General Information
Proper operation and maintenance are key factors in obtaining the maximum life and economy of a vehicle engine. Follow the directions in this manual and the Caterpillar Operation and Maintenance Manual for trouble-free, economical engine operation.
Caterpillar C–10, C–12, C–15, C–16, and 3406E electronic engines can be equipped with a variety of options designed to warn the driver of engine malfunctions. The driver of a vehicle equipped with these engines should know the extent of the warning system in order to bring the vehicle to a safe stop if the engine malfunctions. If the driver doesn't understand how the warning system works, an engine shutdown could cause a safety hazard. See General Information for information on the control panel for these engines.
The electronic control system can monitor engine oil pressure, coolant temperature, intake manifold air temperature, and coolant level. There are four customer programmable levels for Caterpillar engine monitoring: off, warning (factory default), derate, and shutdown.
In the engine monitoring off mode, the ECM (engine control module) will ignore the oil pressure sensor and coolant level sensor (if installed). Engine monitoring warning mode uses oil pressure, coolant temperature, intake manifold temperature, and the coolant level sensor (if installed and enabled). The CHECK ENGINE indicator will flash and the warning signal will come on when the diagnostic code is active. Engine monitoring derate and shutdown modes allow the ECM to alter engine performance or stop the engine to help the engine avoid damage and return to normal conditions.
- Operate the engine at low load. After normal oil pressure is reached and the temperature gauge begins to move, the engine may be operated at full load.
- Keep engine speed to a minimum. An acceptable range is 1200 to 1600 rpm.
- Select a gear that allows a smooth, easy start without
increasing engine speed above low idle or slipping the clutch. Engage
the clutch smoothly. Jerky starts waste fuel and put stress on the
drivetrain.It is not necessary to accelerate Caterpillar electronic engines to governed speed in the lower gears to get the vehicle moving, except in a high power demand situation such as starting on a grade.
- Continue to upshift until cruising speed is reached. Use
only the rpm needed to make an upshift into the next gear. The engine
speed needed to make an upshift increases as the vehicle speed increases
or if upshifts are made on uphill grades. If the vehicle can be operated
in a higher gear after reaching the desired speed, select the highest
gear available that will pull the load. Experience with your vehicle
will show you what rpm is needed to make upshifts under various conditions.
This progressive shifting technique will lower fuel costs because
the engine will be operating at the lowest rpm needed to pull the
load.Caterpillar electronic engines can be programmed to limit engine rpm while the vehicle is operated in the lower and higher gears. This feature assists the driver in following progressive shifting techniques.
- On uphill grades, begin downshifting when the engine speed falls to 1200 rpm for C–10, C–12, C–15, C–16, and 3406E electronic engines. Fuel economy will be best if you let the engine lug back to around this speed before you downshift. Downshift until a gear is reached in which the engine will pull the load. Let the engine lug down if you can make it to the top of a hill without downshifting.
- On a downhill grade, do not coast or put the transmission
in neutral. Select the correct gear that does not allow the engine
to exceed its maximum speed. Use the brakes to limit the vehicle speed.
A simple rule to follow is to select the same gear (or one gear lower) than would be needed to go up the grade.
- As with any engine, prolonged idling of Caterpillar engines
is not recommended. An idling engine wastes fuel and if left unattended,
is also unsafe.Caterpillar engines can be programmed to shut off automatically after a specified idling time. The vehicle transmission must be in neutral and the parking brake must be set for the automatic shutoff option to work.
Important: Do not let C–10, C–12, C–15, C–16, and 3406E electronic engines exceed 2300 rpm (2100 rpm if equipped with an exhaust brake).