Oil change with just 40 hrs since last November ?

M

mtnandy

Member
Nov 24, 2008
125
Smith Mountain Lake VA.
Boat Info
400da sundancer
Engines
Cat 3116 Diesel
Is it really necessary to change the oil in Cat 3116 with just 40 hrs use since last change 1 yr ago. Just seams like a waste of good oil to me. What's the downside of not changing it ?
 
I would change it, especially before winter layup.....lots of acid sit in the oil and can damage bearings over time.

Jeff
 
It's not just hours - it's time. I'd change it.
 
Well I was wanting to just wait until I had more hrs on it but I know you are right. Just seams like a lot of oil - 6.5 gallons per motor - how dirty could it be ? But I know it does contain harmful combustion byproducts that I need to get out of it. Just hate to do it though
 
Send it out for oil analysis. My guess is they would say it's just fine.

Id be less concerned about acidity and more concerned about moisture if you typically make short runs. If you make long runs on plane it shouldn't be an issue either.
 
Send out oil samples to be analyzed, if your TBN is still in range you'll probably be fine. In spring just change the filters.

I send out samples of all major gear at least once a year regardless, main engines, gears, gens. If in any doubt I'll do aux systems, bow thrust hydraulics, steering hydraulics, stabilizer hyd etc etc.

Keep all reports filed and looks for trends of slowly increasing or decreasing stats. Files are also good for survey / resale value, you can show long term stats.
 
That's what I'd do , I'm running AMS oil and haven't changed it in 3 years , I oil sample every year , everything is all within range , filters get changed once a year and this year oils getting changed for sure . If you have acids and contaminants they are in your oil pan so change your filters .


Boltman
 
The problem with not changing oil is that the last few times you run the engines before a winter lay up is usually short runs. You get moisture in the engines from condensation on a daily basis as the temperatures fluctuate from nighttime lows to daytime highs and when mixed with combustion by products you end up with sulfuric acid in the lube oil that attacks the engine and its seals and gaskets from the inside. If your last run was a 2-3 trip with the engines under load, you probably burned (boiled) off the extra moisture, but it you idled to the fuel dock, idled to the haul out slip, etc. for your last use, .....well, oil is a lot cheaper than seal, gaskets and engine parts.

For those of you who rely on oil sampling rather than annual oil changes or who run extended oil change intervals based on oil samples, be sure your sampling lab reports pH, water, oxidation, sulfating and total acid number.....just reporting wear metals isn't adequate.

I sample every year using the Caterpillar SOS system ($14) per sample, I run about 150 hours per year and I still change my oil every year.
 
fwebster said:
The problem with not changing oil is that the last few times you run the engines before a winter lay up is usually short runs. You get moisture in the engines from condensation on a daily basis as the temperatures fluctuate from nighttime lows to daytime highs and when mixed with combustion by products you end up with sulfuric acid in the lube oil that attacks the engine and its seals and gaskets from the inside. If your last run was a 2-3 trip with the engines under load, you probably burned (boiled) off the extra moisture, but it you idled to the fuel dock, idled to the haul out slip, etc. for your last use, .....well, oil is a lot cheaper than seal, gaskets and engine parts.

For those of you who rely on oil sampling rather than annual oil changes or who run extended oil change intervals based on oil samples, be sure your sampling lab reports pH, water, oxidation, sulfating and total acid number.....just reporting wear metals isn't adequate.

I sample every year using the Caterpillar SOS system ($14) per sample, I run about 150 hours per year and I still change my oil every year.
Click to expand...

Well I generally run from 500 to 1000 hrs per year, and one (1) basic oil change for me is seven (7) drums, (385 gals.)of oil. So we do not take and oil change lightly. My main engs have over 7000 hrs.
My two (2) gens have 14,000 hrs. each. My system's worked so far, lol.
Also, I prefer Blackstone to Cat for sampling. Cat may be OK for basic engines, but I sample so many other systems I prefer Blackstones personal service, they monitor and comment on each and every sample as compared to your last and general norms.
 
I don't mean to hijack a thread, but this one seems to have run it's course, so I'll ask since it's related...

With regards to the CAT 3116, is it crucial to use the CAT brand oil? Can you simply use the Shell Rotella diesel stuff from WallyWorld?
 
cwiert said:
I don't mean to hijack a thread, but this one seems to have run it's course, so I'll ask since it's related...

With regards to the CAT 3116, is it crucial to use the CAT brand oil? Can you simply use the Shell Rotella diesel stuff from WallyWorld?
Click to expand...

The only thing I recall with 3116 is that it was imporant to not run multi viscosity oils. 15w40 can cause the after coolers to foul rapidly.
 
No Caterpillar dealer near me stocks the SAEO.......Special Application Engine Oil .....which is a synthetic in SAE 30 or SAE 40 viscosities. I have used Rotella T SAE 40 (now repackaged as Rotella T1) in my 3116's since 1997 and I my annual oil sampling looks today just like the first one done in 1997. Depending upon your ambient temperatures, you might need SAE 30. And there are other good oils besides Rotella T1. Chevron Delo 400 and Shell Rotella T1 are the ones I found whose specs most closely match the specs Cat SAEO.

Do not use any multi viscosity oils like 15W-40. The refiners have to add viscosity enhancers to a single weight oil to get them to change from 40 wt to 15 wt as the temperature drops. Those viscosity enhancers will precipitate in the aftercoolers on 3116 and 3126 Cat engines and the only fix is to have the aftercooler removed and cleaned.
 
CaboExpress said:
For what it’s worth, I found this SAE 30 Diesel engine oil at Tractor Supply that is rated for most of the C-4 categories. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...MIyuD9psLl8AIVlWpvBB0I-AmQEAQYAyABEgI67PD_BwE
Click to expand...

Interesting find. Looking at the required specs and what this offers, it would seem to meet or exceed the CAT requirements. However, the issue is what additives? And would they condense in the aftercoolers, which has been the critical issue on these engines.

Id say this oil is a possibility, but will need a little more info on specific specification before I would use it, Shell Rotella T1 is my choice because of the specs, track record, and the cost difference isn’t enough to try something without a track record or specific recommendation from CAT. It would be interesting to see if we could find some more detailed specs on it. It could very well be the same or similar oil rebranded, just at a lower price.

934C6B56-28D7-469F-BA63-160E9DB2C51A.png
3EE5C66B-553F-4D92-B94C-8B46597F960F.png
1EE092EA-B5F8-4C10-9F29-7DEFA04D406C.png
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,204
Messages
1,428,517
Members
61,109
Latest member
Minnervos
Back
Top