A useful oil-level record identifies both the pump and the conditions under which the reading was taken. A note saying only “oil checked” cannot show whether two observations are comparable. This guide provides a record template for the NOV Type P power end; it does not specify an oil grade, filling quantity or acceptance limit.
What the original manual requires
NOV booklet 25-101131, page 6, calls for a gear oil dipstick check at least daily with the pump stopped. It instructs the reader to allow several minutes after shutdown for the sump level to stabilize. It does not give an exact waiting time in that passage.
Use the current instructions for the installed pump and its actual level indicator. Do not transfer a sight-glass reading method from another pump to a dipstick-equipped assembly. Only authorized personnel should perform checks; follow the site's shutdown, energy-isolation and safe-access requirements before approaching moving equipment or opening an access point. This article does not authorize access while the pump is running.
A record that another shift can interpret
The following fields are editorial record-keeping suggestions, not additional NOV maintenance requirements:
- Equipment tag, model and serial number.
- Applicable manual revision and the identifier of the level indicator used.
- Shutdown time and reading time, with the local date and time zone.
- The level observed against the actual indicator markings; preserve the original observation.
- Any uncertainty, such as illegible markings or an unconfirmed indicator identity.
- Work-order reference, observer and person responsible for reviewing an abnormal or uncertain result.
- Any authorized follow-up and the separate reading recorded after that work.
Writing both times makes the waiting interval visible without inventing a universal number of minutes. A photograph may help identify the indicator if it can be obtained safely, but it does not replace a documented reading or the equipment-specific procedure.
Keep the reading separate from the decision
Record an unclear result as unclear. Do not turn an unreadable mark into an estimated “normal” level, and do not enter a remembered quantity as an observed value. A level observation alone does not establish lubricant condition, confirm the correct oil specification or diagnose a leak.
If the observed level raises a concern, refer it through the site's maintenance process. Obtain the applicable limits and correction instructions before deciding what work is required. This template gives no topping-up instruction. Where authorized work changes the level, retain the first record and add the subsequent observation with its own time and work reference.
Related equipment and maintenance records
The NOV 12-P-160 and NOV 14-P-220 pages provide equipment navigation. Those links do not establish common oil quantities, dipsticks or service procedures. For the broader inspection context, see the daily mud-pump maintenance checklist; this article adds traceable timing and observation fields rather than repeating the whole checklist.
Source and scope
NOV, How to Treat Your Type P Triplex Mud Pump, document 25-101131, page 6; copyright 2025 on page 32. Checked on 28 September 2026, Beijing time. The manual supports the shutdown and timing statements above. The proposed record fields and handover practices are editorial suggestions. Confirm the current manual and installed configuration before applying any maintenance instruction.
FAQ
Does this guide prescribe an exact waiting time?
No. The cited passage says several minutes; use the applicable current procedure instead of inventing a fixed interval.
Can I record the level while the pump runs?
The cited dipstick check is specified with the pump stopped. Follow the site's safe-access and isolation requirements.
Does a recorded level confirm the oil is suitable?
No. The record does not establish oil grade, contamination status or an acceptance limit.
What should happen to an uncertain reading?
Keep it marked as uncertain, record the reason and refer it for maintenance review. Do not replace it with an assumed normal value.