Hello everyone. First post. Just picked up a '97 Cat D3C III. Only had 2,844 original hours on it. The shut down timer and the 6 way blade were the only issues i could find. I think the shut down timer went bad. Going to test more tomorrow The blade on the other hand has me puzzled. I knew the machine was a little low on hydraulic oil when i test drove it. The blade didnt respond like dozers ive run before. Sometimes it would move perfect. Other times i would get better movement from barely touching the control lever than moving it to fully engage the lift, tilt, or angle function. Sometimes i couldnt get the blade to do much of anything no matter what i did. I felt like this was related to the low hydraulic oil level so first thing i did when i took possession this morning was to perform a full service on it just to be sure everything is up to date. All new fluids, filters, belts, and battery. This thing starts and runs like a dream. The blade issues didnt change though. The old filter looked good. Am i missing something? Is there something else that would cause my issue? Thanks in advance for any and all help!
You need to post your machine serial number so SIS members can see what type of system you have. Is the 6-way effected on all the functions?
Sorry. 6SL02679. Yes, its all functions that are effected.
Do you have a ripper attachment?
No
The linkages below the levers can get very sloppy and move around giving you different operating characteristics. Take the panel off the right side in front of the hydraulic tank and watch all the motion while moving the levers with the machine shut down.
John C. How do I know if they are within specs or need adjusting?
Watch how far you move the lever before spools on the hydraulic control valve start to move.
The movement of the linkages appears normal.
OK, if there is no slop then you will likely need a pressure gauge to be able to see what is going on in the hydraulic system.
Where do i get one and where do i connect it?