DIESEL APPLICATIONS
On land and industry MILITEC-1 is used anywhere friction needs to be reduced in metal to metal environments. It will improve efficiency, prolong equipment life, reduce downtime, and help protect against catastrophic failure. It effects the bottom line by reducing energy usage, reducing maintenance costs and reducing capital equipment replacement.
At one of the world's largest oil refineries in Texas, oil analysis studies involving a Caterpillar 988B Loader with a 3408 diesel engine documented a dramatic decline in copper fall out.
Navy Testing on MILITEC-1's Effectiveness
Source of Information
Mike is an E-9 Engineman and 4314 Diesel Inspector in the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. He was Shop Master for the engine overhaul facility at the Shore Intermediate Maintenance ActMty (SIMA) in San Diego, California. For a period of 8 months he had considerable experience in the use of MILITEC-1. The following interview report is based on his personal experience and is not meant to represent the official views of the U.S. Navy.
Early Skepticism
Mike was initially skeptical of the MILITEC-1 claims and any "mechanic-in-a-bottle". It was only when he observed a dramatic change in the way the machine shop tools were working (drilling, tapping and cutting) with MILITEC-1 applied that he thought that there might be something of value here.
MILITEC-1 as an Assembly Lube
The first step then was to try MILITEC-1as an assembly lube. The pre-lube compounds that were then being used for assembly
lubrication were interfering with the oil analyses that were done subsequent to break-in. These lubricants had copper oxilates and other compounds which would confuse the oil analysis readings. Mike thought that MILITEC-1 might provide the necessary assembly lubrication but without interfering with the oil analyses. He found that not only did it provide such a benefit, but it also afforded much greater protection of the metal surfaces.
A major problem for the metal surfaces is that once engines are overhauled, there often is a considerable time lag before they are put into operation. Lubricants that have been used during assembly are inadequate to protect the metal surfaces from considerable rust, corrosion and acidity. The oils are hydroscopic (water-absorbing) in nature and therefore promoted the rust and corrosion activity. When MILITEC-1 was used, the metal surfaces remained in excellent condition.
Protection for Emergency Diesels
This same problem also existed for emergency diesels that were run only for emergency or periodic tests and were damaged by inactivity. While MILITEC-1 also protected the metal surfaces of these engines when they were inactive, it protected them equally well during start-up. These engines come on line with full power and full speed with no warm-up. Considerable wear occurs before the lubricating oil has had a chance to fully circulate. Mike found that this wear did not occur when MILITEC-1 was used. For the newly overhauled engines, Mike found that the normal piston scuffing and bearing scrape that occurred during break-in disappeared when MILITEC-1 was used.
The Need for Operating Parameters
The diesel engines used for normal operations are Stewart & Stevenson 149s (16V Detroit Diesels that are modified by Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. and attached to a generator set before delivery to the Navy). They have manufacturer-required operating parameters that are important to follow to minimize wear. This is especially important for start-up and shut-down. For start-up, the engines should not be accelerated until the oil has had a chance to fully circulate. For shut-down, engines need to be idled first.
Out-of-Parameter Operation
Mike does regular inspections of his overhauled engines to see how well they are performing in service. He cannot monitor the engines during use so he cannot know how they were operated. If the engines have problems, his facility could come under
criticism for an inadequate job. Yet, the problems of an engine may be due to "out-of-parameter" operation rather than any inadequacy during the rebuild. Mike found that MILITEC-1 protected the engine against abuse by "out-of-parameter" operation. When he inspected engines that had been running with MILITEC-1 until the inspection (which could be 250 hours or more), he found that the rocker arms and piston skirt areas did not show the wear that normally occurs.
Protection for High-Speed, High-Output Diesels
The Navy also uses high-speed, high-output diesels (e.g. 8V 71T1 twin turbo intercooled with a 149 injector) that use a 30W 9250 oil. The life expectancy of these diesels is relatively short primarily because of inadequate lubrication during start-up (light-off) and shut-down. During light-off, the turbo starts spinning without oil and the bearings are running dry (it takes a few seconds for the oil to get up here). This is especially harmful when the engine is accelerated before the oil is in place. During shut-down the turbo is hot and free-wheels and there is zero oil pressure while the turbo winds down The engine must be idled for a considerable period of time to allow the turbo time to cool The idling time MILITEC-1 Experience in Navy Detroit Diesel Engines is often inadequate and the turbo is too hot while it free wheels without any oil pressure.
Dyno Tests on Turbo-Charged Engines
With MILITEC-1 there is no catastrophic failure and the metal remains usable. An engine that is operated within the manufacturers guidelines or parameters does not experience rapid wear. However, SIMA cannot control or even monitor how people are operating the engines and Mike found MILITEC-1 provided a safety margin to accommodate poor operation (out-of-parameter conditions). The survivability of the equipment using MILITEC-1 seemed to increase dramatically when operated in out-of-parameter conditions. While Mike believes that engines using MILITEC-1 and operated normally would also have less wear over time, the engine inspections were not able to statistically verity this.
Protection for Fuel Injectors
MILITEC-1 was found to also be helpful in dealing with the overhaul of fuel injectors. There is a problem in that the calibrating fluid that should be used (for testing and calibration) when these are overhauled is rarely available and regular diesel fuel is often used as a substitute to fill the injector. The fuel is very hydroscopic, and when the injectors sit around after overhaul, there can be considerable rust - to the extent that the equipment can become unusable. Using the diesel fuel, SIMA had a pretty high return rate on injectors due to excessive rusting. It was found that when MILITEC-1 is mixed with the fuel oil (and the tests performed with the mixture) the metal is protected for the three or four months the injector sits in the box until the fleet needs it.
MTA Testing on MILITEC-1's Effectiveness and Worth
Summary:
The MTA has tested an internal engine metal treatment product called "MILITEC-1". The product appears to reduce wear by 63%. The annual cost of application is $23,000.00, less than the cost of two replacement engines.
Background:
In February, 1995 the MTA was made aware of a product called MILITEC-1, which claimed to treat the metal surfaces inside an engine. This treatment results in reduced wear and increased engine life. The information included names and phone numbers of users and some oil analysis results. Several users were contacted and supported MILITEC's claims. Therefore the MTA conducted a small test.
The product is added to the oil as a method of application to the interior metal surfaces. It is not an oil additive. According to the supplier it affects the metal surface and reduces the rate of wear. This is measured by the wear metal levels in the oil analysis. As the treated surfaces wear the untreated metal is exposed and the level of metal wear increases. That is the time to redope the engines. This was estimated at every 15,000 miles.
Exact timing of the application is not necessary. If the treated surface wears away before reapplication then engine is as it is now, i.e. there is no negative result. If an engine is retreated a few thousand miles before needed there is a slight waste of material but no harm to the engine.
The MTA doped 8 buses at the Bush Division, 8810, 8812, 9063, 9067, 9071, 9072, 9243 and 9431, June, 1995. Bus number 9067 was removed from the test fleet for mechanical problems in November, 1995.
Results:
The graph below shows there was a reduction in wear metals in all engines. The level of wear metals increased as the treated surface wore and reduced again when the buses were redoped. The field results confirmed MILITEC-1's claims.
The annual cost is $23,000.00 as shown in the 'Cost to Treat' section. This is less than the cost of two replacement engines. If 63% reduction in wear were translated into 63% reduction in engine failures that would save 180 engines per year. In reality many engines are lost to causes other than gradual wear. If a six year life is assumed 72 engines wear out each year. Accordingly 63% of the 72 is 45 engines. Only 3 of these need to be saved by the use of MILITEC-1 to recover more than the cost.
Recommendation:
The Quality Assurance Department recommends that MILITEC-1 be used in the fleet system-wide. Also, test in other applications, such as facility air compressors and chillers.
Oil Analysis
| Bus Number |
Treatment |
Iron |
Tin |
Copper |
| 8810 |
Before
After |
90ppm
40ppm |
50ppm
5ppm |
53ppm
8ppm |
| 8812 |
Before
After |
206ppm
90ppm |
24ppm
11ppm |
71ppm
17ppm |
| 9063 |
Before
After |
98ppm
38ppm |
24ppm
7ppm |
52ppm
11ppm |
| 9071 |
Before
After |
81ppm
40ppm |
14ppm
3ppm |
70ppm
8ppm |
| 9072 |
Before
After |
74ppm
33ppm |
10ppm
4ppm |
45ppm
4ppm |
| 9423 |
Before
After |
48ppm
9ppm |
7ppm
2ppm |
11ppm
3ppm |
| 9431 |
Before
After |
90ppm
16ppm |
16ppm
5ppm |
12ppm
6ppm |
Percent of Reduction
| Bus Number |
Iron |
Tin |
Copper |
| 8810 |
56% |
90% |
86% |
| 8812 |
56% |
54% |
76% |
| 9063 |
61% |
70% |
88% |
| 9071 |
51% |
79% |
89% |
| 9072 |
55% |
60% |
91% |
| 9423 |
81% |
71% |
73% |
| 9431 |
82% |
69% |
50% |
Cost to Treat Fleet
The MTA will have 814 buses in revenue service as of February, 1997. The cost to treat the engines with MILITEC-1 including the time to dispense and add the product will be $25.00 per bus for a cost of $23,000 annually.
Each engine will be treated with 2 oz. of Militec-1 for every liter of engine displacement for an average of 22 oz. per bus or 140 gallons per fleet treatment. Doing this every 15,000 miles will require 280 gallons of MILITEC-1. The additional labor associated with adding the MILITEC-1 should be 206 hours per year, totaling $3,500.00.
Caterpillar Transmission
Background:
Subject is a transmission from a Caterpillar 988 Loader with 3408 8-Cylinder 400 HP engine. This transmission had a history of running hot and had unusually high copper levels since the day it was installed. The copper level is monitored to gauge the wear occurring on bearings, discs, gear bushings and sleeves, all of which may sustain periods of high load.
At 7001 hours, when MILITEC-1 was added, the copper level was 104ppm, in the extremely high range for such a transmission. Also, the iron level was 26ppm, in the slightly high range. The elevated iron readings indicated wear on the shaft and gears which foretold premature transmission failure.
Results:
Following 375 hours of operation, the transmission fluid was resampled. At 7376 hours, the copper level had fallen to 46ppm, still in the high range but nonetheless a dramatic decline. The iron level had dropped to 11ppm which was in the average range.
Following 375 hours of operation, the transmission fluid was again sampled. at 7424 hours the copper level had fallen to 22ppm, in the slightly high range. The iron level had dropped 9ppm which was in the average range.
After another 223 hours of operation, the transmission fluid was again sampled. at 7695 hours, the copper level had fallen to 19ppm, in the slightly high range but extremely low for this transmission, given its historically high levels. This was well enough in the comfort range that drastic action was no longer contemplated to save the transmission. The iron level had remained at 9ppm, indicating no significant wear was occurring.
| MILITEC-1 |
7001 |
7376 |
7472 |
7695 |
| Copper |
104ppm |
46ppm |
22ppm |
19ppm |
| Iron |
26ppm |
11ppm |
9ppm |
9ppm |
A SUMMARY OF REPORTS ON DIESEL ENGINES
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