New Cat® 336 Excavator: Greater Technology and Fuel Savings

27 July, 2022

The new Cat 336 excavator offers extended service intervals and lower fuel consumption for low cost operation and productivity. The standard machine has some of the highest level factory equipped technology to increase productivity. “Our new Cat 336 model offers the perfect balance between horsepower and payload,” says Brian Abbott, Caterpillar global product manager for Large Hydraulic Excavators. “The result is a robust and reliable machine that offers excellent production along with low owning and operating costs.”

Built rigged

According to Cat, the 336 excavators offer reliable operation in a variety of applications thanks to a solid structure. Powered by a Cat C7.1 engine, the company says the 4 million hours in service reflects the long-term reliability of the machine. Cat's latest generation excavators are designed to use Smart Drive Mode (one of three power mode settings) to use less fuel by automatically matching engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, optimizing both of fuel as performance. The other two options are Power mode to deliver maximum power to tackle the most demanding tasks, and Eco mode, which reduces engine speed to a constant 1,500 rpm and minimizes fuel consumption.

Service intervals have been extended and some have even been eliminated altogether, with a simplified hydraulic system. Engine oil and fuel filters are timed for 1,000 hour service, increasing uptime and reducing parts and labor costs. Offering longer and more timed maintenance intervals, the new Cat excavators get more work done at a lower maintenance cost compared to the previous series. For easier, faster and safer daily maintenance, updated 336 models include fuel system water and sediment drains and the hydraulic system oil level is positioned near the ground. The air inlet filter with pre-cleaner features a high dust capacity and a high efficiency hydraulic fan offers optional auto-reversing to keep cores free of debris. The cooling system includes a new on-demand fan to keep the excavator running at the correct temperature for maximum efficiency. Product Link automatically collects data from job sites to the office. Information about location, hours, fuel usage, idle time, maintenance alerts, diagnostic codes and machine status can be viewed online through web and mobile applications. This helps maximize machine uptime, enabling remote troubleshooting and remote flashing, allowing dealers to remotely connect with the machine to diagnose fault codes and update operating software.

Comfortable operation

The deluxe cab comes with a heated air suspension seat and the premium cab comes with a heated and ventilated air suspension seat. A fold-down console for the deluxe and premium cab designs allows easy entry and exit of the cab. Standard features include a push button keyless start and a touch screen monitor with keys for machine control. A Bluetooth key fob is also available. An Operator ID access code enables engine start, and Operator ID can quickly save and restore pattern, response, and joystick button preferences for individual operators. Plus, the optional Cat Stick Steer makes it easy to shift and turn. Overall, the machine comes with a number of standard Cat technologies. Cat Payload provides precise load targets and increased loading efficiency, helping to prevent truck overloading or underloading. With the standard Cat Grade 2D system comes depth, grade and horizontal distance to grade guidance via the standard touch screen monitor. Standard Grade Assist automates boom, dipper and bucket movements so operators can effortlessly stay level with single-lever digging, the company says. That system can be easily upgraded to Cat Grade with Advanced 2D or Cat Grade with 3D. All Cat Grade systems are compatible with radios and base stations from leading third-party technology providers. Operators can store up to four depth and slope offsets to quickly cut to grade without a grade checker. In addition, the automatic hammer stop warns operators after 15 seconds of continuous firing and then shuts the hammer off after 30 seconds to prevent burnout. Automatic dig drive and automatic heavy lift increase bucket penetration and lift capacity by 8%, and Cat Lift Assist helps operators prevent the machine from tipping over while lifting heavy objects with visual and audible alerts to indicate if the load is within the limits of the machine.