Can anyone tell me why grader stops moving after running it a few minutes. You have to turn machine off wait a few minutes, then start again..same thing runs a few minutes and then stops moving again. Transmission pressure gauge shows zero
To start with, have you changed out the transmission filter and oil? There's a suction strainer in the bottom of the transmission case where the pump suction steel line connects opposite I think the drain plug. Drain the oil, yank the strainer and also pull the trans filter, both are probably full of material. If the strainer is plugged up (they collapse when they plug up as I recall) then the pump can't suck oil and she no go. The clutch friction plates and also the inboard disk brakes all shed material as they wear and the older they get the faster particles fall off and end up in that suction strainer. *Sometimes* they'll go for a while longer if you fine this situation by replacing the strainer screen and filter with new and also fresh oil, but usually overhaul time is ticking if not actually setting off alarms. Could be something else, but check that first if you haven't already.
Thanks Mucho, have changed the filter, but was unaware of suction strainer. Machine is used on ranch and am not looking forward to tranny overhaul.
Did you see a lot of material in the filter? Did the oil smell burnt? #20 is the strainer. I don't remember if you can pull it from the plug end or not, you might have to remove the little housing from the other end.
Thank you for info. Machine is over on the River Place. Will go over and see if I can locate strainer and pull filter. Will check oil to see if it has burnt smell.I'll have to make a trip to RDO Equipment to get new filter and strainer which is about 90 miles. Sure do appreciate your help..!!!
The strainer should be reusable after being washed in something like diesel. They are generally not a throw-away item like a filter. You may have to replace any seal/gasket such as items 12, 17, 19, & 21 in the diagram above if they have to be disturbed in order to get the strainer out. Also item 4 which appears to be an o-ring should be replaced. It may come in the box with the new filter, it may not.
Where is drain plug for transmission reservoir located? All I see is about a 1.25" plug under machine. Can take a picture and send if needed
Nige, You are correct it should be reusable. However in my experience if this is the problem and the machine has been run to the point where the suction is completely blocked, this strainer screen which is a sort of plastic can be either punctured or collapsed to the point where it is not reusable. I have had a couple machines were there was so much material around and stuck in the strainer that it would not come out without damaging it. There should be a drain plug directly under the differential and another on the side at the end of that screen, directly opposite the suction connection, which you can also remove to drain the oil.
I was thinking it would be a metal screen and therefore would be reusable. Obviously not necessarily the case.
It's your CAT background old son, they tend to build things a bit more substantial as a rule. Deere is still connected to it's farm roots sometimes! LOL If it turns out to actually be a metal screen, I like my crow turned on a spit over charcoal and served with barbecue sauce please.
I've drained the hydraulic reservoir and the clutch pack. Poured 5 gallons of Barsol through reservoir.Cleaned sump strainer. New transmission filters. Filled with new hydraulic/transmission oil. Started great and transmission pressure and transmission lube gauge working, hydraulics working. Started driving down the road, then stopped moving and lost hydraulics and gauges went to zero. You can turn machine off for a few minutes, restart and it would move for a few feet then stop again
Sounds like a valve poppet sticking somewhere. Did you get much debris from the strainer area? Time for some pressure checks.
Wish I knew how to send picture of strainer. It had black crude in it, but cleaned up nicely. Planning on calling JD field tech to come out to ranch. Closest RDO Equiment is Near Austin tx....about 90 miles away. I guess he can do pressure checks out here at the ranch.
Guess I figured out how to send picture.
That's what they look like when stuff starts coming apart inside. Looks like it hadn't collapsed or been punctured yet though. Any chance the charge pump could be sucking air somewhere along the tube that comes off the end of the strainer?
Possibility. How would you check that?
Easiest clue would be foam on the dipstick maybe?
Thanks
I'd like to see a more close-up photo of the crud on the screen but based on experience with other makes of machine at a first glance it bears a lot of resemblance to burned up clutch facing material. Others may disagree.
It looked like pieces of fiber.
For me at least I would say that confirms it. There appears to be what looks to be small almost "squares" of clutch facing material on that screen. However I have no experience with Deere grader transmissions, you need confirmation from one of our resident Deere experts. Did you keep the material by any chance, and id so can you post a photo of the material only against a white background and spread the larger particles out a bit..?
Nige, You are correct, and on these common sump Deere's the inboard brakes are often a major contributor. When they get through with the linings they start throwing cast iron grindings usually.
Am I understanding you correctly that the brakes and the transmission share the same oil..? What ***kwit designed that system..? Don't answer that - probably the same one that put the parking brake inside the transmission on Cat graders ....... In that case I suggest to get a magnet and check for magnetic particles amongst that black ****.....
Appreciate your input guys. Unfortunately, I didn't keep any of the black crap, so can't check for metal.
Rear housing: Brakes: Very common Deere system, lots of AG tractors use it, backhoe loaders, etc. Wheel loaders of course have separate drive axles so at least they have some protection. Did we mention that the transmission pump supplies charge oil to the hydraulic pump? LOL.
What involves replacing inboard clutch. Don't claim to be a mechanic...raise beef cattle. Brother-in-law is a tractor mechanic. Can this be done out on the ranch, or does it need to be hauled for repairs?
If it's still drained just wipe your finger around the drain hole, or the screen hole, there's plenty more material in there. The metal especially will sit on the bottom of the case and not all get flushed into the screen and filter. I agree it's definitely friction material. But maybe not technically "burned", it can disintegrate for other reasons too.
So am I understanding correctly, that sump strainer probably is full of friction material again and this will restrict flow and cause machine to stop moving and hydraulics to quit working?
it won't have the same amount of material as it had the first time, but it may well have collected something. However what Delmer is suggesting is to remove the screen again, then stick your finger in the hole where the screen fits and wipe it around the bottom of the transmission case. Chances are that unless you cleaned out really well when you drained the oil there will still be some residual contmaination left in that location. At least there ought to be enough for you to determine if there is anything magnetic in it. That would direct the diagnosis towards the brakes (see Lantraxco's posts above) with contamination from them affecting the transmission, or to the transmission itself. So in summary, if there is substantial quantity of magnetic material in the debris, it's likely brake-related. If there isn't, it's likely transmission.
Thanks
Had John Deere field tech come out to the ranch, he checked transmission oil level, ran machine and checked transmission pressure on gauge on dash. Transmission pressure around 180 psi,after running machine a few minutes the pressure dropped. He drained oil on transmission again and removed transmission oil sump screen again and it had a lot of transmission clutch material on it causing restriction of oil to pump. He advised that the transmission would have to be rebuilt which would cost up to $20,000. Can't afford to have it fixed. Where can I sell it AS IS and get a fair amount for machine? Need advice!!!
Ironplanet
Iron Planet, Purple Wave, Ritchie Brothers in FT Worth. Should sell well due it running fine for a few minutes. However, Iron Planet will test the machine and do an in-depth analysis, Purple Wave will want to video it moving. Maybe Ritchie would be best bet.