I can only assume that a head gasket from a Cat dealer would be 2x cost of same gasket from another source. Does anyone have a source for good quality parts? We do have a local Cat dealer drop box and can easily get one from them but I told my dad to hold off a day or so and I would compare quality with sources and prices. (It started getting hot and loosing about a gallon of water an hour. No external leak that can be found. No sign of oil in water or water in oil that we can tell. A local gentleman who was a mechanic for Cat for 30 yrs said it was head gasket and this individual machine actually belonged to his father in law at one time)
Why not ask your local Caterpillar dealer for a parts quote for the gasket kit for the head gasket replacement, if only to have something for comparison?
I'd stick with Cat gaskets, could be several things, cracked head, low liner, just the gasket if you are lucky. Pull the radiator cap while it's running to see if combustion gasses are entering the cooling system, the coolant will be bubbling and if it is. When you turn the head over check for cracks between the pre combustion chamber and valves, that's normally where they crack. Also take a good look at the old gasket and ferrule seals to determine problems. Good luck
Yup, get a head set if available, from CAT. If you already have a problem, using lesser quality gaskets is not going to be helpful. To be brutally honest, aftermarket gaskets and engine kits are mostly used by dealers and other people looking to sell machines, lol.
Check the Pre-Chamber Seats, requires removing each pre-chamber...Seat is a metallic ring that erodes away, causes compression leakage into the cooling system.
I ordered a kit for my case 350 and it came with mahle gaskets (which are Victor reinz gaskets) I've used Victor gaskets on old diesel Vw's and they held up to my abuse. Fwiw, if it comes to changing the head gasket, check Victor/mahle. Can't really suggest any other mfg other than oem
Before you tear it apart you should consider doing a leak down test to try to determine where the problem is. Sometimes when you take it apart you can't tell where the problem lies.
I'm well experienced in doing leak down tests with race motors and have done it 100 times. How do you do it with a diesel? I'm assuming I can use my current gauges but will need some adapters? I also know that NAPA has a combustion leak chemical test but the radiator cap/fill on the dozer is so big in diameter that it would not fit
Basically make an adapter to replace the current radiator cap. It sounds as though you have everything else you need. Based on your OP if I were you I would be taking the advice of the "local gentleman" with a large pinch of salt......there are a lot of things it could be and a head gasket is only one of the possible causes.
I agree with Nige, something as simple as a radiator cap that will not hold 13 to 15 psi can cause it to run hot. My 977L was running hot, did a pressure test of the radiator cap and the cap would not hold any pressure, replaced it and the loader runs fine.
This is the plan: 1) Ill put a new cap on it, run it and see what happens 2) If still getting hot, I'll take the old cap, cut a hole in it w/ a hole saw and make the NAPA chemical tester fit although - Where is the water going? I've had gasoline engines w/ a bad cap and the coolant would go into the overflow/recirculation reservoir I've never ran itmyself when it got hot. All my info came from my dad who said it was loosing a gallon an hour and getting hot. Not leaking. No water in oil that I can tell
Your' radiator cap is rebuildable! Requires replacing the rubber gasket...top radiator tank's 'fill-neck's' surface, check the flatness. Testing Cap...1/2" thick flat plate, with 1/2" NC nut welded @ center & 1/8" or 1/4" Pipe thread for pressure gauge or bottle. Important check the pressure relief valve, round plate-housing located on the top tank.
What about the thermostat? Has it been checked?