Cat 315C L and 315D L: engines, front options and attachment controls

The C-to-D change includes the engine and attachment controls

The 315C L uses Cat's six-cylinder 3046T. Its Tier 2/Stage II engine belongs to a different emissions generation from the 315D L's C4.2 ACERT. Equal-looking displacement or horsepower entries cannot identify interchangeable engine parts.

The 315C's brochure also locates the fuel filter, priming pump and oil checks on the right side of the upper structure.

The C machine selects boom and swing priority from joystick movement; Cat removed separate work-mode and power-mode switches. Certain optional auxiliary configurations allow five preset flows through the monitor. That feature is conditional on the hydraulic installation, so a monitor alone does not prove that a used 315C has the required attachment circuit.

The C brochure offers one boom with three sticks. Its long-undercarriage weight is specified with the longest listed stick and named track shoes. The shortest-stick digging envelope in another table describes a different front arrangement.

Keep the front's identity beside the reach and transport figures.

Source: Cat AEHQ5543, 315C/315C L engine, auxiliary equipment, front and weight conditions.

Look for the D machine's installed cab and tool system

In AEHQ6088-01, Cat describes a ROPS-compliant 315D L cab with a ground-accessible cab filter and provision for bolted protective guards. The older AEHQ5865-01 booklet has a different published operating weight. Those documents describe different published configurations; the heavier figure should not silently replace every older D listing.

The D's electronic fuel system uses the ADEM A4 controller and multiple injections. Its standard economy mode is an engine-control choice, while attachment setup is handled separately. The Combined System can provide flow from one or both pumps, in one or two directions.

Tool Control stores ten tool settings, and Priority Flow is an option for one-way tools. A saved tool name cannot establish which plumbing package is fitted.

The D front selection adds an intermediate stick to the choices described in the C booklet. Coupler and bucket selection still matter. Compare the actual stick with the working-range chart before treating the D's longer list of options as extra reach on every machine.

Both brochures separate hydraulic-tank quantity from the complete hydraulic system. A tank refill and a total-system capacity answer different maintenance questions.

Sources: Cat AEHQ6088-01 and AEHQ5865-01, D-series configurations.