TM 5-3895-383-24 Testing and Adjusting Hydraulic Oil Contamination - Test SMCS Code:  3154-008; 3203-008; 4351-008; 5050-008 Escaping  fluid  under  pressure,  even  a  pinhole  size  leak, can  penetrate  body  tissue,  causing  serious  injury,  and possible death.  If fluid is injected into your skin, it must be treated immediately by a doctor familiar with this type of injury. Always  use  a  board  or  cardboard  when  checking  for  a leak. Personal injury can result from hydraulic oil pressure and hot oil. Hydraulic oil pressure can remain in the hydraulic system after the engine has been stopped.  Serious injury can be caused if this pressure is not released before any service is done on the hydraulic system. Make sure all of the attachments have been lowered, oil is cool  before  removing  any  components  or  lines.    Remove the oil filler cap only when the engine is stopped, and the filler cap is cool enough to touch with your bare hand. NOTICE Care  must  be  taken  to  ensure  that  fluids  are  contained during  performance  of  inspection,  maintenance,  testing, adjusting   and   repair   of   the   machine.      Be   prepared   to collect  the  fluid  with  suitable  containers  before  opening any    compartment    or    disassembling    any    component containing fluids. Refer to Special Publication, NENG2500, "Caterpillar Tools and Shop Products Guide", for tools and supplies suitable to collect and contain fluids in Caterpillar machines. Dispose  of  all  fluids  according  to  local  regulations  and mandates. If the oil becomes contaminated, premature component failure could    result.        Contaminated    oil    can    also    contribute    to overheating. Use    the    following    procedure    in    order    to    determine    the contamination of the oil in the hydraulic system. 1. Check the hydraulic filter element for foreign materials. a. Bronze colored particles give an indication of pump or motor port plate failure. b. Shiny  steel  particles  give  an  indication  of  pump  or motor piston failure. c. Rubber   particles   indicate   a   seal   failure   or   a   hose failure. d. Aluminum   particles   give   an   indication   of   steering and/or charge pump failure. NOTE: If any of these particles are found in the hydraulic filter element, all components of the hydraulic oil system    must    be    cleaned.        Do    not    use    any damaged   parts.      Any   damaged   parts   must   be removed and new parts must be installed. Piston Pump Flow -Test SMCS Code:  3203-081-FW This test is designed to determine whether a pump is operating within design parameters. For any pump test, the pump flow at 690 kPa (100 psi) will be larger than the pump flow at 6900 kPa (1000 psi) if the pump is operating  at  the  same  rpm.    The  pump  flow  is  measured  in L/min (US gpm). The   difference   between   the   pump   flow   of   two   operating pressures is the flow loss. Table 1 Method of determining flow loss: Pump flow at 690 kPa (100 psi) - Pump flow at 6900 kPa (1000 psi) Flow loss Table 2 Example of determining flow loss: 217.6 L/min (57.5 US gpm) - 196.8 L/min (52.0 US gpm) 20.8 L/min (5.5 US gpm) 10-61