14429T Mercury COVER, TRANSFER PORT-TOP

Never add coolant to an overheated engine; allow the engine to cool first.Check the specific gravity of the coolant solution frequently in cold weather to ensure adequate protection.If the engine is to be stored in, or shipped to, an area with freezing temperatures the cooling system must be protected to the lowest expected outside temperature.All water is corrosive at engine operating temperature. The cooling system should be protected with a 3% to 6% concentration of cooling system conditioner at all times, regardless of the concentration of coolant.Do not use Caterpillar coolant conditioner elements or liquid Caterpillar cooling system conditioner with Dowtherm 209 Full-Fill coolant. Follow recommendations provided with Dowtherm 209 Full-Fill coolant.
Coolant should be drained and replaced every 2000 service hours or 1 year. However, when adding liquid Caterpillar cooling system conditioner, or equivalent, or using a coolant conditioner element every 250 service hours as recommended, the drain period can be extended to 4000 service hours or 2 years.Clean the cooling system if it is contaminated, if the engine overheats or if foaming is observed in the expansion tank.Premix coolant solution to provide protection to the lowest expected outside temperature. Pure undiluted antifreeze will freeze at -23°C (-10°F).Use clean water that is low in scale forming mineral. Do not use softened water. Filling at over 20 liters (5 U.S. gallons) per minute can cause air pockets in the cooling system.After draining and refilling the cooling system, always operate the engine with the filler cap removed until the coolant level stabilizes. Recheck the coolant level and add coolant as necessary to fill the system.A mixture of 50% ethylene glycol and 50% water will protect the coolant from freezing down to a temperature of -37°C (-34°F).Always check the cooling system before operating your engine.Operate with a thermostat in the cooling system year-round. Overheating will occur without a thermostat.Coolant Conditioner Elements
For engines equipped with coolant conditioner elements, install a new maintenance element every 250 service hours of operation. Use a precharge element when filling the system or changing coolant.Consult your Caterpillar dealer for the correct precharge and maintenance coolant conditioner element.Cooling System Conditioner Liquid
A 3% to 6% concentration of liquid Caterpillar cooling system conditioner, or equivalent, can be maintained by adding conditioner every 250 service hours of operation.Fuel System
Fill the fuel tank at the end of each day of operation to drive out moist air and to prevent condensation.Do not fill the tank to the top. Fuel expands as it gets warm and may overflow.Do not fill the fuel filters with fuel before installing them. Contaminated fuel will cause accelerated wear to the fuel system parts.
Check the fuel level with the fuel level/gauge in the filler opening.After changing the fuel filters, bleed the fuel system to remove air bubbles from the system.Use only fuel as recommended in the "Coolant, Fuel and Lubricant Specifications" section of this guide.Air Intake System
Service the air cleaner at regular intervals.Check the precleaner (if equipped) daily for accumulation of dust and debris.Remove any dust and debris as needed.If the indicator shows red shortly after installing a cleaned element, install another clean element, or a new element.Electrical System
When boost starting the engine, follow the instructions in the Operation Section to properly start the engine.This engine may have a 12 or 24 Volt starting system. Use only equal voltage for boost starting. Use of a welder or higher voltage will damage the electrical system.
Engines installed without engine-to-frame ground straps can be damaged by electrical discharge.To prevent electrical discharge damage, check to make sure the engine's electrical system has an engine-to-frame ground strap. For engines which have the alternator connected to an engine component, the ground strap must connect that component to the frame.Some engines have starter-to-frame ground straps. But, many of these starters are not electrically grounded to the engine. They have electrical insulation systems. For this reason, the starter-to-frame ground strap may not be an acceptable ground.Scheduled Oil Sampling (S O S)
Use Scheduled Oil Sampling (S O S) to monitor the condition and maintenance requirements of your equipment. Each oil sample should be taken when the oil is warm and well mixed, to ensure that the sample is representative of the oil in the compartment. When using the drain stream to obtain the oil sample, do not sample from the first or final draining. Consult your Caterpillar dealer for complete information and assistance in establishing a Scheduled Oil Sampling program for your equipment.General
Accumulated grease and oil on an engine is a fire hazard. Remove this debris with steam cleaning or high pressure water, at least every 1000 hours or each time any significant quantity of oil is spilled on the engine.
Drain moisture and sediment from the air reservoir at the beginning of each day of operation.Wipe all fittings, caps and plugs before servicing.Keep a close watch for leaks. If leaking is observed, find the source and correct the leak.Check the fluid levels more frequently than the recommended periods if leaking is suspected or observed.General Torque for Standard Bolts, Nuts and Taperlock Studs
The following charts give general torques for bolts, nuts and taperlock studs of SAE Grade 5 or better quality.
Torques for Bolts and Nuts With Standard Threads Torques for Taperlock Studs General Torque for Metric Fasteners
Be very careful never to mix metric with customary (standard) fasteners. Mismatched or incorrect fasteners will cause damage or malfunction and may even result in personal injury.Original fasteners removed from the engine should be saved for reassembly whenever possible. If new fasteners are needed, they must be of the same size and grade as the ones that are being replaced.The material stength identification is usually shown on the bolt head by numbers (8.8, 10.9, etc.). The following chart gives general torques for bolts and nuts with Grade 8.8.
Standard Torque for Hose Clamps - Worm Drive Band Type
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