Service Bulletin: Service Bulletin NUMBER: 8.8/134A Caterpillar: Confidential Green Page 1 of 8

SERVICE BULLETIN
NOTICE: The Type of Change and Recommended Compliance specified reflects Solar's best judgment regarding the
Service Bulletin. All questions should be directed to your Solar Field Service Representative. Solar, Saturn, Centaur,
Taurus, Mercury, Mars, Titan, SoLoNOx, and Turbotronic are trademarks of Solar Turbines Incorporated. Cat and
Caterpillar are trademarks of Caterpillar Inc. Specifications subject to change without notice.
NUMBER: 8.8/134A
ISSUED: October 2020
REVISED: July 2021
PRODUCT: Mars
MODEL(S): All
Specifics: SoLoNOx
SUBJECT: MARS SOLONOX INJECTOR BLOCKER RING DISTRESS AND
REPAIR
Type of Change: Product Reliability
Recommended Next Maintenance

Compliance:
Revision History Blocker ring replacement options.
Blocker rings no longer supported as a service part.
Inspections now considered mandatory.
PURPOSE:
To provide information to inspect and repair loose blocker rings on Mars SoLoNOx injector
assemblies, P/N 303320-xxx.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
There have been several recent reports of loose or dislodged injector blocker rings on Mars
SoLoNOx injectors (see Figure 1 below). The loose blocker rings have typically been found during
regularly scheduled maintenance activities and can result in wear damage to the contacting
surfaces of the blocker ring and the injector body.
The probability of occurrence is low and is typically observed on units that have experienced
combustor instability in the form of high rumble or oscillations, or other high vibration conditions.
However, many failures have occurred while waiting for symptoms to appear or waiting too long
to repair. Thus, proactive welding of the blocker rings is now required for all Mars injectors PN
303320-xxx. To reinforce this stance, as of late 2020, all injector part numbers 303320-xxx are
tack welded in the factory or for service part replacements. Fielded injectors whose blocker rings
have not been welded must be inspected and pro-actively welded according to option 1 or 2 below.
SERVICE BULLETIN
NUMBER: 8.8/134A Caterpillar: Confidential Green Page 1 of 8
Figure 1. Mars SoLoNOx Injector Blocker Ring
ACTION REQUIRED:
If any signs of combustion instability or T5 spread changes arise, inspections and welding of the
blocker rings should be planned as soon as possible. Even without these symptoms, inspections
and welding should be scheduled for the next planned maintenance. If any damage, such as blocker
ring separation, is found, please contact your local Solar District Service Office for
repair/replacement options. If no visible damage is apparent, conduct the “Injector/Blocker Ring
Inspection” shown below to determine whether the contacting surface of the blocker ring is worn
beyond usage. If any injectors fail the inspection, please contact your local Solar District Service
Office for repair/replacement options. If injectors pass the inspections, regardless of the
“tightness” of the blocker rings’ fit to the injectors, the blocker rings must be tack welded to the
injector on the full set of injectors using the “Weld Repair Process” described in this document.
SERVICE BULLETIN
Injector/Blocker Ring Inspection
1. Remove the retaining ring, place the blocker ring back on and position the injector so the
head is flat and down. It should be Parallel within .010”
Figure 2 Parallel inspection guide
SERVICE BULLETIN
2. Inspect the installed blocker ring for any Gap. Refer to figures 3&4.
Figure 3 Injector with a good blocker ring fit, no gap
Figure 4 Injector with an unacceptable blocker ring gap
SERVICE BULLETIN
-- Note --
Proper application of the weld repair procedure as defined
below will not affect the injector warranty.
Blocker Repair Options
Injector and blocker ring systems must pass the inspections criteria above to use option 1. Option
2 must be used for injectors that do not pass inspection. Option 2 may also be used if the customer
prefers Solar to provide injectors with welded blocker rings rather than conduct the welding
procedure themselves.
Option 1
Weld and secure existing blocker rings to injectors.
Option 2
Contact the Solar local district offices for return and repair for damaged blocker/injectors
-- Note --
Blocker ring assemblies are no longer supported as a
service part. Replacements can be provided with complete
injector assemblies or as a repair service for your injectors.
SERVICE BULLETIN
Weld Repair Process
The weld repair can be accomplished by welding the blocker rings to the injector. The repair
process requires the services of a suitably qualified welder.
1. The blocker ring can be tacked with or with-out the retaining ring in place to help keep the
assembly properly aligned. It the retaining ring is damaged discard before welding.
2. Fusion tack weld blocker ring to injector in five (5) places using 316L weld wire. Tack
welds should be approximately .250 in (0.64 cm) in length.
a. Two (2) tack welds on the strut as shown in Figure 5.

b. Three (3) tack welds on the injector body as shown in Figure 6.
-- Note --
Keep the tack weld out of the injector flow path by keeping it located on the face
of the blocker ring and strut as shown in Figure 5. The effective area of the blocker
ring should not be changed.
3. Brush or grind the tack welds as needed to provide a smooth contour.
Figure 5. Tack Weld Locations (Qty. 2) on Injector Strut
SERVICE BULLETIN
Figure 6. Tack Weld Location (Qty. 3) on Injector Body
Safe work practices must be in place before starting work. They must
include the identification of all hazards and associated controls to
mitigate any risk. All work practices must comply with local
regulations and employer risk mitigation requirements. At a
minimum, all sources of energy shall be controlled in accordance
with standard hazardous energy control (Lock Out / Tag Out)
practices.
Equipment and systems must complete normal shutdown cycles,

coast down to a complete stop, and complete post-lubrication cycles
before commencing work.
SERVICE BULLETIN
Welding activities present significant hazards to the electronic
systems in a turbo machinery package. Whenever possible, avoid
welding near the turbine package, fire systems, control systems, and
any wiring leading to those systems. If this is not possible, these
systems must be disabled and wiring disconnected from critical
components.
Fuel and ignition sources must be isolated and controlled via LOTO
where potentially impacted by welding work being completed.
SERVICE BULLETIN

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SERVICE BULLETIN

Type of Change: Product Reliability

Recommended Next Maintenance

Figure 2 Parallel inspection guide

Figure 3 Injector with a good blocker ring fit, no gap

Figure 4 Injector with an unacceptable blocker ring gap

Blocker Repair Options

a. Two (2) tack welds on the strut as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Tack Weld Locations (Qty. 2) on Injector Strut

Equipment and systems must complete normal shutdown cycles,

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