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Cat 310 pump oil question
- Thread starter coincarwash.ca
- Start date
LOL on most pumps it comes down to...is your pump still under warranty or not? If it is under warranty use the manufacturer's suggested oil. This is a common means to void a warranty. If it is not under warranty any longer then this becomes a non issue. I have customers that use a variety of oils and never have a problem. The only concern maybe if there is something specific to that model pump that may become a issue.
MEP001
Well-known member
I've used a 3:1 mix of non-detergent oil and transmission fluid in all sorts of pumps for a lot of years - I started doing it to remove water in the crankcase of a pump that had another problem. I'd repair a customer's pump and recommend that they change the oil again in a few days to remove the mixture and the remaining water, and many times I'd return to the site years later and the customer had never changed the oil in the pump at all since then. I haven't seen an oil-related failure of a pump with which I've done this, and it doesn't harm the oil seals.
I used to change the oil in my pumps about once a year. The oil I drained out looked fine. About 20 years ago I quit changing the oil in my Cat pumps. They are still running today, with no problems. If I had water in the oil I?d think about changing the oil. I guess should check the oil level and see if there is any water in the oil.
Dubois Laundry/Carwash
2 bay SS (and laundromat)
Bubbles Galore
Active member
I was just wondering what kind of maintinence schedule you guys have for your pumps. I bought my wash in November, and want to get a good schedule for keeping my pumps running properly. I know about changing the oil every 500 hrs. or 6 months. What else do you guys do to keep your 310's running good? Or is it more along the lines of just fix something when it breaks?
I am in so calif and some of my customers are OLD OLD washes 50+ yrs old. The water lines end up getting heavily corroded, this corrosion breaks loose and travels to the equipment. A simple fix is a inline filter before your pumps. Maintenance is cleaning the filter when it becomes dirty. I have one customer that has to clean his once a week.
I never change the oil in my Cat 310 pumps anymore, I don?t think it?s necessary. If you feel the need use Cat pump oil. If the oil isn?t milky and it?s up the red bubble in the sight gauge then it?s OK. I do keep 3 valves and a seal kit on hand. The seal kit is probably dry rotted by now. God only knows how old it is. In 27 years I?ve had one pump failure. I think I?ve replaced the seals a couples of times is all. I do wipe them down from time to time.
MEP001
Well-known member
Other than routine oil changes, your only other maintenance is seals and o-rings. If you keep a close eye on the pressure and smoothness of the pump and replace o-rings and seals immediately when you feel a pulsation, you'll minimize the chance of a manifold washout.Bubbles Galore said:
I agree with Mep. It is good maintenance on the equipment. It helps in keeping track of the state of the equipment. Also limits the equipment from working harder over a extended period of time by a maintenance issue going unnoticed.
Bubbles Galore
Active member
So what would you use when you change the oil? Would you go with CAT oil or some other product? I just had a manifold washout recently, so that is why I am even more interested in proper maintenance. My pumps also use city water when running on the rinse cycle through a NC solenoid. Is there anything special about those solenoids or are they just your basic one? I noticed today that the ball valves on three of the inlets are closed, and I would like to get them fixed as soon as possible.
Kevin James
Active member
I have to agree with Randy. Why change the pump oil if there isn?t any water in it or if it?s clean? How is not changing the oil in the pump going to make the equipment work any harder? If you do the math you?re more than likely going to be money ahead by not changing the oil. If it?s broke I?ll fix it if not broke then I don?t mess with it. I don?t change my oil in my pumps and they work just fine. If I was a service tech I?d probably recommend regular oil changes.
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
Bubbles, I am one of those that never changes oil, but if I have to drain and refill one for some reason I just use HD-30 from any store. I have had only one Cat crankcase failure in my lifetime. That pump was nearly new and still had the Cat oil in it. The type of oil will have no effect on washout since the oil doesn't go to the manifold.
MEP001
Well-known member
I do use Cat oil, but I've seen lots of pumps with non-detergent oil in them. I have to buy it by the 2.5 gallon jug anyway for the 3535 in the auto, so it's pretty cheap for 17 ounces.
Bubbles Galore, my bet would be that the rinse solenoid ball valves were closed because they were weeping. I've been using the Dema 473P for some time now and haven't had any problems with them. None of the original 412P solenoids lasted much more than a year, then they started sticking open.
Bubbles Galore, my bet would be that the rinse solenoid ball valves were closed because they were weeping. I've been using the Dema 473P for some time now and haven't had any problems with them. None of the original 412P solenoids lasted much more than a year, then they started sticking open.
Bubbles Galore
Active member
Thanks MEP. It sometimes feel like I inherited a pandora's box when I bought this place. Its seems like I am finding something new every day that was cobbled together. Oh well, next time I will build new and I can do the cobbling =)
If there is nothing wrong with the oil then the pump shouldn't work harder. I meant it more as a means of catching something before it becomes an issue. IMO a few dollars for oil is better than a few hundred IF there is a missed issue on the pump.
Of course I am one of those that changes the oil on diesel truck every 3000 miles instead of 4500+ like most diesel owners. If saved my block once!
Kevin James
Active member
I don?t think you can compare an oil change in your trucks Diesel engine to the oil change in a Cat pump. There isn?t any combustion in the cat pump to contaminate the oil like there is in a Diesel engine. It?s the fuel combustion that contaminates the oil in a Diesel engine. I?m still with Randy, So why change the oil in my Cat pumps? If I change the oil in my cat pumps what should I be looking for to head off any problems? Water in the oil? I don?t need to change the oil to see water in the oil.
