage fuel tank vent. Desiccant type breather vent filters are also recommended in order to remove moisture from air entering the fuel tank. Breather filters are typically changed every 6 months, and desiccant type breather filters are typically changed on saturation. Refer to the literature that was included with the filter. Discuss the availability of desiccant breather vent filters for your application with your filter supplier.
- Top off fixed roof fuel tanks as often as practical. Keeping the tank full reduces the amount of condensation generated water.
- Protect fuel tanks from dirt and water entry.
| NOTICE |
|---|
Do not add new engine oil, waste engine oil or any oil product to the fuel unless the engine is designed and certified to burn diesel engine oil (for example Caterpillar ORS designed for large engines). Caterpillar experience has shown that adding oil products to Tier 4 engine fuels (U.S. EPA Tier 4 certified), to EURO Stage IIB and IV certified engine fuels, or to the fuels of engines equipped with exhaust aftertreatment devices, will generally cause the need for more frequent ash service intervals and/or cause loss of performance. Adding oil products to the fuel may raise the sulfur level of the fuel and may cause fouling of the fuel system and loss of performance. |
Note: Cat has four different size coalescer type fuel filters available for bulk storage fuel tank applications that filter both dirt and water. The filter elements are rated at four microns(c) absolute. Consult your Cat dealer for information on the coalescer filters available through Cat.
Note: The fuel storage tanks must be cleaned thoroughly before converting to Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) (15 ppm or less sulfur) and/or biodiesel/biodiesel blends. Conversion to ULSD and/or biodiesel/biodiesel blends can loosen fuel system and fuel storage tank deposits. Bulk tank continuous filtration unit and dispensing point filters, and onboard engine filters change intervals should be shortened to allow for this cleaning effect.
Note: Cat strongly recommends the filtration of distillate diesel fuel and/or biodiesel/biodiesel blends through a filter with a rating of four microns(c) absolute or less. This filtration should be located on the device that dispenses the fuel to the fuel tank for the engine. Also, filter the fuel from the bulk storage tank. Series filtration is recommended.
Note: Follow all fuel storage maintenance practices that are relevant to your application. Cat recommends a maximum of 1 year from production for distillate fuel storage. A maximum of 6 months from production for biodiesel and blended biodiesel storage is recommended. Storage life for biodiesel and biodiesel blends that are greater than B20 may be much shorter than 6 months.