Volvo Excavators

ben46a said:

1L every 100hrs is nothing to get to excited over.

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LiecaMan said:

Witter, thanks i will check into that, I usually add about 5 litres every 500 hours , any thoughts on whether that's normal?

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I agree with Ben. Also, something to consider, does it use all 5 L in the last 200 hrs or does it spread it out over the whole interval? My Cat Challenger will use a gallon (4 L) in 50 hrs if you get over 200 hrs on an oil change. It will only use a ½ gallon in the first 200 hrs. Next point, are you waiting for the oil level to get to the add mark before adding? My Detroit will eat as much oil as you can feed it if you add oil when it's only down halfway, and it will get there in about a 1000 miles. Then, it takes it until about 8000 to get to the add mark. I never add oil until it gets to the add mark.

Hey shimmy what kind of oil do you run in your challenger.
we have had machines that would consistently use oil between changes ( increased consumption as oil broke down). We were responisible for pm service over a few thousand hours stretch. Switched to deo from cat and oil usage was not noticeable at service time . now cat oil was at least 25 % high priced so in the long run Idk witch would give lowest overall maintenence cost because many more factors to consider. Just wondering if any one else notice certain oils use more between oil changes than others. A Lil off topic by the way.

We run 15-40 Rotella T. Just my experience but both the tractor and the Detroit used more when we first switched the oils. The Cat had John Deere oil and the truck had Mobil Delvac. Took a couple of oil changes for the consumption to drop, but it did. The Cat used 2½ gal the first change, then 2, then ½, and that's what it stays at. The truck used 3, then 2, now I add a gal at about 8000 miles, then it gets changed when its down again. Sometimes it'll be at 12,000 miles, other times I've been close to 15,000. It kind of depends on what I'm doing. If I'm having a lot of short cycle, short hauls, I usually get around 22-2500 miles per week. Longer weeks I'm putting on close to 3000 miles, so it usually works out to changing oil about every 5 weeks.

Thanks guys for your input , yes we are waiting to add until it's at the add mark , Shimmy1. Is that a 60 series Detroit your talking about, we have one in the float tractor and it is the same way with using oil until it gets to a certain point, then it holds it's own til next service interval.

LiecaMan said:

Thanks guys for your input , yes we are waiting to add until it's at the add mark , Shimmy1. Is that a 60 series Detroit your talking about, we have one in the float tractor and it is the same way with using oil until it gets to a certain point, then it holds it's own til next service interval.

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Ya buddy. I know of at least 6 more firsthand the same thing, yours makes 7. My uncle figured it out on his '97 Pete about 10 yrs ago. You could add 3 qts per week all the way to oil change, one week he forgot, he always filled fuel on way to the house, 1300 miles later when fueling he realized he didn't top it off before he left and it was still a little above the add mark.

I have just spent 12 months breaking in a couple of new Volvos, EC380D and EC480D, (the 38t is mass excavations configuration) I have been told by others with smaller Volvos how good they are on fuel?, Not so with the larger machines and even running in economy mode all day they love a drink? They are nice to operate although the 38T seems to sit better then the 48T and overall they work alright and we haven't really had any issues in 1200 hours? as for service it's always OK while ever still under warranty so we will see how they are once it's over, (CJD Equipment)

demoed a 300 size digging mainline sewer for about a month. From everyone in the company it was weak and very un balanced. light counter weight.

I'm not much on the smaller ones, but the larger ones perform similarly to the Cat D & E series machines and burn a lot less fuel. I'm a big fan, and would run them if the dealer support was better in the areas I operate. They're my favorite brand of excavator in the size range I use, which is the 75,000 & 100,00 machines.

You get what you pay for?, I have just spent the past year running in a EC480D along with jumping on a EC380D we brought at the same time and while I agree there nice inside there still only a Samsung as far as I am concerned? Not that there was anything wrong with Samsung but like I say 'you get what you pay for"... I have a few mates with smaller 16t to 28t and they all rave about how much fuel they save but it's not the same with the 480 and even running it on economy all day it loves a drink? in fact the 38t isn't to far behind? Also with the 38T we have had a few issues with the piston letting go and not holding grease so we are forever pulling the idler in when trying to walk, 3 times they have been out for the same thing in 800 hours! As for service, "There all still good while ever the cheque is still new and the warranty is alive but then there all the same, M.I.A when needed...

I am very interested in fuel consumption figures if any one has some for a right tuf days graft.

I've been running a EC300D digging mainline deep sewer. As far as I am concerned, it's junk. Not enough power. Not enough reach. Not a comparable 30t machine. Also, it has 850hrs on it and the dealer has had to come out 4 times now for the same EATS issue.