Cleaning and Changing of Perkins Generator Lubricating Oil Filters

Maintenance is necessary and important for a engine or diesel generator. Regular maintenance helps to prolong the service life of the machine. Do you know how to change and clean Perkins generator lubricating oil filters? If you have no idea, the following article will guide you to operate the correct steps.

Cleaning the Centrifugal Lubricating Oil Filter 

Stop the engine, and allow time for lubricating oil to drain back to sump.

(1) Unscrew the cover nut and lift off the filter body cover.

(2) Examine "O" ring for damage, renew if necessary.

(3) Withdraw rotor assembly from spindle and allow oil to drain from nozzle before removing from filter body. Hold rotor body and remove rotor knurled nut. Separate the rotor cover from the rotor body. Remove central stand tube.

(4) Remove sludge from the inside of the rotor cover by means of a wooden spatula or suitably shaped piece of wood and wipe clean.

(5) Clean and wash out the central! stand tube using a suitable solvent ensuring that the strainer holes are not blocked.

(6) Clean out nozzles with brass wire to ensure free passage of oil. Examine top and bottom bearings in rotor body to ensure that they are free from damage or excessive wear. Examine "O" ring for damage renew if necessary.

(7) Re-assemble rotor complete, tighten cover nut to 9.5 Nm - 10.8 Nm (7-8 lbft.).

(8) Examine spindle journals to ensure that they are free from damage or excessive wear, remove cut-off valve plug from filters only and remove cut-off valve assembly.  Check that the spring and shuttle are undamaged and free to move. Examine gasket for damage. Renew if necessary,

(9) Re-assemble cut-off valve assembly.

(10) Re-assemble filter complete, checking that the rotor assembly is free to rotate then replace filter cover and tighten cover nut by hand until full resistance is felt.

(11) With the engine running check all connections and joints for leakage.

Cleaning Engine Oil and Standard Spin-On Type Lubricating Oil Filters

With the engine stopped, place a suitable container of at least 148 litres (32.5 gal) beneath the drain plug. Remove the drain plug and allow the oil to drain. This operation is best carried out while the engine is still warm as the thinner oil will drain more efficiently. White the oil is draining remove the three oil filters turning them and clockwise with a strap wrench Fig. 30.

NOTE: Removal of oil filters will allow an escape of oil from the filter header. It is therefore recommended that a suitable container of at least 5 litres (1 gal) capacity is positioned under each filter prior to removal. Wipe clean the sealing faces and threaded bosses of the oil header. Smear engine oil on the captive rubber sealing ring and carefully screw each new filter up to the o{l header using firm hand pressure only.

Use only genuine Perkins oil filters. The use of other filters may cause serious damage to the engine. Refit the drain plug and fill the engine with the appropriate grade of new oil.(If fitted) manually set the air shut off valves to the run position, hold the stop lever in the stop position. Turn the key switch to the start position, and crank the engine over until the oil pressure gauge registers 0.4 kg/cm² (5lb/in²).

Continue cranking for a further 10 seconds which will ensure that oil has reached the turbocharger bearings. Stop cranking the engine and visually check the engine for oil leaks, top up the oil level.

Cleaning the Optional Changeover Lubricating Oil Filters

These special duplex fitters are normally intended for use on long running engines, or where a servicing requirement may occur when it is impractical to stop the engine. For this reason they are fitted with a three way change-over valve in the head which enables the elements to be changed, one at a time, whilst the engine continues to run. They are normally mounted on the engine, but may be remotely mounted, and connected to the engine by means of flexible pipes.

NOTE: If the flexible connections to the filter are removed for any reason, it is essential that they are reconnected correctly to avoid unfiltered oil getting into the engine. See Fig.31. Failure to change fitters when due can also lead to trouble from unfiltered oil.

Changing the Filter Elements When the Engine Is Stopped

All that is necessary is to unscrew the canisters with a strap wrench as shown in Fig. 31, without moving the change-over valve, as there is no pressure in the system when the engine is stationary. The underside of the header is then wiped clean, and a smear of oil applied to the sealing rings on the new canisters, before screwing them up by hand and tightening them by no more than three quarters of a turn after the seals contact the header. Check the filter for leaks after the engine is restarted.

WARNING!! Reduce engine speed to idling if changing the filters whilst the engine is running.

Changing the Filter Elements without Stopping the Engine

The normal position of the change-over valve is with marking on the valve spindle for the spanner showing the leg of the inverted T pointing upwards when both filter elements are in circuit. Turning tine valve with the spanner provided so that the leg of the T points to the left, puts the right hand filter out of service, so that it may be exchanged for a new one, fill the new filter with clean oil before fitting. Turning the valve so that the leg points to the right, puts the left hand filter out of service, so that this one can now be exchanged for a new filter canister. The valve is then returned to its original position, so that both elements of the filter are back in service. Check for oil leaks.

NOTE: Prepare for a small spillage of oil from the filter as each canister is removed, by placing a container of about 5 litres or 1 gallon capacity under the filter.

Note the piston jet filters which can only be changed with the engine stopped. 

Fig.32

1. Change right filter

2. Normal running position

3. Change left filter

4. Dirty oil into filter

5. Clean oil into engine

As one of leading manufacturers of diesel generator sets in China, we are in the field of generator set manufacturing more than 43 years. We not only provide Perkins 4000 Series 750KVA to 2250KVA power generator, but also produce 30KVA to 625KVA generating sets with Perkins engines. For more information, contact us at: sales@dieselgeneratortech.com.