Technical Tidbits
4-09-08
CAT C7 now available in 360HP and up to 925lb-ft
'07 CAT C7 Spec Sheets and more!
New '07 C7 Spec Sheet - Click Here
New '07 Engine Comparison Chart - Click Here
C7 'Sell Sheet' - Click Here
OR
Go to CAT web site -
CAT On-Highway Engines: RV>RV Engines>C7
https://ohe.cat.com/cda/layout?m=85540&x=7
Posted 4-09-08
Mystery Picture
(Click on photo for larger image)
Photo is a 2007 Country Coach with the updated C9 425HP 1350 lb-ft,
mated to the new CAT CX-28 Transmission!
Test drives where given at the recent CAT RV Club rally in Newport, OR
Initial reports by members were very favorable.
[Thanks to Tom Schneider of Guaranty RV for making the coach available]
(Click on for larger image)
CX-28 Transmission Control Pad
Posted 8-02-07
CAT Document
CAT Maintenance Seminar FAQs
Updated 6-08-07
Answers for all your engine questions. . .
Engine Oil Capacity -
How to calibrate your oil dipstick -
Cooling System mtce -
Engine Start-up/Storage
and more. . .
Posted 9-09-07
CAT Document
RV Recommendations
New 2007 update
Maintenance Quick Reference info...if you own a new 2007 EPA compliant engine,
this is a must read for new EPA related maintenance items!
maintenance schedules, filter part #s, driving tips, etc.
New EPA Subsystems
Maintenance Intervals for 2007+ Engines Only*
| EPA Sub-system |
Intervals 2007+ Engines |
|
C7/C9 CCV (Closed Crankcase Ventilation) Clean Vent Tube |
3rd oil change or 90,000 miles |
|
C13/C15 OCV (Open Crankcase Ventilation) Change Canister Filter |
3rd oil change or 90,000 miles |
|
CRS Nozzle Clean nozzle |
50,000 miles |
|
Spark Plug (for CRS 'burner') Inspection/Cleaning |
3rd oil change |
|
DPF - Diesel Particulate (Filter Muffler) Clean residual soot - requires special equipment |
Minimum 150,000 miles |
* Serial number prefix for 2007; C7S (C7 engines), C9S (C9 engines), LEE (C13 engines),
SDP (C15 engines)
This is a sample of the new info...for a complete set of info. . .
Mid-range engines - Click Here
or
https://ohe.cat.com/cda/layout?m=72021&x=7
Heavy Duty engines - Click Here
Posted 9-13-07
CAT ACERT Technology - CAT solutions for EPA requirements
Here is some good info on CAT's ACERT systems to meet EPA requirements for 2004 and the new 2007 requirements.
For more CAT ACERT info 2004 vs. 2007 - Click Here
CAT On-Highway Engines - About Us - ACERT Technologies
http://ohe.cat.com/cda/layout?m=115235&x=7
Updated 9-26-07
Posted 4-08-07
FUEL FILTERS
If your CAT engine is mounted in a FTL chassis. . .
for more info on Fuel Filters
For a good explanation of fuel filter configurations
by Brett Wolfe
see - http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/CATRVCLUB/message/8167
Updated 2-03-08
Posted 5-31-07
Secondary Fuel Filters need - 2 Micron Filtration
Q- How big is 2 microns?
MICRON Ratings
Source: Racor Micron Rating brochure - used by permission Parker Hannifin Corp.
Posted 5-31-07
Coolant Info
Confused about Chassis Coolant?
[ If you have a FCCC chassis, the engine coolant is furnished by FCCC, not CAT]
for more info
Posted 5-31-07
RV Cruise Kit
New from CAT
For Details Click Here - PDF
Effective March 5, 2007 suggested retail price for the 286-2577 Cat RV Cruise Kit is $83.80 for the duration of 2007. Actual pricing may vary depending upon Cat dealer.
Posted 3-11-07
Confusion on Valve Adjustment Intervals?
A recent post on the CAT RV Club Yahoo group concerned a CAT dealer that told a RV owner that due to his low mpg, he should change his oil sooner than the recommended 11,000 mi. or one year. Here is Brett Wolfe's reply. . .very informative.
Re: Valve Adjustment interval ...
Posted by: "Brett Wolfe" wolfe10@earthlink.net wolfe102001
Mon Oct 9, 2006 1:05 pm (PST)
The conflicting information on some matters and CERTAINLY
on the
timing for the initial valve adjustment arises because we do not
push the engines nearly as hard as the same engine in a commercial
application.
The original books (written with commercial applications in mind)
showed C7 valve adjustment at 11,000 miles. If you go to rv.cat.com
and click on "RV Engine Maintenance" then on "Mid Range Engine" you
will see that the initial valve adjustment is recommended "before
40,000 miles". Other documents presented at FMCA convention
Maintenance Seminars call for the initial valve adjustment between
1st and 4th oil change (11,000- 44,000 miles).
Some Caterpillar dealerships may believe that all C7's follow the
same schedule. Others with more experience KNOW that we will not
have the engine broken in enough to warrant a valve adjustment after
only 11,000 miles. In fact most of the techs I now who are familiar
with the RV applications recommend waiting until about 30,000 miles
for the initial adjustment.
So the information is not really as contradictory as it may appear
at first blush.
Brett Wolfe
Posted 10-23-06
Your Serpentine Belt is NOT a CAT part!
Re: Serpentine Belt
Posted by: "Brett Wolfe" wolfe10@earthlink.net wolfe102001
Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:26 pm (PST)
First, this applies to all diesel engines, Caterpillar, Cummins and
Detroit. Only the chassis maker can spec the serpentine belt. No
engine manufacturer specs the alternator or A/C compressor-- they
are fit by the chassis builder. What size they are, where they are
installed and pulley sizes ARE determined by the chassis builder.
Now, those engines, like the 3126 and C7 with a Caterpillar separate
water pump belt DO have a Cat part number and are available at Cat
dealers.
Brett Wolfe
President CAT RV Club
Posted 8-24-06
Caterpillar’s
“Understanding Coach RV Performance”
This is an outstanding paper on the factors affecting coach performance and MPG. Technical enough to be accurate yet easily understood.
For more information see -
CAT RV website - http://rv.cat.com
Posted 5-05-06
Bio-diesel info - National Bio-Diesel Board
For a copy of the NBB Bulletin see -
http://www.biodiesel.org/news/bulletin/
CAT Fuel Reqmnts - Bio-Diesel. . .see PDF pages 3-7 (doc pgs. 51-55)
Updated 1-02-07
Posted 10-04-05
FYI
Click on Image for larger view
C7 Engine Oil Level Change
Effective March 1, 2005 all C7 engines leaving the Greenville, SC plant have a new oil pan capacity of 19 Qts. instead of 22 Qts. for C7 RV applications with a shallow sump. This change was brought about after a number of customers were having oil blow-by problems on their towed cars. This problem was due to the redesign of the crankcase breather from on top of the valve cover (3126) to a new side-mount location (C7) to lower the engine height. This was done to accommodate a new F/L chassis with a lowered engine/transmission platform to allow coach builders to construct flat - floor rooms at the rear of new coaches.
The new side-mounted breather assembly is sensitive to over-filling the oil pan. You should check your oil level when the engine is cold...if you check it later down the road, waiting only 10 to 15 minutes for the oil to drain into the crankcase, you may get a false indication of a low oil level. Adding oil at this time, will cause an over-fill condition resulting in oil blow-by via the crankcase breather tube. For a detailed analysis of one case, see our Yahoo Discussion Forum, message #145 (See Links page for link to the Yahoo Forum).
For a detailed statement about this oil capacity change, see our Yahoo Discussion Group message #564. This message came from Tad Petrie, CAT Call Center and explains the change and how to re-calibrate your dip stick. This message also says these new oil pan capacities will not change the current oil change intervals. It also says that if the oil blow-by condition is not present, then the oil capacity does not need to be reduced. This info is now included in the CAT Maintenance Seminar presentation.
For the 3126 owners, you may remember a few years back that the 3126 originally had an oil capacity set at 19 Qts. This was later increased to 22 Qts. to enable a longer interval between oil changes. Also, the 3126 has the crankcase breather cap mounted on top of the valve cover and to my knowledge, oil blow-by has not been a problem on the 3126s.
Comments and feedback are welcome...
Email me...Rudy Morris, Webmaster...morrisrc@att.net
Keep Engine/Chassis Batteries Charged
7-12-06
Posted 11-24-05
Are your chassis (engine) batteries charged when you are parked and plugged into 'shore' power?
You say, yes of course...are you positive? For sure, your RV or House batteries are connected to the charger/inverter when you are plugged into 'shore' power, but your Engine/Chassis batteries may not be!
If not, many new coaches have 2 or 3 slide-out units and some even are quad slides. These new features plus leveling jacks may be run off your Engine/Chassis batteries and operated after you park and shut the engine down . . .meaning you are putting a good sized drain on your Engine/Chassis batteries with NO RECHARGING to boost them back to a fully charged state.
If your slide-outs and leveling jacks are run from your engine/chassis batteries after the motor is shut down, you should consider using an external charger to keep your engine batteries topped off when parked for an extended time.
For more info, see the excellent article entitled 'Take Charge' in the Nov. 2005 issue of Motorhome magazine, pg. 41
For more info - Click Here
Created 4-29-05