B2320 Air Filteration System

[termite11]

I own a B2320 with loader and back hoe. I live in NY where there is predominantly sand. Although it is a two (2) stag air filtration system, grit stit enters the engine and I have to change the oil very very frequently.

I spoke with the dealer whom I purchased it from, they said not to worry.

Um, performing maintenance for over 25 years, grit in the oil and engine is a huge potential problem!

Am I missing something?

 

[eserv]

Hi Termite11
You are obviously an above average operator! Most people would operate that tractor and never check how much grit was getting into things. Assuming of course, that you've checked the whole air system for leaks, the proper thing to do is what you have done, increase your oil change interval. The interval in the operators manual is for AVERAGE conditions which you are most certainly not in. If you are getting that much sand into the engine I'd also put a gas line filter on my transmission vent to help keep the sand out of the transmission. You could try to find a precleaner for it or maybe source out a more aggressive air filter, but I think changing the oil more often is the right route to go. They don't hold a lot of oil, it probably won't break you to change it more often.
Ed

 

[bruceatlam]

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me that the "grit" would be sand entering through the air cleaner and then settling in the oil pan. Would make more sense that the grit was carbon blowing by the rings and then accumulating in the oil pan. How much blow by can you see?? If you see a lot, maybe you ought to check the compression. If it's low, you might suspect your rings are bad. Is your oil real black??

 

[eserv]

Well, there I went assuming again! I assumed the owner has had oil analysis done and knew he was getting silicon into the oil. If he is just looking at the oil and thinking it looked dirty then probably there isn't a problem.
Ed

 

[ipz2222]

Yea, sand comeing thru the air filter down into the eng doesn't make sense. That eng would be eat up in no time. Sand or grit getting in to the crankcase thru a vent is a possibility.

 

[eserv]

Sand cannot get by the air filter. But in very dusty conditions fine dust will. If you do oil analysis it shows up . Oil analysis is the best way to determine the proper oil change frequency. Most engine oil is changed much more often than it really needs to be. usually changing the oil more frequently is more cost effective than performing oil analysis though. Large operations, with very expensive equipment and large oil capacities do it religiously. I have worked with some of them and found the results very eyeopening! I have seen some oilfield engines load up with silicon in a very short time even with excellent air filtration systems.