Guideline For Reusable Parts And Salvage Operations

Camshaft Roller Followers 3500 Family of Engines

Media Number -SEBF8191-05 Publication Date -09/12/2003 Date Updated -10/12/2003

SEBF81910001

Camshaft Roller Followers 3500 Family of Engines

SMCS - 1209

CATERPILLAR®
SEBF8191-05
December 2003
SMCS Code(s): 1209

GUIDELINE FOR
REUSABLE PARTS
AND SALVAGE OPERATIONS
Camshaft Roller Followers
3500 Family of Engines

Summary of Revisions

Page Description
All Revised format.

3 Chart A and Illustration 3 have been

revised.

Introduction

This guideline enables dealers and their customers to benefit from cost reductions made possible
through an established parts reusability and salvage program. Every effort has been made to
provide the most current and relevant information known to Caterpillar Inc. Since the Company
makes ongoing changes and improvements to its products, this guideline must be used with the
latest technical information available from Caterpillar to ensure such changes and improvements
are incorporated where applicable.

For questions or additional information concerning this guideline, contact Caterpillar Service
Support Division, Dealer Support (309) 494-1934.

Summary

This Guideline gives the most current information available on the reusability of roller followers.
Use this Guideline and the Guidelines listed in the “References” section to determine if the roller
followers can be used again.

During the operation of any engine, each follower wears to a specific fit with the cam lobe it runs
against. At the point of contact, each follower and lobe has a similar wear pattern.

It is recommended that used followers be installed in their original bores and orientation during
assembly. If they are not, the difference in wear patterns can result in a faster rate of wear or
failure. To ensure proper assembly, mark each follower during disassembly for positive
identification of the correct location and orientation during assembly.

NOTICE

Never permit followers to become mixed or

install them against a different lobe. This will
result in a faster wear rate or failure. Never
install a used follower with a new camshaft
unless the follower is in “like new” condition.

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When replacement parts are required for this

product Caterpillar recommends using
Caterpillar replacement parts or parts with
equivalent specifications including, but not
limited to, physical dimensions, type, strength
and material.
Failure to heed this warning can lead to
premature failures, product damage, personal
injury or death.

References

References

Form No. Description

SEBF8067 Slipper Followers and Cam Shaft

Roller Followers
 SEBF8097 Camshaft Measurement

SEBF8146 Visual Inspection of Camshafts

SEBV0562 Anti-Friction Bearings

Tooling and Equipment

Tooling and Equipment

Part No. Description

8S-2257 Loupe

6V-2033 Brush

Handling and Storage

Roller followers can receive a great deal of damage from poor handling and storage practices.
Such damage can prevent the parts from being used again. Typical handling and storage damage
includes rust, dents, nicks, and scratches. To avoid damage, parts should be handled carefully,
not dropped or thrown. Place the parts in racks designed to prevent them from contacting each
other. This practice should prevent damage during transportation and cleaning.

To avoid storage damage, parts must be coated with a rust preventative and stored in a clean, dry
place where they will not be subjected to moisture. Engine oil is an adequate rust preventative if
the parts will be used within a few days. If longer storage of parts is required, it may be
necessary to wrap individual parts in sealed containers, such as plastic bags.

Cleaning Procedure

The roller followers can be cleaned using any good quality cleaning solution with a petroleum
base. Diesel fuel works well because it also provides some lubrication. Cleaners such as
Stanisol, do not protect the parts after cleaning because they dry oil free. Kerosene is not as
good as diesel fuel because it provides less lubrication.

Make sure the cleaning solution is clean since the clearances in roller followers are very close. If
the cleaning solution is not kept clean, foreign material or debris can get between the pin and
roller, thus causing damage or premature failure.

Illustration 1 shows a basket that is used to hold roller followers during cleaning before they are
installed. The rack has each compartment numbered so that the roller followers can be installed
again in their original locations in the engine.
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Illustration 1 Parts cleaning basket

Lubricating Procedure

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Illustration 2

Lubricating ports for camshaft roller followers.

(A) Pressure lubricating ports.

(B) Location of oil flow if lube passages are not plugged.
(1) 3500B Engine lifter (pressure lubricated).
(2) 3500A Engine lifter (pressure lubricated).
(3) 3500A Engine lifter (not pressure lubricated).

Before the lifters are installed in the heads, use clean engine oil and a hand-pump oil can to
pressure lubricate the roller and pin using lube port (A, Illustration 2). If the lube passage in the
lifter body is not plugged, clean oil will flow from the clearance between the pin and roller and
from the lifter body forks at location (B).

If the roller lifters are from a 3500A Engine, the lifters may not be pressure lubricated and will
not have lube port (A) in the side of the lifter. In that case, the roller followers should be
submerged in an oil bath for at least one hour, preferably overnight. The best method is to hang
the roller followers vertically, roller down, as they would be installed in the engine. This method
assures that oil fills the space between the roller pin and the roller. One way to implement this
method is to make a tank and rack that holds the roller followers for one complete engine.

Wear Limits

Maximum wear limits have been established to aid in determining the reusability of camshaft
roller followers. Use the following information along with Illustration 3 to determine reusability.

Chart A.

Maximum Allowable Movement and Minimum Diameter

Descript. 3500B 3500B

3500A1 3500A2
Valve Injector

Direction 0.38 0.38 0.71 0.38

A* (.015) (.015) (.028) (.015)

Direction 0.38 0.38 0.71 0.38

B* (.015) (.015) (.028) (.015)

Direction 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71

C (.028) (.028) (.028) (.028)

Min. OD of 29.890 29.882 29.890 34.932

Body (D) (1.1768) (1.1764) (1.1768) (1.3753)

Min. OD of 29.890 29.890 34.9403

Body — (1.1768) (1.1768) (1.3756)
Length (E)

Note: All dimensions are mm (in).

1
Not Pressure Lubricated
2
Pressure Lubricated
3
Some early 3500B Injector Lifters were ground to 34.915 mm (1.3746 in) minimum diameter.
These injector lifters can be reused if wear has not reduced the diameter below 34.915 mm
(1.3746 in).
* Measure along centerline of roller.

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Illustration 3

Maximum allowable movement. Refer to Chart A for specifications.

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Illustration 4

Dimensions to locate Length E in order to check the Outside Diameter of the lifter body. Refer to
Chart B for specifications.

Chart B.

Dimensions to Locate Length “E”

 3500B 3500B
Location 3500A
Valve Injector

17±0.5 17±0.5 20 ±0.5

Point 1
(0.669±0.02) (0.669±0.02) (0.787±0.02)

59 55.8 54
Point 2
(2.323) (2.197) (2.126)

63±0.5 59.8±0.3 58±0.5

Point 3
(2.480±0.02) (2.354±0.01) (2.283±0.02)

87.3±0.3 87.3±0.3 78±0.5

Point 4
(3.437±0.01) (3.437±0.01) (3.071±0.02)

91.3 91.3 82
Point 5
(3.594) (3.594) (3.228)

150±1 146.5±1 146.5±1

Point 6
(5.906±0.04) (5.768±0.04) (5.768±0.04)

Note: All dimensions are mm (in).

Additionally, the roller follower body should not have nicks, dents, or scratches. Check for any
damage that causes any form of raised material on outside diameter (D) of the roller follower
body. Minor wear and damage can be removed by polishing, provided the outside diameter is
greater than the minimum specification shown in Chart A.

Visual Inspection

The following general information should be used when working with roller followers:

1. Used roller followers can be used with a new camshaft only if they are in “like new”
condition. Always install used roller followers in their original bores with their original
orientation.

2. New roller followers can be installed on a used camshaft if the camshaft does not have lobe
wear that can be easily seen or felt. The original follower must have had a typical or normal
pattern of smooth wear. If either the roller follower or camshaft has experienced heavy wear,
Caterpillar recommends installing a replacement camshaft.

3. If a camshaft was replaced because of damage to one or more lobes, do not use those
followers that operated against the damaged lobes.

4. Check the roller for greater than normal movement. Do not use any rollers again which feel
loose (measure and evaluate according to specifications in Chart A), or do not turn smoothly.

5. Check for surface damage. There must be no pits, corrosion, or smeared material on contact
surfaces. Inspect each follower carefully with the 8S-2257 Loupe, as shown in Illustration 4.
Surfaces that look and feel acceptable can have very small pitting or defects, which cannot be
seen without magnification. As long as the surface is free of defects, circumferential wear
patterns are acceptable unless they can be felt with a fingernail.

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Illustration 5

8S-2257 Loupe used for visual inspection.

6. There have been reports of roller follower damage after an engine has exceeded its maximum
RPM limit (overspeed). Overspeed has been shown to cause the roller pin to move sideways, or
rotate, in the follower forks. The pin uses an interference fit in the follower forks and is installed
(as shown in Illustration 5) recessed 0.5 ± 0.25 mm (.02 ± .010 in) from the side. During rebuild
of the engine, inspect the pin in order to determine whether the pin has rotated circumferentially
from its initial as shown in Illustration 5. The small hole (1) in the end of the pin must still be
aligned within 2 degrees of the vertical centerline of the follower.

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Illustration 6

Check roller follower for overspeed damage.

(1) If hole in pin is aligned with hole in fork, use again.
(2) If hole in pin is more than 2 degrees from a vertical centerline, do not use again.

7. Inspect the end opposite the roller end. Make sure that the insert (2) is in the bore of the
camshaft roller follower (1) and there is no damage to the lifter body or insert.
 View Image

Illustration 7

End of camshaft roller follower (1) with insert (2).

Corrosion

The following two examples show corrosion (rust damage) from poor storage practices. This
damage is not critical as long as body diameter is not less than the minimum specified in Chart
A.

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Illustration 8

Rust damage on the body near the roller end.

Use again -
after polishing.

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Illustration 9

Rust damage on the body opposite the roller end.

Use again -

after polishing.

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Illustration 10
Corrosion damage to the roller. This roller was allowed to get wet and rust. It cannot be used
again because the rust is in a highly loaded area and the roller will fatigue crush at the rust
locations.

Do not use again -

Handling and Storage Damage

Scratches can easily occur when poor handling or storage practices are used. If the scratches are
superficial, the roller can be lightly polished and used again. The polishing process should not
use abrasives and should not cause a change in roller diameter (use a 6V-2033 Brush). If the
scratches are more than superficial (can be felt with the finger nail), the roller should not be used
again.

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Illustration 11

Scratches on the roller from mishandling

Use again -

after polishing.

Note: Polishing can cause flat spots on the roller. Dents or nicks are also commonly found due
to poor storage or handling practices. If there is raised material around the damage, it must be
removed by polishing. The roller follower may be used again if the body diameter is within the
specified limits shown in Chart A. Use again only if scratches or dents are superficial.

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Illustration 12

Dents and nicks caused by mishandling.

Use again -

after polishing.

Roller Wear

This example shows what is normally called frosting, which is a result of micro-spalling. Note
that there are circumferential and horizontal lines of frosting.

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Illustration 13

Frosting of the roller. Refer to following “Note”.

Do not use again

Note: For additional information on failures of roller elements, refer to the applied failure
analysis reference book, SEBV0562, “Anti-Friction Bearings”.
The next four examples all show typical wear. The bright, polished appearance is typical. The
circumferential scratches are usually the result of dirt or debris.

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Illustration 14

Normal wear on the roller.

Use again

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Illustration 15
Normal wear on the roller.

Use again

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Illustration 16

Typical example of light circumferential wear.

Use again

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Illustration 17

Typical example of light circumferential wear that cannot be felt with a fingernail.

Use again

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Illustration 18

Typical example of heavy pitting or galling.

Do not use again

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Illustration 19

Typical example of pitting. While the pitting is not heavy, it is still not acceptable.

Do not use again

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Illustration 20

Typical example of non-circumferential wear. Scuffing of the roller can be seen between the
arrows. This can be an indication that the roller has not been turning correctly on the shaft.

Do not use again

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Illustration 21

Typical example of damage caused by pin or roller wear.

Do not use again

Body Wear

The following examples all show typical wear. The wear areas on the roller lifter body may take
several forms from dull and scratchy to bright and polished. The wear areas should be polished
to remove any raised material from the scratches.

After polishing, the body diameter should be measured to make sure it is within specified limits
as shown in Chart A.

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Illustration 22

Typical wear to the body.

Use again

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Illustration 23

Typical wear to the body.

Use again

These are typical examples where the wear pattern stops in a straight line. These roller followers
can be used again unless a wear step can be felt with a fingernail. The wear areas should be
polished to remove any raised material from the scratches. After polishing, the body diameter
should be measured to make sure it is within specified limits as shown in Chart A.

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Illustration 24

Typical body wear.

Use again

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Illustration 25

Typical body wear.

Use again

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