I have a 2004 Cat 420 D. I am having some issues with power. My machine has 7200 hrs on it. When it is reved up to high idle (2100 RPM the hydraulics work fine and the engine rpm stays up.) I think the problem is in the transmission or the torque converter. I had it into Cat and they told me all of the pressures were ok. That was 300 hrs ago. I have changed the transmission filter and cleaned out the screen. I have always changed the fluids within the specified time recommended by Cat. have also SOS the oil in all of the components. The dealer told me to apply the brakes in 4th gear and see what the RPM is. They said it should rev to 2100 rpm. I can only get it to rev to 1700 rpm. The problem is I can barely get it to spin a tire in 1st gear. Any suggestions. Thanks Wayne
Try to find a manual description of a stall test.
power shift or manual?
This question of spinning a tire came up a while back in another thread. It was said that maybe it is not supposed to spin a tire. If you lower the loader bucket into the ground will the tractor push to easily fill the bucket? Has the engine been maintained? Valve adjustment? Clean injectors?
1700 rpms is telling me its an engine power problem, not a transmission. What is high idle reading?
Seems like if it stalls in fourth gear at 2100 something would be slipping ( if hi idle is realy supposed to be 2100). What is the marking on the pump for hi idle or full load?
High idle should be 2350 +-40 rpm. if it is low this is the first thing to do. The throttle cable and or pedal linkage wears so maybe you can adjust it. Once you get high idle, warm the machine up then put it in 4th gear, forward and push the throttle all the way while holding the brakes so it doesnt move. It is now in a stall and the RPM will tell you what is wrong. Depending on what trans and HP engine you have the stall spec could be fom 1900 up to 2200. Lets say spec is 2100, it stalls to 1700. Then the trans is strong and it is lugging the engine down too much. This would only happen if the engine was week. (or not having a correct high idle) If it didnt lug enough, say 2200, then the trans of torque would be slipping. Sometimes it is a combination of both so you need to look at other factors like temps, hyd stall ect.