Engine oil degradation analysis of construction equipment in Latin America

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine and describe the effect of oil degradation on the engine of a 20-ton class excavator operating in Latin America. Design/methodology/approach The research parameters include: a specific engine class and equipment, the John Deere PowerTech Plus 6068 Tier 3 diesel engine that powers the 20-ton class excavator; identical OSA3 oil analysis laboratory equipment in 11 target countries in Latin America was employed to analyze oil samples; and the same sampling scope and method were followed for each oil sample. Findings The research results indicated that at 500 h of use, 73.4 percent of the oil sample results indicated that soot accumulation was a significant problem. When associating the engine oil contamination with the environment risk drivers: altitude and diesel quality have the greatest impact on iron readings; bio-diesel impacts copper; and precipitation and poor diesel quality are associated with silicon levels. Practical implications Due to diverse machine operating conditions, research offers an accurate global representation. Because there is an exponential count of particles as oil use approaches 250 h, the interval of engine maintenance (oil change) for machinery operating under similar conditions should not exceed 250 h of use. Originality/value The main contribution of this paper will help machinery final users and manufacturers to implement mitigation strategies to improve engine durability in countries with similar operating conditions.