I have a 97 D3C as stated that has had a new transmission and torque converter installed, the system was flushed so there is no steel contaminants. Everything was put back together - tested on site - and ran great. Brought the dozer home and ran it for about 30 minutes doing light woods clearing and the back plate at the rear of the dozer down where the hitch is got so hot that it will melt the plastic out of the mounting holes. The steering clutches and brakes (I was told) are adjusted and not sticking. I didnt know if maybe there is an oil cooler to the steering clutches that may have a clog that I don't know about. There is for sure something wrong with the machine - this is original reason why the machine went to the shop. After $10,000 dollars the same problem exsists. Any suggestions would be helpful.
I havent been around cat's c series much, Is yours the early hystat, or is it a gear drive outfit? If its a gear drive outfit, does the machine coast at all? Like going down an incline, blade raised, neutral? Next question is did you use the parking brake inbetween when it was shop tested and when it got hot?
The machine will actually work fine for about 30 minutes before it starts getting hot. So yes, the machine will free coast fine. It is not hystat, it is a 3 speed gear driven dozer. The mechanics at the shop kept the switch that locks the parking brake disconnected so that we knew that it would free coast and the parking brake had no chance of making it hot.
I don't know much myself about the gear driven dozer, I'm more familiar with the hystat. Is it possible that the mechanic shop could have overlooked a rear end chunk getting hot? Does a 97 Gear driven cat even have a rear end chunk? Also, could there be some type of oil cooler in the rear that I don't know about that needs to be flushed? Thanks for you help.
Steering clutch/s not releasing completely before brake comes on, check rollers on steering valves
Hi extremexcavator, There is no cooler for the oil in the rear case. the first couple things that come to mind are you sure brakes are adjusted correctly there should be about 4''to 4 1/2'' of free travel on brake pedals measured from top of pedal to fire wall, there is no 'parking brake' on this machine when you flip the switch as you called it.it is actually just a lever that locks steering brake linkage. then I would check the oil level in the steering clutch compartments. there is no dipstick. you check oil level by removing small pipe plugs above each final drive you fill by removing plate from the back of machine there is a fill plug on top of each side I have had D3's melt the plastic plugs in the case due to both tight brakes and low or no oil in clutch compartments Hope this helps Shopguys idea is a very good one too
PAcattech, thanks so much for the advice. I am going to check all of yours and shopguys info out in the morning. I really appreciate your help, we have spent lots of money trying to fix this dozer and so far the problem still exsists! You would think that a shop that works on heavy equipment would think to check the oil levels in the clutch compartments knowing the reason that we brought the dozer to them in the first place.... Again thank you for your help. If I still have a problem after tomorrow I will be right back letting you know or if that fixes it I will let you know also!
just an idea.you've just spent 10k on work.have you contacted the shop and asked them? I would think they would want to know?????
yea I contacted the shop, they said that they did everything they know to do.... PAcattech - I checked the play on the brake pedals and they are properly adjusted at about 4 1/2". I back out the threaded plugs and oil started to run down the case as a backed the plugs up. I checked both sides and both sides had oil coming out. Shopguy, I am not completely sure how to check the and see if the steering clutchs are releasing completely. The shop was supposed to check the steering clutchs but if you could explain it to me then I will take a look at it.
mate, I don't want to stick my nose in your business, but you asked for ideas.....from what your saying this is the original problem that it went into the shop for.........you paid 10k and it isn't fixed...........I know I prob don't know all the facts here but I really would be wanting to sit down and be having a good long chat with the people who did the work and find out what has gone wrong. Without going over the top if you haven't paid them then I would consider holding payment untill things are fully sorted. The way it sounds to me is that they were engaged to perform work and fix a problem and they aint done it..maybe I'm missing something here?....cool heads prevail always but I really think your answer lies back at the shop.
What is the serial number of the machine?
Breakdown of the D3's past 6 months -Dozer completely stopped at a job site after the rear end had been getting hot for awhile -Took the dozer to the shop and told them that the rear had been getting hot and now it will not move -The shop tore the dozer apart and "fixed" it -They test drove the dozer at the lot and everything is working fine -I went to pick up the dozer, the shop required payment before we could leave with the equipment -Brought the dozer home, ran it for about 30 minutes and the rear end would melt anything that touched it - like fry and egg -We called the shop and they said that they don't know what to do then, they said they worked with the brakes and adjusted the clutchs and went through the whole dozer and its liners and do not know what is wrong. I nicely mentioned that I had just paid 10K to have it fixed and it was still broke and the head man explained to me that he had to pay the men that tore the dozer down to the frame and cleaned it and put it back together. They said there were metal pieces in the oil that goes thru the transmission and torque converter and they replaced the transmission and torque converter and they completely flushed everything. Basically I was told that I was SOL, that the parts to replace what they replaced, and the labor to do that, had to be paid and they dont want the dozer back because they don't know what to do to it.
does it have peddle steering ?
Shopguy mentioned this earlier but I can't tell if it was checked out. Check those little "mickey mouse" bearings (#12). They are famous for crapping out causing loss of release travel and slipping of the steering clutches. Can generate lots of heat.
Serial number for this dozer is 6SL02314
Here are some pictures I took this afternoon of the dozer. If you look at the rear left you can see where it got so hot the first time that it melted the plugs.
Thanks for the diagram old magnet, I appreciate eveyone's help so far! I think we are getting to the bottom of the problem! Thanks again everyone, you don't know how much a poor country boy appreciates all this
In your OP, you say it's getting hot in the centre. This suggest the bevel gear compartment, not the clutches/brakes. Is the oil level OK in there? Are you aware that it has a seperate dipstick? Has anyone done work on the bevel gear/pinion? It may have been incorrectly set up.
also check the cam/levers that run on #12 for flat spots.There should be some travel between where the track stops pulling and the brake comes on.You can tell by feel just play with it on a hill.
I notice in your last picture that the parking brake switch is in a different position than my D3c. Mine sits in the middle. I noticed that yours is all the way upwards. Probably not an issue, but something I noticed. CJ
Rear left gets us back to steering clutches again. Clutches are wet type but there is no oil cooler or circulation involved.