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Wayne
05-06-2004 22:21:22
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Re: Re: Important info about komatsu in reply to Davis In SC, 05-06-2004 21:32:28
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Hey Davis, I've never had any dealings with the Skat-Traks so I'm not really qualified to make that judgement. I will say if the dealers service people all say the same thing as the manual then that's what you need to use. The service guys are the ones that see the problems and the causes, and if it isn't causing any problems then it must be OK in that application. Personally I feel the engineers designing this equipment always have a reason for recomending one thing or another. Often they don't know what it is any more than we do, that's why we have to always be watching and using our heads to make sure we don't screw up over some common sense thing that they did wrong..... . Actually though what I was trying to pass on here was a contridiction in what Komatsu's manuals say -vs- what their service people say and what has always been common practice in the industry for more than one very good reasons. The use of a detergent oil in a hydraulic system can cause anything from foaming in the oil which will cause cavitation in the pump and result in premature pump failure, to it picking up waste/contaminants in the oil and depositing it as sludge throughout the system. Unlike an engine which is a fairly small system that has few actual "dead spots" where sludge can form and really be a problem, a hydraulic system is a large system with many dead spots, where sludge buildup could be very detrimental to the system operation. If you think about all the valves, spools, orifices, etc in a typical system it doesn't take but a little sludge in the wrong spot to cause major problems..... .. I haven't looked at any of our Komatsu dozer manuals yet but I imagine they also call for the same type oil (engine oils /multigrades) in the transmissions too. I know the excavator gave multi-grade "engine oil" as being acceptable in everything from the engine, to the final drives, to the hydraulics....basically everywhere but the fuel tank.... I don't know what all types of transmissions they use in their equipment but in some cases it will kill a transmission too. If you use a detergent oil in most transmissions that use clutch discs (like a CAT Powershift) or in a rear housing with a wet type steering clutch, it can also cause problems, but for a different reason than the hydraulics. Detergent type engine oils aren't recomended in these applications because they are simply too slick and can cause the clutches to slip causing premature wear in them. The main thing, just like in this case, is if your not sure..ASK....because the manufacturers nowdays are sure not gonna come right out and tell you they have screwed up.....First it would make them look bad, and second look how may more parts their able to sell when the equipment breaks because you follow their recomendations..... it's not their fault you took their word for things and didn't ask.....
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