So went to look at a 544 today and well, hmmm, its not bad but far from fantastic, one piston doesn't leak but really, seal kits are pretty easy to install even though they are heavy. My question is the transmission / engine, startup, jumps to life, minimal smoke, a little hydraulic whine while its warming up, okay, let it run for a bit. Brakes are super mushy but could maybe be low fluid, not sure, maybe needs brakes rebuilt? push into a pile and it'll happily spin the wheels but when climbing about a 20 % grade, it slows down to half walking speed and it seems like the engine is very short on revs, on the flat ground it again zips up to the limit and cruises along. So my question, with an empty bucket and a grade, should it be able to cruise right up it in first gear or should it slow and the engine kinda bogs. I did see it has a new injection pump and the fuel filter looks black, jet black except the top of the element, like it was painted with a brush, the glass is clear but maybe the filter itself is just black? Also, the trans temp never climbed over 120f but the trans pressure gauge never came off 0, I'm thinking its broken. will be sending oil samples out. but need a bit of help Thanks again everyone!
I don't know anything about them, disclaimer, but the 544A and B's had twin torque converter trans's. High and low shift, and two 'speeds' in each range with torque converter shifts. A's and B's were zippy, in the right range. The fuel filter is a rectangular clear plastic box sort of thing, no? You should be able to see the pleated paper element inside. Easy to change, I think. I'd buy a new one, put it on, and drive the machine, before I'd buy it. (I'd spend a bit on repairs, to see that it is ok, before I'd buy the machine. Good money after bad. If the machine is ok, no problem. If it isn't ok, you get out cheaper...)
thanks Jim, maybe that's what it was, dropping into low gear in 1st..
I have a 644c and yes it is slow climbing hills and zippy on the flat. The glass filter is black in the middle with what should be clear glass on the top and bottom 1" or so of the filter. The transmission pressure gauge is very helpful in determining its life. I would get that fixed. It should stay in the green untill you shift, then it will fall to zero and build back up again. If it has low pressure or possibly any transmission issue, I would seriously reconsider machine, we have done minor work on mine and it is an absolute bear to work on! Its like they started with the transmission and built a thick steel shell encasing the whole thing. I have a service manual if there is anything you need. Good luck!
Thanks, okay, so slow is normal, now the trans pressure gauge on my backhoe does much that, wavers around in the green, this one never came off 0 so I'm thinking the instrument itself is broken or disconnected, there were a few wires down underneath here and there that were disconnected, two right next to the right side of the transmission. If it was a true 0 I'm guessing it would not move in any gears let alone climb and such.
I think somebody told me there was a sprag clutch in the torque that goes bad and slips causes low torque, you might ask your local Deere service manager if nobody else on here responds.
Thanks, have been trying to track down information, seems the nearby JD dealer who's sticker is on the machine is long gone, can't seem to look up information by serial number.