CAT 245 95V-01157 This machine was inherited by a customer that bought a shale pit operation here. They believe the machine is slow but they are comparing it to a much newer Komatsu PC400. I would like to check the basics (engine high idle, hydraulic and full stall, hydraulic relief pressures, and cycle times). Can one you gracious CAT experts provide this info? There is a possibility that there is nothing actually wrong with it and could be just the nature of this older machine.
Well here are a few spec's to start with: I'm no expert but just have some access to SIS!
And just some more: Hope this gives you a starting point.
For the engine side ,a fast start when its hot.
They are big, heavy, slow and like lots of fuel. The finals are linear and as I recall the sprockets are pressed. Multiple pumps, lots of big spaghetti tubing that likes to crack in the flanges. Most I've been around used the D type O rings and you will need lots of them. Finally, they were tough. In their day there wasn't much better, but that isn't saying much. The competition in the big machine market was Koehring, Lorain, Poclain, Link-Belt, Bucyrus and maybe a couple of others I can't remember. Once Japan got involved, that was the end of all those.
Well I got to look at this machine yesterday. The first and only thing I have done is the cycle times. All upper structure movements are more than double the cycle time except the swing which is right on the money. After looking over the machine I noticed several things...………...the right sprocket has NO teeth left and will spin in the rail when under a load, The pivot pin area where the stick meets the boom evidently has been a problem child...…….so much wear in the boom boss that the pin retaining bolt will not keep the pin stable and shears the bolt off. I called the owner before I left and informed him that I could go ahead and run pressure tests if he wanted but other things would need addressed. I told him I didn't feel it was a good idea to increase the power and speed on the machine in the shape it is currently in. These guys don't watch anything from the looks of the machine and I could see them tearing the stick off the boom. I'm awaiting his decision.
Maybe they should take the Komatsu PC400 and dig a hole to push this one in! Then I have to wonder how long before the Komatsu is just as bad!