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When it comes to heavy machinery and parts, equipment managers don’t usually obsess over lubricant the way they do over specs on a new Caterpillar excavator.

Heavy equipment essentials — hydraulic oil, transmission oil, final drive and axle oil, etc. — are comparatively small, routine maintenance purchases. So if one brand of tractor oil costs 15% less, why not save a few bucks?

It’s a question customers ask all the time. The answer is easy, backed by thousands of hours of testing and data from the global leader in heavy machinery.

Why Use Heavy equipment oils that cost less on the front end often cost more in the long run.

When you focus on overall value and the total cost of ownership, choosing the best oils for your fleet of Caterpillar equipment is a clear calculation.

Genuine Cat Oils Can Deliver
• Up to 3x longer oil change intervals
• Up to 4,000 extra working hours before repair
• Peak performance and reliability
• Longer overall component and machine life

Cat lubricants are designed and tested specifically for and with your Caterpillar equipment. They’re formulated to maximize performance today and durability over the life of your machine. That adds up to better numbers on any bottom line.

See the difference with Cat construction equipment oils and reach out to your Boyd sales rep if you’d like to know more.

What Sets Cat Oils Apart

Most Caterpillar customers have similar reasons for sticking with the Caterpillar brand. Cat products are more efficient. They’re built better so they’re a strong long-term investment. Cat’s leading-edge technology simplifies tasks so teams get more done and operations make more money.

Cat lubricants aren’t just commodity products in the Caterpillar system. They’re as purposefully and carefully engineered as a Caterpillar skid steer.

Caterpillar designs every oil formula specifically for its machines, then tests them extensively on its machines. The goal is to make sure the entire Caterpillar system is optimized so customers consistently get the most out of every engineering innovation, from efficiency upgrades to uptime extensions.

Some Cat oil formulas offer advanced filtration properties and corrosion protection. Others deliver enhanced wear protection, sludge protection or extended drain intervals.

There’s a long list of heavy equipment oil brands to choose from. But only genuine Cat oils are that specialized to optimize.

5 Big Benefits of Choosing and Using Genuine Cat Oils and Caterpillar Parts

Caterpillar lubricants are held to the same set of stringent standards as genuine Cat parts. If you’re a Caterpillar customer, you know what that means. Materials are the highest quality. Function is optimized. Reliability is guaranteed.

Customers who choose and use genuine Cat oils report a long list of benefits, but these are some of the most impactful:

Maximized component life
To give components a longer life, oil needs to maintain consistent viscosity, prevent build-up and resist oxidation. Cat oil is designed and tested to deliver on all three.

Extended engine life
Genuine Cat oils are formulated to reduce wear on valvetrain components, from piston rings to bearings and bushings. That protection can help engines run stronger, longer.

Improved fuel economy
Caterpillar carefully formulates the viscosity and additives in its oils to reduce friction and energy loss and maintain stable protection even under high pressure and high temperatures. By optimizing lubrication and minimizing wear, machines use less fuel to get the same performance. You get more for less.

Longer drain intervals
High-quality base oils and a painstakingly balanced additive package help prevent degradation in Cat oils, which allows for longer drain intervals (with the reduced maintenance costs and increased uptime that come along with that).

Lower overall operating costs
Add it up: more productivity and better performance using less fuel, less oil, for longer timeframes with less downtime equals lower operating costs and a better bottom line.

Cat Brand Oil in Action For Your Caterpillar Machine

We know how much more effective Cat lubricants are because Boyd CAT customers tell us, and because Caterpillar regularly collects data and runs side-by-side tests, then publishes results.

Here’s one Cat diesel engine oil success story that underlines how big a difference choosing the right equipment oil can make.

THE CUSTOMER
A company running a 96-engine fleet of heavy equipment switched from a competing diesel engine oil to genuine Cat diesel engine oil (DEO).

THE RESULTS
Performance data after one year of using Cat DEO:

  • 150 hours
    Drain intervals extended
  • 4x
    Annual filter/fluids changes eliminated
  • $157,000
    Total maintenance savings

Not every operation saves $157,000 on maintenance costs by switching to Cat DEO. But improved machine performance, longer drain intervals and longer component life make a difference, no matter how big or small the operation.

How Cat Oils are Engineered to Outperform

1. Caterpillar Starts Stronger.

All genuine Cat oils are formulated with premium base stocks and additives that set a foundation of superior stability and performance.

2. Caterpillar Reaches Higher.

The American Petroleum Institute sets industry-wide guidelines for performance, quality and compatibility of heavy-duty engine oils. Caterpillar doesn’t strive to meet those standards. They design their family of heavy equipment oils to exceed industry standards across the board, and they only improve from there.

3. Caterpillar Makes it Easy to Maximize.

The company built a clear path to bringing a lower cost of ownership down to the lowest total cost of ownership: Use genuine Cat oils alongside genuine Cat filters and take advantage of the informative, convenient, easy-to-use Cat S·O·S oil analysis system.

The Best Oil Options for Every Application

Running an extensive fleet of Caterpillar construction equipment in Kentucky? Keeping up a single Caterpillar skid steer in the Arctic? Caterpillar designed every equipment oil option you’ll need.

A quick overview of the family of Cat heavy equipment oils:

— Cat Diesel Engine Oil (DEO™)
Cat diesel engine oils are formulated to maximize wear protection, extend oil drain intervals, protect engine cleanliness and ensure performance even in extreme conditions.

The process that went into developing Cat DEO balanced every critical factor that affects engine performance, from soot handling to oxidation control. The result is a diesel engine oil that consistently outperforms.

— Cat Natural Gas Engine Oil (NGEO™)
Specialized for natural gas applications (and other engines that require low ash oil), Cat NGEO options deliver optimum engine and oil life, reduced piston and cylinder wear, corrosion protection and a range of other benefits.

— Cat Transmission and Drive Train Oil (TDTO™/TDTO-TMS™)
For Cat transmissions, wet brakes and hydraulic compartments, Cat TDTO options were made to maximize the wear life of gears and bearings and to perform and protect across wide temperature ranges.

— Cat Final Drive and Axle Oil (FDAO™)
For off-highway trucks, large track-type tractors, pipelayers and track skidders, Cat’s FDAO options can maximize protection in high-friction, high-load applications.

— Cat Hydraulic Oil (HYDO™ Advanced)
HYDO options can deliver extended drain intervals and advanced protection for hydraulic system components, even in scorching temperatures that don’t quit.

— Cat Multi-Purpose Tractor Oil Specialty Oils
Cat specialty oils, including Cat Gear Oil and Cat Compactor Oil, provide enhanced protection in specialized applications, meeting the same strict standards as all genuine Cat parts.

Cat S·O·S: Your Partner in Risk Reduction

Another way Caterpillar helps customers protect their heavy equipment investment and optimize efficiency: Cat S·O·S oil analysis, a service that makes routine oil checkups easy to keep up with and respond to.

If your operation isn’t running its own fluid analysis program or you’re outsourcing fluid sampling to a different lab, this service can help you simplify your processes and stay ahead of any fluid-related problems.

With Cat S·O·S, your team takes and submits a clean fluid sample to Caterpillar’s lab experts. Their team tests and returns a detailed analysis with clear and comprehensive explanations and recommendations.

You’ll know if your components are wearing at expected rates. You’ll see if your oil is contaminated or reaching the end of its useful life. If there’s an issue that could lead to downtime or unexpected equipment failures, you’ll get expert recommendations on what you need to do to address it.

If you’re operating a mixed fleet, Cat S·O·S is still an option for you. Caterpillar covers sampling for a mix of manufacturers and all types of fluid with the same level of comprehensive care.

Boyd CAT can set up a Cat S·O·S sampling schedule that suits your operation — just reach out to your Boyd sales rep if you’d like to know more.

Cat Equipment Questions? Contact Boyd CAT.

As the authorized Caterpillar dealer in Kentucky, Southern Indiana, West Virginia and Southeastern Ohio, we’re here to help when it comes to all things heavy machinery.

From new and used machine sales to Caterpillar parts, heavy equipment service, heavy machinery repair and equipment rentals, Boyd CAT is a full-service dealer with a commitment to exceptional customer service that’s over a century strong.

Reach out online and let us know how we can help, or visit us in person at your nearest Boyd CAT location.

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