Oil Changed & Calibrating Dipstick Done (But)

[LeeB]

I called Caterpillar told them my engine SN and have a shallow pan. They said 22qts with filter. I just got the oil changed and after 1 hour checked the dipstick and with the oil so clean it is hard to see where the oil is on the dipstick. I looked at it at least 10 times. 1 side of the dipstick it looks like the oil is showing about a inch above full and the other side the oil is spread all the way to the top a good 8 inches (I think it is cause it drags along the tube.....

I guess what I need to ask is, if you Calibrated your dipstick where is your full mark at?.......

Thanks LeeB

[Skip426]

I think you got some wrong info , BUT things may have changed , year to year, the manual that came with my coach and 3126B, shallow steel pan, lists 19 quarts for service with filter and 22 quarts for overhaul with filter ; overhaul meaning all oil galleries in the block , head, HEUI pump & crankshaft are dry.
Doing a calibration, with the 19 quarts measured into the engine, the original full mark was 3/4" above current one, lessened blow-by ( slobber) considerably.
Checking the dipstick tube install , I found the installation stop on the tube was 3/4" above the block , but having been like that for over a decade , I wasn't about to try and move it.

JMHO: If you start to see more slobber than normal , and the oil level going down rapidly , don't add oil to the full mark, it will probably stabilize at your current add line till the next change; then do 19 quarts.

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by Skip426

I think you got some wrong info , BUT things may have changed , year to year, the manual that came with my coach and 3126B, shallow steel pan, lists 19 quarts for service with filter and 22 quarts for overhaul with filter ; overhaul meaning all oil galleries in the block , head, HEUI pump & crankshaft are dry.
Doing a calibration, with the 19 quarts measured into the engine, the original full mark was 3/4" above current one, lessened blow-by ( slobber) considerably.
Checking the dipstick tube install , I found the installation stop on the tube was 3/4" above the block , but having been like that for over a decade , I wasn't about to try and move it.

JMHO: If you start to see more slobber than normal , and the oil level going down rapidly , don't add oil to the full mark, it will probably stabilize at your current add line till the next change; then do 19 quarts.

I have a Cat 350 sn# KAL26239 (if that makes a difference) but the guy I talked to at Cat was very adamant about it being 22... He described the 2 pans and 1 has ridges and is deep and the 1 I have is smooth sides and shallow.. But I will do as you say and keep a eye on the slobber tube and see what happens......
Thanks LeeB

[Skip426]

My manual says the deep pan is aluminum , shallow steel , strange he wouldn't describe it that way.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by LeeB

I have a Cat 350 sn# KAL26239 (if that makes a difference) but the guy I talked to at Cat was very adamant about it being 22... He described the 2 pans and 1 has ridges and is deep and the 1 I have is smooth sides and shallow.. But I will do as you say and keep a eye on the slobber tube and see what happens......
Thanks LeeB

LeeB,
I too think something's seriously wrong with the tech that told you 22 qts on a shallow pan. We've owned our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP for over 5 years now and, it also has the shallow pan, (as I understand it, about 98% of the C-7s out there are equipped with the shallow, steel pan) and every single bit of information that's been provided on here, other RV forums and in the CAT world in general, has lead to the fact that the shallow pan equipped CATs, are 19 quart engines.

And yes, if a 19 qt pan/engine is over oiled, (too much oil), it has a pretty serious effect on blow-by operations. Of all the info I've ever seen, printed or otherwise, I've yet to see anything that states a shallow pan is anything other than 19 quarts.

And, if your dipstick is reading that high after a 22 quart change, it appears you've found your reason. My serial number is KAL06566

If you have documented proof that a shallow pan is a 22 quart pan, I'd sure like to see it because, it would mean I've been running under the prescribed amount of oil for over 5 years and 28,000 miles.
Scott

P.S. The below information was taken from a "Frequently asked questions" on a CAT document. I could not copy and paste it in it's more understandable form so, I simply ran the cursor over it and copied what I thought was pertinent for this post. I think you'll see the shallow pan is a 19 qt pan.
Scott

Serial Number Prefix Oil Pan Sump Miles/Years
1WM 19 Quarts (18L) Shallow 6,000 Miles / 1 Year
1WM 29 Quarts (27L) Deep 10,000 Miles / 1 Year
7AS, 8YL, CKM,
HEP
22 Quarts (21L) Shallow 11,000 Miles / 1Year
7AS, 8YL, CKM,
HEP
30 Quarts (28L)
Deep 15,000 Miles / 1 Year
KAL, SAP, WAX* 19 Quarts (18L)
Shallow 11,000 Miles / 1 Year
KAL, SAP, WAX* 27 Quarts (25L)
Deep 15,000 Miles / 1 Year
* Fill volumes changed due to side mounted breather

[cbeierl]

The shallow pan C7 was originally spec'd for 22 qts, but as indicated by FIRE UP's info above it was changed to 19 qts. This was because in going from the 3126 to the C7 they moved the breather tube a bit lower on the side of the engine and this resulted in increased oil lossage through the breather tube when filled to 22 qts.

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

LeeB,
I too think something's seriously wrong with the tech that told you 22 qts on a shallow pan. We've owned our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP for over 5 years now and, it also has the shallow pan, (as I understand it, about 98% of the C-7s out there are equipped with the shallow, steel pan) and every single bit of information that's been provided on here, other RV forums and in the CAT world in general, has lead to the fact that the shallow pan equipped CATs, are 19 quart engines.

And yes, if a 19 qt pan/engine is over oiled, (too much oil), it has a pretty serious effect on blow-by operations. Of all the info I've ever seen, printed or otherwise, I've yet to see anything that states a shallow pan is anything other than 19 quarts.

And, if your dipstick is reading that high after a 22 quart change, it appears you've found your reason. My serial number is KAL06566

If you have documented proof that a shallow pan is a 22 quart pan, I'd sure like to see it because, it would mean I've been running under the prescribed amount of oil for over 5 years and 28,000 miles.
Scott

Well darn now you all have me convinced that 19qts is what I should have... My next question is HOW DO I REMOVE the 3qts over without making a huge mess? Also all I know is my engine is a C-7 the other number people refer to what and where do I find them....?

Scott; I have no documented proof (only my phone call to CAT) and thinking back to our conversation he was quite short with me and seemed like I was a inconvenience for me calling..

Thanks again LeeB

[Skip426]

Lee, Somewhere about 04 , Cat changed the engine designation from 3126E to C-7.
All I know is that my " B " engine has a decal on the valve cover that states 3126. I had to figure the B out from , years of production, info on line.

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Lee, Somewhere about 04 , Cat changed the engine designation from 3126E to C-7.
All I know is that my " B " engine has a decal on the valve cover that states 3126. I had to figure the B out from , years of production, info on line.

Skip my coach is a "04" and here is a picture....

[cbeierl]

Here's a useful CAT document which includes the oil capacities:

Cat RV Engine Recommendations_LEHT9288-06

(You'll need to click on Download once you follow the link.)

[mel s]

Originally Posted by LeeB

I called Caterpillar told them my engine SN and have a shallow pan. They said 22qts with filter. I just got the oil changed and after 1 hour checked the dipstick and with the oil so clean it is hard to see where the oil is on the dipstick. I looked at it at least 10 times. 1 side of the dipstick it looks like the oil is showing about a inch above full and the other side the oil is spread all the way to the top a good 8 inches (I think it is cause it drags along the tube.....
I guess what I need to ask is, if you Calibrated your dipstick where is your full mark at?.......
Thanks LeeB

LeeB
My Cat engine has the deep cast aluminum oil pan.
I re-calibrated the full mark on my dip stick at 28 quarts as recommended by Cat.

Yours should be re-calibrated when the correct amount of oil is in it...per the recommendation of Cat...based on the serial number of the engine in your coach.
Call the Caterpillar RV Hotline, (877 777-3126), with your engine serial number and get the recommendation for your particular engine.

After you put in the correct amount of oil start the engine to circulate the oil. fill the oil filter. etc.... then shut it off and remove the dip stick.
Let everything sit overnight and allow the oil to drain out of the tube.
In the morning insert the dry dipstick...then remove it ONLY ONCE and mark the full level.

Mel
'96 Safari, 3126 Cat

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

Here's a useful CAT document which includes the oil capacities:

Cat RV Engine Recommendations_LEHT9288-06

(You'll need to click on Download once you follow the link.)

I found this very interesting thank you so MUCH...

Originally Posted by mel s

LeeB
My Cat engine has the deep cast aluminum oil pan.
I re-calibrated the full mark on my dip stick at 28 quarts as recommended by Cat.

Yours should be re-calibrated when the correct amount of oil is in it...per the recommendation of Cat...based on the serial number of the engine in your coach.
Call the Caterpillar RV Hotline, (877 777-3126), with your engine serial number and get the recommendation for your particular engine.

After you put in the correct amount of oil start the engine to circulate the oil. fill the oil filter. etc.... then shut it off and remove the dip stick.
Let everything sit overnight and allow the oil to drain out of the tube.
In the morning insert the dry dipstick...then remove it ONLY ONCE and mark the full level.

Mel
'96 Safari, 3126 Cat

Thank you very much I like the idea of leaving the dip stick OUT overnight and inserting it ONCE.... I intend on doing exactly that....

Thank you ALL LeeB