On my JD 310SG, the maintenance intervals are in hours of use. I don't use it all that often, so it might take me a couple of years to get to the 500 hour services. Is that safe? My vehicles are all mileage or time, whichever comes first. Should the maintenance be done annually, no matter how many hours it's been used?
If it were me I would do things annually
Maybe what Cat puts in their Manuals for service intervals might help you. It’s always a case of “whichever comes first”. 10 hours/daily 50 hours/weekly 250 hours/monthly 500 hours/3 monthly 1000 hours/6 monthly 2000 hours/annually
There's plenty of old machines and tractors that get the oil changed every two, three or five years. At that point of low use, if the engine is getting condensation inside it, then it's not going to make much difference if you change it yearly or every three. Start out with getting the bugs worked out, and then change all the fluids if you don't know the hours on them, then change the filters at least every couple years so they don't fall apart from age. Keep fresh diesel in it. And keep the coolant maintenance up to date, use the correct type, and maintain it accordingly. This assumes you're checking the oil levels before each use, at least until you know what to expect. Draining the water out of the bottom of the fuel tank is a good habit too.
Nice post Delmer, I have nothing to add. I did just that on the dump truck yesterday, I really did not know the diff or trans fluid ages so they got dumped.
Annually is a good rule of thumb for engine oil, fuel and air filters, grease, service battery and battery box, wiper blades and cab filter. Typical 500 hour PM stuff. Sample all the boxes to see how the lube is doing. For justification, the Filter Manufacturers Council, says that air filters have a one year service life. They claim the cellulose starts breaking down at that point. (They are also in the biz of helping their members sell filters.) interesting note, the FMC also says air filters have a three year shelf life. Donaldson says the same thing. The reason I’m aware of this is because I had to keep an inventory of “ volcano” filters in stock for my Anchorage fleet of fuel tankers for a Municipal fuel contract. For when Mt. Redoubt gets angry. The last time Mt.Redoubt blew up, within hours, air filters were sold out everywhere. Which reminds me, I’ve been lazy about keeping extra filters around for my stuff. Should stock up again. Between the weather, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and wildlife, Alaska is constantly trying to kill me.
Additionally, I would start and run the machine around in the off times to splash oil everywhere in the gear cases and hydraulic system. Especially in high humidity area like my area in Oregon. This is what happens when it sits too long... Steve
Good point, Dirty.
Thanks all. I'll put it in my annual rotation. Good point on the fuel thing. I saw there's a screw at the bottom of the tank. Where do you order maintenance parts from, like filters? Can't find a place online that tells which filter model I need.
i have a local Baldwin dealer near me. Their website allows you to search and get whatever filters you need for your machine.
Wix also has a site online and they are made in NC. I see crazy price differences on filters depending on the distributor.
https://napafilters.com/filter-lookup/ The NAPA filter site is handy. Filter media and beta ratios, too. Thread sizes. A great cross reference, as well. The Fleetguard site is good. Hate to say it, but Amazon is pretty good for filters. Especially for Motorcraft.
Here’s a price comparison for y’all. I ordered 2 Baldwin fuel filters from my local dealer, but they were back ordered. They were $13ish a piece. I was in a pinch and had no choice and went to Napa. The same filter, although their NAPA (wix) brand was $38. Talk about price gouging.
Part number?
cosmaar1, Napa is quite a bit higher, but they sure have bailed me out when I had the wrong filter (in a pinch). Also, I have found that Napa prices vary quite a bit between stores. I have used this site with good results. They give discounts based on how much you spend. I have 3 functioning tractors, so I try to buy for all at once...Never had a lick of problem with wWx or Baldwin. Have also used Hastings without a problem, but do not seem as common today for some reason. https://www.fleetfilter.com/?msclkid=95012761f0cb1b343ece470845f090d2
O’reileys was actually a few dollars more for the same Wix filter. I couldn’t believe it!
Hastings was purchased by the same group that owns Baldwin Filters. Same filter now, different color of paint. Hastings is primarily marketed by Federated Auto Parts. So, unless you shop at Federated,...
Easy to crack the drain plug on transmissions, chain boxes, etc. to check for condensation. It also makes a day and night difference if a seldom used machine is parked indoors or outside. The biggest preventative medicine I believe is to make sure you buy non-bio off road fuel for your machines that the fuel sets in for a long time. That bio-crap don't last and makes a mess. Many, actually most distributors here have the non-bio for use for off-road and for #2 heating oil.
Thanks I have been struggling with fuel in low use machines. As for the original poster we do this with some machines. Before they are ever fired up after sitting for many months crack the drain plug on everything. It is amazing what comes out some times. We still change engine oil at least every other year on those seasonal units. Many are 5,000 miles or less in two years.
My poor livery of machines are low use anymore, still get Annual Oil Changes as Oil is Cheap and major overhauls/rust up damage expensive. My Ford pickup MAY get 2-4k a year on it anymore, so regardless is changed annually.
Do the same for just about every thing. I'm a bit lazy in regards the Rav4 I use the few times wife isn't around to do taxi duty, so when it comes up for the annual NYState inspection I tell the guy at the shop to do the oil change while it's there. He has told me I need to drive it more as he has had to due brake work on it a couple times due to rusty rotors and calipers. It's a 2011 with a bit over 32,000 miles on it!
I once saw a YouTube video where a mechanic opened oil filters from the leading brands. Purolator, Fram, STP, Wix and Napa. STP and Fram were garbage. Purolator better. The best? Wix, and at the top? Napa. I would easily pay double the price for a NAPA filter. You could actually see the difference.
Hmmm, i always thought the Napa and wix filters were the same..
they are the exact same filter. It’s a wix number on the Napa site.
Advanced Filtration Systems Inc, Donaldson and the Wix group all make a premium domestic filter. AFSI is probably the best, IMO. I got to tour the plant. They make the filters for Caterpillar. You have to watch which Wix/NAPA filter you purchase. They are made for different price points so they can compete. Get the Platinum.
Tokyo Roki, well, pretty much all the Japanese filter manufacturers make premium products. Fram/Honeywell is sketchy, **.
Coaldust, Thanks for the info! Didn't know that Hastings was bought out by Baldwin, but that would make sense as to the fact that where I used to see Hastings, I generally see Baldwin now. Did know that Wix and Napa were one in the same tho. Good info!
You are welcome. I wouldn’t hesitate to use Baldwin or Hastings. I get way better pricing from NAPA. When I worked for my previous employer, they sold huge amounts of Baldwin in Dutch Harbor off the fuel dock and a fair amount in Sitka. Baldwin is very popular in the marine biz. In Anchorage, we supplied a super-sketchy Chinese, dirt cheap brand of filter with a big profit margin to the quick change oil change franchises. Embarrassing, how bad that filter line was/is. But, that’s what the price-point required and what the franchises want. Note to self: never go to a chain store type oil change place.
I have been told different folks have made Cat filters over the years. Regardless of who makes them I have never seen other labeled filters with the heavy bases on Cat branded filters. Maybe they are a little different on the inside as well?
When these fire up they run hard for weeks at a time. Any condensation is soon gone. Then they are parked again. I would feel different if they ran just a little bit once a week. Love the car dealers pushing low time interval oil changes. Ask them this: Well I was just walking around the lot and kind of liked that ABC XYZ truck. It is new but 14 months old. How many times have you changed the oil in that?
For sure, Tenwheeler. Cat, at any time, has a few different manufacturers making filters. Especially, low volume part numbers. CLARCOR Corp is one.