Extended hydraulic oil lifetime on Caterpillar 794AC haul trucks
An iron ore mine in Brazil struggled with hydraulic oil contamination above OEM recommendations, even for new oil stored on site. After fitting six Caterpillar 794AC haul trucks with CJC® Oil Filters in a kidney loop, the mine maintained OEM-recommended cleanliness and extended oil lifetime from 1,500 to 4,000 operating hours.
Customer case written by: Mr. Daniel A. Bleher, C.C.JENSEN A/S, Denmark
Application Snapshot
Industry:
Mining
Country:
Brazil
Oil type:
SAE 10W hydraulic oil
Executive summary
An iron ore mine in Brazil experienced contamination levels exceeding OEM recommendations, even in new hydraulic oil stored in on-site storage tanks. The average contamination level of new oil in 2021 was ISO 22/20/16.
To reduce contamination to an OEM acceptable level and increase usable oil lifetime and equipment availability, six CAT 794AC haul trucks were fitted with CJC® Oil Filters (CJC® HDU 27/27 with CJC® Filter Inserts B 27/27). Each filter was installed on the cab deck and connected directly to the hydraulic tank in a kidney loop, making the installation non-critical to the system even if the oil filter requires service.
Following installation, the mine maintained an average cleanliness level of 18/16/13 during a 4,000-hour period and extended oil lifetime from 1,500 hours to 4,000 hours. This reduced oil consumption and provided direct cost savings by avoiding the purchase of new oil.
OEM-recommended cleanliness maintained
Average hydraulic oil cleanliness was maintained at ISO 18/16/13 during a 4,000-hour period.
Reduced oil consumption and direct savings
Extending oil lifetime from 1,500 to 4,000 hours saved 4,250 litres of hydraulic oil per year per truck.
No system-related component exchanges
No exchange of system-related components occurred during the 4,000-hour measured period.
Lower environmental impact from reduced oil consumption
Reduced oil consumption provides environmental benefits, including reduced risk if oil is not disposed properly and lower GHG emissions related to oil production.
Improving hydraulic oil cleanliness in haul truck operation
The objective was to reduce contamination to an OEM acceptable level and increase usable oil lifetime and equipment availability.
After installing CJC® Oil Filters on the six haul trucks, the operation maintained an average cleanliness level of ISO 18/16/13 throughout a measured 4,000-hour period, even though the oil had reached 4,000 operating hours.
By maintaining clean oil, the hydraulic oil lifetime was extended from 1,500 hours to 4,000 hours, supporting longer service intervals and stable equipment operation.
Measurable results and operational impact
Extending oil lifetime from 1,500 hours to 4,000 hours reduced oil consumption significantly. The case documents an average oil lifetime extension from 1,535 hours before oil filtration to 4,390 hours with CJC® Oil Filters installed.
The extended oil lifetime saved 4,250 litres of hydraulic oil per year per truck. Over an operational life of 70,000 hours, the six CAT 794AC haul trucks would save a total of 255,000 litres of hydraulic oil, corresponding to USD 637,500 in hydraulic oil alone (at USD 2.5 per litre).
In addition, extending oil lifetime results in reduced labour and maintenance time and increased equipment availability.
Let our experts help you
Get a tailored assessment of your oil condition
and keep your equipment running reliably
