You are right Jeff...we have only scratched the surface...His Diggerness screwed it up by putting the word "Proper" in the title....I can't answer to "Proper" but can repeat what I said early to the comments made that you screw up a machine if you don't run it full throttle...what a load Bollocks!
The definition of "proper" is, "1. adapted or appropriate to the purpose or circumstances; fit; suitable:
the proper time to plant strawberries. "
Strawberries notwithstanding, I think that defintion fits my use of the word--I mentioned several different sets of circumstances, and questioned whether operating at full throttle was appropriate for
all of them. In that respect, I think you've indeed addressed the question. I'm still not sure we've nailed down the specific answer though.
So..all I'm saying is that if the manufacturer didn't fit a foot throttle and told you run the machine flat out (on the governor) thats where it would be happiest and probably provide the longest service life. If the manufacturer fitted a foot throttle and the machine has variable displacement pumps then it certainly isn't going to harm it to run the machine at various different speeds.
Perhaps the question was insufficiently precise to begin with. Obviously, the later models, with variable displacement pumps are a somewhat different animal than the older models with constant displacement pumps. I think we've established beyond question that on the newer models, with foot throttles and variable displacement pumps, it's not really an issue.
Now on the older models, are we assuming that the condition you describe as "happiest and probably provide(ing) the longest service life", is the benchmark? If so, then does running at lower throttle settings result in
not reaching that benchmark? Does that in itself constitute an operating method that's "hurting the machine"? Or, is the difference too insignificant to worry about?
As Will mentioned above, the operator in question was told by a person from the dealer not to run at less than full throttle. Nobody has replied here yet in support of that notion, or given any reasons that it might be true, or even reasons that it might be
thought true--misinformation often has some basis in reality. (Except for Jeff's mention of the possible connection to temperatures and flow through the cooler of course, which hasn't been verified either.)
Tigerotor77W, you disappointed me! I did expect that you'd have been exposed to some of this somewhere along the way. We
will expect a full report once you do get to the subject. :wink2 I'd hoped one of the CAT fellows might voice an opinion too.
And once we get this all sorted out, we can discuss the reaming Will Gurtner took from his boss for running the CAT 257B
too hard; specifically, digging hard dirt and using all the throttle available. (I think the quote was something like. "I don't care how much work you get done with it! I want the machine to last for a while.")
