I attended the FMCA Rally last week in Pomona. Lucky me, it was only a 12 minute drive from home. I really enjoyed myself. This was my first ever rally. I was like a kid in a candy store for the first time. I brought back home some nice new gadgets and tons of valuable information.
The CAT Engine Seminar that I attended was very informational. They put on a very good seminar. Below are some of the highlights. I don't profess to be a diesel mechanic or engineer, so if you disagree with any of this stuff, please don't look at me, I'm only trying to convey the info put out by CAT.
<LI>Your CAT Engine Serial Number is your key to identifying correct replacement parts and service information from CAT. Write it down and save it in a readily accessible place.
<LI>The standard CAT Factory Warranty on new engines is 5 years or 200K miles. Optional coverage up to 10 years is also available through CAT. Both warranties transfer over to subsequent owners.
<LI>Engine Coolant: Cat recommends using their coolant for maximum protection. A 50/50 mix of CAT Diesel Engine Antifreeze and Coolant and distilled or de-ionized water is recommended. You should clean and recharge your coolant system every 3 years or 20K miles. In between recharging, CAT recommends testing your coolant's SCA (Supplemental Coolant Additives) level with CAT Coolant Test Strips.
<LI>CAT also manufactures an Extended Life Coolant (ELC). This coolant is pink in color. It is sold pre-mixed with water, or in concentrated form without water. It is good for 6 years or 600K miles! There is no need to test the ELC for SCA's. But you should add CAT's ELC extender liquid 3 years after your intial fill with ELC. Adding anything else to ELC will contaminate it and shorten it's life.
<LI>More on Engine Cooling: CAT recommends changing your thermostat every 3 years. It is a good idea to carry an extra set of radiator hoses as well as an extra serpentine belt with you on the road. CAT recommends cleaning and de-greasing both sides of your engine radiator annually with Simple Green or something similar. Do not use anything too harsh, and do not use a pressure washer when rinsing it off, as the high pressure can bend the radiator fins. Use only normal water pressure from a garden hose.
<LI>Engine Oil: Only add engine oil when the level is at or below the add mark on your dipstick. CAT really stresses this point. They said it is better to run a little low than a little high.
<LI>If your crankcase blow by (slobber) tube makes a mess, CAT now manufactures a sealed unit called the Mist Filtration System, to replace the slobber tube. The system returns all oil and vapors back into the crankcase (something gasoline engines have been doing for decades). CAT sells these for $309.00.
<LI>CAT introduced a chart that compared their High Capacity Fuel Filters with those manufactured by Fleetguard, Donaldson, Baldwin and Wix. The CAT filter performed much better than all of the other filters. Surprisingly, according to their chart, Wix performed terribly.
<LI>CAT recommends using CAT Fuel Conditioner (part no. 256-4968) with every tank of fuel. This conditioner is said to eliminate microorganisms during storage, while providing extra lubricity for today's Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel.
<LI>Bio-Diesel: CAT warns not to use any diesel fuel with a bio-diesel blend higher than 30%. NEVER use straight bio-diesel.
<LI>CAT recommends checking and cleaning the Engine Battery Ground Stud annually. Corrosion at the stud has been known to cause some strange electrical malfunctions, according to CAT.
<LI>Valve Lash Adjustment: CAT recommends having this service performed by a CAT dealer at 30K miles. It should be done once every 100K miles thereafter.
<LI>Fuel Savings: Limit your idle time. There is no need to idle today's modern diesel engines. CAT engines reach operating temperature (180 degrees) within a few minutes of start-up. Any more time than that and you are pouring fuel out your exhaust pipe. Excessive idling can even cause engine damage.
<LI>CAT makes an RV D-I-Y friendly maintenance package called the RV Cruise Kit. It contains an oil filter, fuel filter, work gloves and lots of other neat goodies. They sell for $86.00. I was putting down my money for the last one left at the rally, when I realized that the fuel filter in the kit wouldn't fit my engine. You can get more information on the kit by going
here.
<LI>The Cat RV Club has lots of valuable information on their web site,
www.catrvclub.org
Club members receive a 10% discount on parts and service from CAT, upon presentation of a Cat RV Club membership card.
CAT gave out several nice handouts during their seminar. One of these handouts answered FAQ's and gave instructions on how you can calibrate your dipstick yourself at home. CAT stressed that this is important, because CAT engine dipsticks are not installed by CAT, but rather the individual chassis manufacturers. Thus, they can vary in lengths and markings.
I've scanned the above mentioned handout into a PDF file. If you would like a copy, PM me your email address and I'll be glad to email you one.
I also attended the Allison Transmission Seminar. Unfortunately they put on a terrible seminar. The only thing the speaker uttered that was of any use to me, was:
<LI>Checking your transmission fluid level remotely with your gear selector, is more accurate than checking it with the dipstick.
About a third of the seminar attendees, including myself, walked out about 40 minutes into the Allison seminar, when the speaker began playing a video designed for truck drivers that showed you how to shift your Allison automatic transmission. I didn't need a video to tell me how to do that, so I left.
Craig
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