SEAL WASHER 8M7231 - Caterpillar

Overhaul Information
An overhaul is replacing the major worn components of the engine. An overhaul interval is a maintenance interval that is planned. The engine is rebuilt with certain rebuilt parts or new parts that replace the worn parts.An overhaul also includes the following maintenance:
Inspection of all the parts that are visible during the disassembly
Replacement of the seals and gaskets that are removed
Cleaning of the internal passages of the engine and the engine blockMost owners will save money by overhauling the engine at the intervals that are recommended in this Operation and Maintenance Manual. Consider the graph in Illustration 1.
Illustration 1 g00745964
(Y) Cost
(X) Time
(1) Cost of maintenance and repair that is planned
(2) Cost of maintenance and repair that is not planned In Illustration 1, line (1) represents the maintenance and repair costs for an owner that followed the recommendations for inspection, maintenance, and repair. The peaks represent overhauls.Line (2) represents the maintenance and repair costs for an owner that chose to operate beyond the recommended intervals. The initial cost of the “repair-after-failure” philosophy is lower. Also, the first overhaul was delayed. However, the peaks are significantly higher than the peaks for the customer that used the “repair-before-failure” philosophy .The higher peaks result from two key factors:
Delaying an overhaul until a breakdown increases the chance of a catastrophic failure. This type of failure requires more parts, labor, and cleanup.
Excessive wear means that fewer components will be reusable. More labor may be required for salvage or repair of the components.When all of the costs are considered, “repair-before-failure” is the least expensive alternative for most components and engines.It is not practical to wait until the engine exhibits symptoms of excessive wear or failure. It is not less costly to wait. A planned overhaul before failure may be the best value for the following reasons:
Costly unplanned downtime can be avoided.
Many original parts can be reused according to the guidelines for reusable parts.
The service life of the engine can be extended without the risk of a major catastrophe due to engine failure.
Achieve the best cost/value relationship per hour of extended service life.Overhaul Intervals
Some factors that are important for determining the overhaul intervals include the following considerations:
Performance of preventive maintenance
Use of recommended lubricants
Use of recommended coolants
Use of recommended fuels
Proper installation
Operating conditions
Operation within acceptable limits
Engine load
Engine speedGenerally, engines that are operated at a reduced load and/or speed achieve more service life before an overhaul. However, this is for engines that are properly operated and maintained.Other factors must also be considered for determining a major overhaul:
The total amount of fuel consumption
The service hours of the engine
An increase of oil consumption
An increase of crankcase blowby
The wear metal analysis of the lube oil
An increase in the levels of noise and vibrationAn increase of wear