Some of you are full of wisdom about older equipment. I have a 85-3A Michigan wheel loader, and if memory serves right, a Clarke transmission. The problem has been ongoing for several years, (very low use machine) I'm sure a rebuild is in order, but the future use of the unit does not justify the expense. The problem is, on startup, when engaging the shift levers (hi-lo, forward-reverse) sometimes, but not always, the lockup takes a very long time, once the hydraulics load everything is fine until you stop the engine. When restarted you might have to wait as much as 5 minutes before it seems to all of a sudden engage, and then your good to go again. The atmosphere temperature seems to have no affect, oil level, or engine RPM, do not seem to help. I'm sure that the inside parts are well worn, and in need of attention, I suspect most, that old shaft seals worn, or cracked, might be keeping a vacuum from letting the prime take place in the hydraulic portion, The pattern of this happening is so unpredictable, that it makes no sense if something is wrong in one area, why it would not act the same every time???:Banghead It's a good thing the machine and I are old, and not often in a need to be in a hurry Thanks in advance for any thoughts, I'll keep a list of any suggestions from anyone, until I find out just whats going on. Ron
Ron, I have run a grove RT62 crane with a clark trans set up in it. Does it "lose" the prime even if shut down for a minute? Stupids first, Have you checked the fluid levels in the trans and converter? Any obvious leaks? This Grove seemed to lack power especially when the weather would turn colder (30s to -dgrees) type of weather. The problem with this Grove was every single time the trans wouldn't go into gear, the converter was very low on fluid. The bosses seemed to never want to fix the leaking seals. Ask the super mod DIGGERabut it. he currently works on that site.
Might seem strange question but are you checking the transmission oil level with the machine running in neutral? If the level is checked with the machine off then the oil will be much too low when running as the oil in the sump will be used to fill the converter.
Thanks guys, The questions helped prod me into digging around until I found a manual I had forgotten about, in it there is a diagram of the oil flow for the trans, converter, and into the radiator, they show a filter screen in something that looks like a one way flow valve, also a vent on the converter might need some attention. I'll look things over this next week. But going back to the statement, there is not a regular pattern as to when it will fail to jump into gear, almost any time the engine is stopped and restarted right away it will happen, but not every time.:Banghead Thats what makes it so frustrating, hot-cold weather, hot-cold machine, oil hi-lo, or even a blockage in the lines should produce a regular pattern.:beatsme It seems to happen more often in the last few years,(I have had it sense 1987) and it has been doing this all these years but never has it failed to come around. One time I had the engine revved pretty high when it decided to hook up, nearly gave me a neck lash I do check oil level running and in gear. There are slow leaks that drop the oil level over long periods. I would say colder weather might have the edge, but I'm now days pretty much a fair weather operator.:drinkup :drinkup It's not critical yet, but I think the day is coming when I'll have to decide if I want to learn how simple it is to work on a big transmission. Well thanks again, and if anyone else has something to say speak right up Ron
i have a 125a does the same thing need help please what should i do
I never got back to my machine, hurricane Ike hit and I spent almost 8 months in the Galveston-East Texas area, the last few months have been too hot to try anything outside so it has been holding the weeds down. Now that it is getting a little cooler I might go back out and see if it will crank up and run, I'm worried it might need too much oil to justify getting it started and then just set again. This might bump the thread into the sight of someone that has an answer Ron
thanks in strugglen with ths
Replace the suction hoses and orings on the suction side simple stuff its just loosing its prime at that time check the suction screen. if that dosnt do it check pressures.
how big of a box will my 125a push with wouth over heartn the trans and stuff.
I don't think there is a suction screen. The only screen I remember was a fairly coarse one sandwiched between the transmission pan and the housing. I guess it was meant to catch any gear and bearing parts before they reached the bottom. These were REALLY simple machines.
were my torqe coverter housing bolts its round and got bolts around it there are like 5 that treas in but wont tighnten there strippen. the tread into the housing that bolts to the moter what do i do it seems to be tight.
I Have a Case 580 B backhoe its getting fuel to the pump but not out to the injectors. it has a (remanufactered injection pump Replaced).
Ron, I carried out a lot of maintanence on michigan loaders of all shapes and sizes years ago and one problem I used to come across time and time again was the left hand brake pedal (de clutch pedal) would stick down slightly, not enough to apply the brakes but enough to operate the de-clutch valve on the transmission and leave the operator with no drive as you describe. Just a thought but it might be worth trying.
Excellent thought. Even the old machines with a single brake pedal had the de-clutching device.
Thanks, That sounds like a very good possibility, and seems to fit some of the unusual and nonpredictable actions that take place. It will be high on my check list. Ron
yae i got lima