TRANSFORMER GP-CURRENT 2060251 - Caterpillar

Generator Set EnginesSome 3412 Generator Set Engines are used on drill rigs for auxiliary electricity. Experience has shown that there are several conditions in this application that can possibly cause a piston seizure failure.
Inspections show that the primary reason is depletion (decrease) of the oil additives caused by extended oil change intervals beyond the Caterpillar recommendations. Another factor that can contribute to (help cause) a piston seizure is high inlet air restriction. High inlet air restriction can be caused by inadequate air cleaner servicing plus engine blowby and/or exhaust gases that collect in the air cleaner element.
Low jacket water temperature, and low engine load factor can permit combustion products to form sludge in the oil.
The recommendations that follow will help prevent piston seizures in generator set engines used in drill rig applications.
1. Use the Caterpillar oil change interval recommendation to make sure the correct oil additive level is available. This is very important.2. Use the heavy duty air cleaner arrangement and an appropriate blowby disposal tube and exhaust stack so these gases will not get into the air intake.3. Use the 9N3711 Thermostat to keep the engine operation temperature at a high level.4. Start a scheduled oil sampling program with your Caterpillar dealer using Infrared Analysis to check the condition of the oil at specific intervals.