Oil filter blowout 3066

[BrianGrenier]

Oil filter on a 1999 Cat320BL s/n 9js00 (made in JP and imported to US from CA), 3066 engine blew it's gasket.

Another time before, I don't recall if the gasket blew, or the filter worked itself loose, but both times made a mess.

Lots of hours on the meter. Engine runs well with no lifter noise or knocks.

The filter(s) wasn't overtightened or under, as far as I know.

Looking on the web it seems that high pressure would be a possibility. I had purchased a mechanical gauge that I had meant to install but haven't gotten around to it. The oil is dirty and I also planned to change the oil and have the new filter in the cab. Before the last oil change a Blackstone lab oil report said the wear of the oil was high and it didn't look like the oil was changed recently. There are not a lot of hours on the current oil but it looks dirty.

Oil light has been on and off. There is no oil pressure gauge. Thankfully there was a honk from something on the engine when it spewed oil.

So that's the background. What I'm looking for today is the location of the oil pressure sender, how to test and suggestions for what I might look for to keep this from happening again.;-)

 

[BrianGrenier]

Checking with a friend, he said a faulty pressure relief valve, maybe. Any ideas where I would find it on this engine?

 

[Nige]

Below is a generic schematic of a 3066 lubrication system. There are 2 valves that if they were malfunctioning could potentially affect engine oil pressure - The oil pressure Relief Valve Ref #9 and the Oil bypass valve Ref #13. Below is the write-up of how the system operates.

The relief valve is Ref # 15 in the Parts Manual screen shot below. It is in the engine block almost directly below the oil filter if your engine looks like the illustration below.


When the pressure of the oil system reaches 343 kPa (50 psi) oil pressure relief valve (9) opens. Excess oil flows to the oil pan when oil pressure relief valve (9) opens. The oil pressure relief valve provides the main relief for the lubrication system. The oil pressure relief valve is adjustable by the use of shims. If oil pressure relief valve (9) does not open, increased oil pressures could result in component damage. Oil bypass valve (13) is used as a backup to relieve system pressures. The valve is located on the bottom of the engine block inside the oil pan. Oil bypass valve (13) will open if the lubrication system oil pressure reaches 981 ± 98 kPa (142 ± 14 psi).

 

[BrianGrenier]

That's useful, awesome and thank you!

Please let me ask you another oil pressure question.

If you were to install a mechanical oil pressure sending gauge on this block, where would you T into the system?

 

[Nige]

Do you have items 12, 20, 21, & 22 on your engine..? That's the quick coupler for testing oil pressure. Why not remove it temporarily and plumb a mechanical gauge into that location..?
Even if you don't have the quick coupler, see if you have a plug in the same location.

You asked about the oil pressure sender. It's actually a switch located on the opposite side of the engine to the filter. See below, Ref # 28. The specs for it are that it is a normally-open switch, closes at 7psi with rising engine oil pressure, and opens again at 4psi with falling pressure. that switch it what puts your low oil pressure light on.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Does the filter have an internal bypass? My research says it does not but I wanted to ask you. If you haven't seen one it is usually visible in the center hole in the end cap opposite the one that attaches to the engine.

 

[BrianGrenier]

Donaldson technical support said No internal bypass listed...and the cap end is smooth... what are you thinking?

Some progress: I power washed the Harvester with hot water yesterday, it might be clean enough to work on the engine now.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Nothing specific. Strange that item #13 just blows oil back to the pan, usually unfiltered oil to the engine is better than none at all.

 

[Bluox]

Oil pressure at 1500 RPMs 28-57 psi. At idle 12-14 psi check idle 900 RPMs hot oil. We have had problems with other than Cat filters. The test port that nige called out is a oil sample port Cat sells a coupler that you can hook a gauge up to. Check you oil pressure before you start changing parts.
Good luck
Bob

 

[BrianGrenier]

What would Smart Money do for hooking an oil pressure gauge up to the oil sample port?

Is the fitting proprietary or standard thread?

A trip to the CAT® Store might be the sure thing. Maybe buy an OEM oil filter too...??

Summers almost over and yet hasn't officially begun. I don't have a lot of time to waste, but not a lot of money to burn, either. Your thoughts?

 

[Nige]

Back to the top illustration in post #3. Item Ref #22 is an 8C-3446 Sampling Valve. That valve screws into the adapter Ref #20 and has a 7/16" - 20TPI thread sealed with an O-Ring. You could temporarily remove the sampling valve and connect a line to a gauge.

 

[BrianGrenier]

Mechanic error with the oil filter overtight and a deformed gasket was the cause. Pressure looks good as you can see in the picture attached.

The diagrams and suggestions were invaluable. Thank you Nige, Bluox, Birken and my friend Joe at the dump for the advice!!

The CAT® oil sample port turns out to have #4 boss pipe thread. I bought a #4 boss pipe thread to compression fitting, bought some bushings, tie wired the gauge to the firewall, changed the oil filter and installed 5 gallons of DELO® Syn, and fired that thing up and read 60psi.

Bottom line, I find oil filters in general and the upside down filter on this 3066 engine in particular to be an interesting and funky design. This oil filter location has it's good point which is it's easy to change being right on top of the engine. A time before I had under-tightened it and it worked loose. This time it wasn't too loose, but over tight.

Who hasn't installed an oil filter too tight? I have!

 

[Birken Vogt]

How was the oil filter installed too tight?

My hands aren't all that strong so my procedure is to put them on as tight as I can get them by hand without pain. Then start and check for leaks.

One time, I had a leak doing it that way, a little more tightening and it was good. That was about 20 years ago but I still check.

I read a publication somewhere no dents or scratches from tools allowed on a filter, may cause a case rupture so that is why I do it hand only, but I like to get them pretty tight anyway.

Some mechanics have gorilla hands it is true.

 

[BrianGrenier]

The blame was on me, I assumed... I suppose that I followed the directions for one full turn past the filter contact with it's base. Here is a close-up of the gasket, which was very deformed when it was removed and now looks fairly straight with a 'cant' on the gasket to the inside and just a little rise in the center of the pic.

 

[BrianGrenier]

Can I ask a follow-up? There was low or no oil pressure on the girl last I started her which was when the weather was freezing cold. So, I am reviewing this issue again as daytime temps are finally rising above freezing.

Oil pressure was checked with with a mechanical gauge that was installed around the time of post #12.

On Post number three, @Nige helped with two images, the top one is from the Parts manual screen. The relief valve is Ref # 15 in the top image, the Parts Manual screen.

This Ref #15 appears to be #9 as the oil pressure Relief Valve (Ref #9) in the lower schematic, rt?

I pulled that valve out, expecting that I would get oil to flow out the port but there was no weeping or pouring out of oil. Also, the valve seemed unremarkable and I re-installed it.

Is #9 on the top image, the parts manual screen something to check?

Oil level is on the high side mark of the dipstick. Is there anything more to check without getting into the pan. I can fire it up again, but I would like an opinion from you experts! By the way, the motor usually fires right up, no smoke, good power, no knocks.

 

[BrianGrenier]

I had bought a new oil pressure relief valve for what I thought was #15. Instead I got what looks like the main hydraulic pressure relief valve, 310-0395. Anyway, number #15 relief valve is on the right. The way this machine has seemed to have over pressure, then under pressure is causing me to wonder what could be going on!

 

[Mark250]

it is a hydraulic relief for a large number of cat machines

 

[Mark250]

 

[BrianGrenier]

If #15 was removed, should there be oil dripping or otherwise flowing out?

 

[BrianGrenier]

I'm still trying to figure this oil pressure which seems to vary from low pressure to too high pressure. I see at https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/cat-320l-low-oil-pressure-alarm.46999/page-2 a pickup tube was an issue for @Logan