Thanks again to Nige for getting me set up on the right page. I was just wondering if anyone has any hints on important winterizing do's and don'ts. This is my first year with my big yellow kitty cat. I just use it at my farm and this winter will just be using it as a means to clear my driveway if the snow gets really bad (which it probably will). Being an older machine I don't want to beat it up doing any winter digging. Any suggestions or tips to keep my Cat happy will be greatly appreciated.
From your location the first thing I would be asking is the condition of the coolant. If you have any doubt about it I would personally flush it out and replace it with some latest generation 50/50 ELC premix. IIRC that blend is good for temperatures down to minus 30C. A 66/33 premix would be good for minus 50C. Is it going to sit parked outside or do you have a barn big enough to get it inside..? Are you contemplating any sort of block heater for the engine and or hydraulic system..? Others who have much more experience in climates like yours will hopefully chime in. My preference to see snow is on Christmas cards and that's about it. Personally I will be somewhere with temperatures from mid-20s to mid-30s (Celsius) for most of the winter.
May I ask what kind of driveway you have that you may use a 30 ton excavator to move the snow??
Long. Two passes up and down the driveway...done
????
Agree, Shimmy1, hard to picture using an excavator to push snow!
oh boy......I didn't say anything about pushing snow....how about them big old tracks and the weight of the machine packing down the snow
Does anyone know where to find a used cheap service manual $40. to $1028 is quite a spread. I would prefer to keep my money for parts....
https://vancouver.craigslist.org/bnc/hvo/d/caterpillar-235-service-manual/6775708469.html
Might work if you are somewhere where it stays cold for the whole winter, but the way winters have been the last few years here it would be nice for a couple days then half melt and turn to slop for weeks at a time. Then freeze again with major ruts!
I worked for a company that had a few 235s. I remember one that stayed in the rock quarry every winter for seawall protection jobs. It always started, no matter how cold, but if you didn't let it warm up enough, it would blow hydraulic filters, or bust hoses.
Thank you, that is comforting news.
Hey Skadill, thanks for the tip. I got the manual yesterday, and can't thank you enough for reaching out to me. This site rocks. Good people, good info. Cheers
I am sure you are aware on hard packed snow and on any kind of side hill or down hill that 235 will take off like a bob sled.