Hey everyone- wondering if anyone might have experience with a problem that just happened. I was working the machine, loading dirt, when I noticed an oil leak around the front hood. Popped the hood open, nothing obvious, but after running it for a few minutes, it looked like oil was being pulled through the radiator, from the oil cooler? It *looks* like engine oil, does not smell or look like hydraulic, and I still have the correct amount on the dipstick for the engine. Anyone know of common causes of failure in this area? Experience with this type of thing? Any thoughts appreciated.
Transmission oil is also cooled - you may have a split in the core .....
I had the same problem and it was only an oil cooler leak. This was after I had already had the thing off and repaired once just 2 weeks prior. They found another leak that they missed. See this.. The fan was spitting oil all over the engine. My cooler is in front of the radiator with 4 connections. 2 are for the hydraulic fluid and 2 are for the shuttle. It was NOT engine leaking oil at all. From what I read a great percentage of old oil coolers leak at some point. Some radiator shops don't like to work on these because they have aluminum fins preventing them from using the big vat to "boil" them out. Also the coils are steel, not copper. Aftermarket coolers are almost impossible to locate, and Case gets a mint for the new ones.
I don't have the shop manual for my Case Phase I 580M turbo, but I have the parts manual, and it shows an oil cooler, for the life of me I could not figure out how it goes into or in front of the rad, if that was the case. Does the rad cool the coolant, transmission AND engine oil? Or are these components stacked one in front of the other?
Looks like the transmission oil is low, so I would say that is the source. Does this tie into the radiator? Or is it a separate cooler? Can't figure out how to get access to it...
The cooler is seperate to the radiator. If the machine has A/C there will be the condenser to deal with also. The radiator it easily removed & should allow the removal of the trans cooler. Remove the front grille/mesh & lower protection plate to allow more access to the cooler hoses, the bonnet can remain attatched & work around it. Drain the coolant ; unbolt the shroud; remove the bolts on each side of the radiator (which hold the coolers to the rad) & it will slide out the top. You will find alot of dirt & grass etc between & restricting the cores - give it all a good clean
Thanks for the replies. I have the grille removed, waiting patiently for Case to bring in the tranny cooler ($813 Canadian). Any idea how the coolers are stacked (providing I do not have A/C)? Is it hydraulic, tranny then engine radiator?
Troy, you either have A/C or you don't ...... I hope you have ordered the correct cooler as there is a difference in part number. The hydraulic & transmission cooler should be one & the same. Four hoses going into one cooler - for some reason the parts book does not illustrate it that way. Both hyd & trans coolers have the same part # - depending if you have air con or not.
Ah, that makes sense. I could not see it in the parts manual either. The dealer ordered based on my serial number, hoping they show up with the right one, but if not, it will be their issue to fix. Changing two coolers at the same time is a relief, I know the front end of the machine caught a lot of salt, as it was used to load salt trucks, that is one less cooler to fail. Thanks!
Well, the oil/ tranny cooler has been replaced, also changed out the tranny filter and the hydraulic filter at the same time. Had a Case tech do the work, it was above my skill level, and everything worked when he left. Then I had the bright idea to change the hydraulic fluid so that all my fluids were up-to-date, and I popped the top off the hydraulic tank, took out the plug, drained the oil and replaced it with fresh stuff, replaced the cap, then started the engine and held back on the FEL control for roughly 30 seconds, nothing. Shut the engine off to avoid damage to the pump and left it. Next day, I took the cap off the hydraulic tank and put an air line in, plugged the hole with plastic, then had someone pressurize the tank as I started the engine and held back on the FEL control. Nothing after 30 seconds, no other hydraulic operation. I know the tank was pressurized, sounded like a check valve was venting excess pressure as the air was pumped in. Shut the machine off again for fear of damaging the pump, and that is where I am. Now the big question- What kind of beer should I buy for the long week-end?!? Oh yeah, and if anyone has any ideas on what my next step should be, that would be appreciated.
The pressurizing the tank trick, usually works. Check the hose clamps on the suction line to the pump. There should be a couple at the pump & a couple at the tank. Then try the air trick again. If that does not work, with the engine idling, crack & loosen the end of the pump pressure line either at the pressure test port under the LH front of the machine or at the end of the hose where it joins the loader control valve. Hopefully you will get it going while your still sober........some machines seem to have this problem when oil is drained & others don't.
Thanks for the info, airman, you were right on the money. I took the front grill, chaff guard and baffle plate off this AM, loosened the line on the output side of the pump, then had my brother watch for fluid leak as I ran the engine. 10 seconds and I had fluid at the fitting, so I shut the machine off, put everything back together, and it is running properly again. I am getting an intermittent hydraulic filter warning light, I assume just from the air passing through the lines, and it goes off by itself. Shortly after I finished, I spoke with the tech that did the other work on the machine, calling to check in on me and see if I needed any help; he said that some machines have just enough wear in the pump that they work properly, but they will not pick up the air out of the lines when they are bled of oil, and need to have the above process done. Biggest lesson is that I did NOT run it for any length of time without oil, which is a tidbit of info that I picked up from here. Thanks, folks.