Learning to service new to me 1993 Caterpillar 935CII Hello and thank you for all the help you guys previously provided me when I was searching for a track loader. I finally bought one several months ago, but before I use it I am going over the best I can. And I have the operator’s manual which does show me how to perform routine maintenance, as well as a parts book for the machine. Starting with the final drives I removed the left side check plug and thankfully clear fluid ran out, So on to the right side. Here my first problem begins. I noticed that the ¾ OD plug with an internal ½ drive was rough looking, and much to my disappointment it will not budge. I only had a ½ impact gun and the plug was too rounded for the ½ extension to get any bite. So I began to try to chisel it loose with a punch. The plug is fairly soft and I made a flat spot where I can get a solid hit with the punch but that flat spot keeps moving but the plug will not budge. I did try to heat with a small held torch and randomly squirted with cold water to cool rapidly before continuing to strike with punch it but still no progress. Of course the entire time I used a good amount of PBblaster. And I have used my air chisel to pound on the center of plug with pointed bit, but I did not think to use the air chisel to strike the edge to attempt to turn the plug. I have a larger torch I could use a rose bud on a get it hotter, but I am not sure if that will cause any damage to internal parts. And I am prepared to drill out if that is what you guys suggest. Finally the Cat dealer says the part is ¾ straight thread. Will a pipe thread tap work to clean up threads afterward? Thank You Johnny Walker
I think that's a steel plug. Could you try welding a nut on it..?
Thanks for the reply. I could weld, is it OK to weld with my arc welder? I have the battery out of machine. I am afraid I will weld to the case since the plug is only 3/4 and it is recessed. I guess perhaps a 1/2 bolt and weld carefully around circumference.
So long as you ground the welding cable as close as possible to where you're welding I would say so, especially if the battery is off the machine. The idea of welding a bolt will work. Try this first though. Get a regular wax candle and an oxy-acetlyene torch and heat up the plug and the area around it until it's plenty hot. Then melt the candle around the edge of the plug. The wax ought to wick into the threads and help you loosen the plug.
Thank you Nige for the help. You were right. I put the rosebud to it and then a candle and much to my surprise, a tap with the chisel and it moved. What a relief. I am going to back track just a little and post pics of this loader when I bought it. This will be a good starting point and hopefully with help from the forum I can fix it up. As you can see from the pictures it needs lots of TLC. Year is 1993 and hour meter reads 4100, but have yet to test if meter works. Has original undercarriage so I am told. The first thing I wanted to do was raise it up so I could work underneath. It was a learning experience just trying to jack it up in the gravel. I have never owned equipment and as you can see I wasted about a week of evenings using cement blocks, and whatever else I could find. Only after I had it resting on blocks and a ¾ steel plate at the rear of machine did I crawl underneath to try to jack up front. I had an air jack so I was able to raise it from the safe distance once I had the jack positioned. But I final gave up as the jack sank into ground too much. I eventually learn from my mistakes, and visited the local sawmill where they had a 16 ft. oak 8 x 8 beam that was recently discarded when nails were found inside. I bought for $20 and sawed into 2- 8ft pieces, and use to raise the loader off the ground. I paid $10k for the machine, and being an unexperienced buyer I defiantly missed some things, so there is lots of work ahead, which I hope will be interesting for others here. I welcome all comments. Thanks Johnny Walker
I paid $3,000 for my 1987 931b, it was a great price on a very dead dozer. I bought it under the pretense of it only needing fuel injectors. I was told by the seller that another mechanic had already looked it over, apparently he wasn't up to the task, had no clue or I was lied to all around for a quicker purchase. I bought that machine last June (2015) & I am still not able to use it due to a locked up / seized engine due to water entering through the exhaust pipe & into the engine. With the engine being such a huge undertaking to remove, have rebuilt, then put back in the machine, I would have much rather paid $10,000 for a running machine. I am still in the dark about every other aspect of the running condition of this machine. So, if you have been able to operate your 935 that is a good 6 years newer than mine, I would say that you did pretty good. The size of our machines are great for numerous reasons; they are transportable easily, they have great power, can serve as a dozer & can load stuff into piles & into the back of trucks. My sprockets need to be replaced, the fuel tank needs cleaned out of rust, sealed / painted from the inside & the steering brake on one side seems locked up / frozen in place. I also have garbage in the fuel system, due to a very ignorant previous owner being stupid with fuel & being a cheapo-ass about the cost of diesel fuel. I am kinda dreading the position that I am in with my loader. I wish it was atleast running right now. I am looking at $5,000 to $12,000 just to try to put it to work.