Valve Cover Gasket

[92U 3406]

On Cat machines its normally just a service counter and will flash a reminder that the DPF service is due. It won't prohibit regeneration.

What is leading you to say the DPF is no good? There is a list of criteria/conditions that need to be met before a regen will start. Some active faults will prevent a regen as well.

Only way I can think of that the machine will prohibit regen with the DPF truely being no good is if you run the soot level up to 140% plus (I think) 10 or 15 minutes. To reach that stage you'd have to have knowingly overrode the warnings and put up with annoying beeps and having a derated engine for a while.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

The "clock" reads about 1,850 hours. The engine (serial numbers match) ecm says over 4,000 hours. So in short the machine has over 4,000 hours. I don't know the history of the machine. I have only put about 40 hours on it in the year I have had it. I run it wide open when it runs.

What do you mean by exchange unit? The whole dpf assembly or just the filter?

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

The machine warning was at the highest threat level before derating. I ignored the warning until it said basically pull over and have the service tool hooked up to do a manual regen.
The soot readout was over 100%--I think around 115%. The tech tried his hardest to get it to regen but it wouldn't. He said it was toast-I think he said they do this at about 4,000 hours.

 

[92U 3406]

Its been a while so I could be wrong but at 115% I believe the dealer would have to get Caterpillar involved. Either with passwords or something else. I no longer have access to anything Caterpillar so I can't confirm unfortunately. Once it hits I believe 140% the DPF needs to be replaced, regardless of hours on it.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

It could have been more. I trust this CAT tech. He had the CAT regen "expert" on the phone and the consensus was it is toast.

 

[92U 3406]

If the DPF has already passed its service interval the first thing they'll recommend is replacing the DPF since its a maintenance item. If its never been cleaned or replaced in the (assumed) 4,000 hours of operation, its likely due. Again I can't remember off hand what the recommend interval on the C3.8 is but its probably around 3,000 hours.

 

[John C.]

The original hours was a range of 4 to 5 thousand and the ash had to be cleaned out of the DPF. Most dealers don't have the machine to do that. It's one of things I do for my clients now is review the hours and recommend the DPF be cleaned prior to any sale going down. Your component is likely filled with ash and now the brain says you have to spend some more money. An exchange unit is one that is already cleaned. You give them yours and some money and they give you the "exchange" unit to install on your machine. You still have to have someone out to reset the brain before you can go back to work.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

There is a company within an hours drive that cleans the filter--they have 4 levels of cleaning they do. They also sell new filters. Everything I have heard and read says removing the dpf is a huge PITA. The CAT tech says it is a shop job--the mobile techs don't do it.
I also heard you can buy a whole new dpf assembly. Not sure which route is the best.

 

[heymccall]

"Criteria not met"...I'd like to see the codes before condemning the DPF. Not familiar with that engine, but, a skewed reading from an egt sensor, plugged differential pressure sensor tube, and/ or a faulty ARD injector can all cause a failure to meet conditions.

 

[John C.]

I would agree about checking codes before just pulling the DPF. If there is anything else wrong it should be cleared first. But if the dealer wrench was there and plugged into the system, I would have to assume that those items were checked as described above. This is also one of the small machines that use passive regeneration which means an operator doesn't have to do anything about monitoring if and when regeneration is needed. With that in mind and considering the time frame on the hour meter, it is logical to think that the DPF is full of ash. I don't know about about having to have the machine at the Cat shop and knowing what I know about Cat dealers, I would hesitate about putting any machines in one of those black holes that suck up customer money. When I started in the business engine, transmission and hydraulic system repairs and rebuilds were commonly done in the field. In the last fifteen or so years, it seems that nothing can be done in the field. In my humble opinion and experience, dealer shops keep customer eyes and job management out of the view of their customers. You only get to see the bill with no say in the process.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

I'm doing the job myself. I just need to learn what I need to do.

 

[92U 3406]

I've never done a 299 DPF, tons of 289 DPFs. Chances are you'll be pulling the engine as the DPF is bolted onto a bracket above the flywheel housing. Its not a horrible job pulling the engine but its not pleasant either.

 

[Cmark]

One thing that caught me out at first is that once any faults inhibiting regen are repaired, it won't respond to a manual regen straight away. It will just sit there idling with no indication in ET of what's going on and "Regen Inhibited" showing, then after several minutes it will suddenly clear the flag and go into regen.

Did the mechanic clear the logged faults? What faults other than the E1239 do you have now?

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

I remember the tech trying that. It didn't work and I believe that is when he made the call to the dpf specialist. He spent over an hour trying. I'm not sure what codes are in there now.

 

[heymccall]

Won't regen.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

Here is a good view of the dpf. The manual says to remove four bolts underneath and the intake and exhaust pipes.
I can see it will be difficult to get to the underneath bolts.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

At the end of the grey pipe is an access panel that I believe will give me a shot at the underneath bolts. There is a bunch of stuff to remove first.
Has anyone done this on a 299?

 

[92U 3406]

This is where Cat's literature kinda sucks. If you're looking specifically at the C3.8 manual, it will either state at the start "Start by - Remove Engine" or it assumes the engine is out on the floor.

If you look up the procedure specific to the machine, it will most likely state to remove the engine.


I have not done a 299 DPF but on the smaller machines, yes it is possible to remove all those hydraulic lines and valves and access the DPF that way. Time-wise, on the smaller machines its about the same using either method.

 

[Jeffrey Bandel]

Yeah, the manual is just short of useless. Mine doesn't mention anything about removing the engine. It has 4 steps. Remove multiple sensors, remove underneath bolts, remove intake and exhaust bolts, lift it out. That's it. You'll be done in an hour and drinking a beer.