Cat 951-C in my sights

[Nitelite]

I removed the belly pan today and removed the old hose, took about two hours. The old and new look the same when compared. I didn't get time to install the new hose before dark got me. Straight forward job with no unseen problems so far and I don't expect any. I lost a lot more hydraulic oil than I thought I did. When I drained the tank I got less than 1 gallon. good news is that the magnetic drain plug was clean as a pin with no metal particles to be seen. Busy day tomorrow with more Dr. appointments but hopefully I can get things back together in the afternoon.
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[Nitelite]

Hose installed and the belly pan back in place. Not a bad job at all. I expended about five hours start to finish including R&R belly pan and R&R hose. I poured in all of the oil that I had on hand, about four gallons. It was enough to raise the loader arms enough to get the angle irons out that were supporting the bucket but not enough to even show on the dip stick or be visible in the the sight glass window. I'll pick up two five gallon pails tomorrow, that might do it.

 

[DMiller]

I am trying to be good, I am trying to be good, I am trying to be good.

Really enjoy the progress NL, can only wish I could be progressing on my old machine!!!! But I am trying to be good and let everything heal up! Only a few more WEEKS!

 

[Nitelite]

I had an operation once when I was younger. I could not afford the time off from work and had no benefits other than medical bill coverage with a large deductible and co pay. I was supposed to be off six weeks but went back to work in two. I have paid ever since. You are doing the right thing.

By the way, I like the work that you are doing on the bucket job!

 

[Dickjr.]

Niteliite , what kind of fluid do you run in the hydraulics? I have been told NAPA fluid is ok in the hydraulics. I have wondered for years if there is a difference in these multipurpose oils , should you get 10W or what. I like the 10W but its not readily available here close.

 

[Nitelite]

I get mine from tractor supply. It is heavy duty tractor hydraulic oil. It comes in a black 5 gal pail and has a red label. It is just North of $35.00 for the 5 gal pail. I use it in the D4 and the 951. I have not had any problems with the hydraulic components other than old hoses blowing. I picked up fifteen gallon. It may or may not be enough, depends on how much I lost. It holds 27 gallon.

 

[Dickjr.]

If I were a betting man , which during March Madness I am , I'd bet the TSC oil and NAPA are the same in different pails. I use it in the hydraulic systems , not in the transmissions especially the hydrostats. This is a topic none of the distributors wants to talk about. I can get 10W at a local oil jobber but its a 20 mile drive , NAPA is about a 1/2 mile.

 

[Nitelite]

For an older machine I am not into spending a whole lot of money on over sold and over priced hydraulic oil. If I decided to pay big bucks for hydro oil I would replace all of the old hoses first. D Miller did a total hose replacement on his loader not long ago. Miller, what fluid did you go with, or did you just add to what you had?

I also believe that the NAPA and TSC 10 weight is the same, Orileys sells the same stuff and Rural King too.

When I overhauled the D 330 engine in the 951 I used Rotella synthetic when I refilled the engine. Up until then I was using 30 wt motor oil. Any ideas or input on weather or not you can add petroleum based 30 wt oil or 15w40 oil to the synthetic? I wish that I had stuck with petroleum based 30 wt or 15w40 so all of my tractors trucks and and other machines would have the same engine oils. For sure, when I do the next oil change on the 951 I will go back with 15w40 or maybe even straight 30 wt.

 

[Dickjr.]

I was told never to mix synthetic with petroleum based. I use 15w40 in everything equipment wise and use it in my mower which is a Ferris with 28hp Briggs big block and my Kawasaki Teryx. The little gas powered jobs get hot and will black the oil in 20 hours , the mower stays clean but its only got 60 hrs on it. I use Rotella buy it at Walmart. My F150 gets the 5w20 which is like water but I am told the cam runs in the block with no bearings is why that's the oil for it and the Acadia gets the 5w 30 or what ever it says on the oil fill cap. She takes it to a local in and out shop.

 

[GregsHD]

Nitelite did you fill your freshly overhauled engine with synthetic oil prior to seating it in?? That's a big no no in my books, you want friction to seat the rings, I've always just run mineral 15w40 in my fresh rebuilds, heat cycle it a few times gentle then run the bag off it for 50-100hrs and dump the break in oil. Never had an oil burner yet..




Dickjr. Does your f150 have a triton 5.4? The only reason ford recommended 5w20 was to meet emissions. I've looked after a fleet of 5.4 engines and switched them to 5w30, less valvetrain noise/problems and more protection IMO. Just something to think about

 

[DMiller]

I switched the old Allis over to 15w40 as I first got it, no issues on conversion but I used conventional Rotella. As I remember(in the olden days) in the shops I worked that when mixed synthetic and conventional oils you got a plasticized goo after running a few weeks seemed the older additives were not compatible, that may not be the case using both versions of Rotella as they should use similar compounds.

Have not seen issues seating rings with synthetic oils, the shape of the rings and design to scrape the walls on downstroke still function, really only decrease friction on upstroke keeping pistons off the walls and in bearings.

 

[GregsHD]

Have not seen issues seating rings with synthetic oils, the shape of the rings and design to scrape the walls on downstroke still function, really only decrease friction on upstroke keeping pistons off the walls and in bearings.

Interesting, I was taught (not in a school) to never run in on sythetic, I suppose it might take more time and hard running to seat in? I know it's not recommended by any manufacturer (engine or parts).
I only have the experience with one engine the owner ran in on synthetic, it drank oil for 500hrs (2 changes) until he switched to mineral 15w40, 200hrs hard running later it sealed up and he switched back to sythetic with no problems. It was a 3208 with 3 ring pistons. I suppose there are a lot of factors involved though.

 

[DMiller]

Latest engines are being shipped new with Syn. fluids, Brother in law works for Metro St. Louis, all the new Cummins bus engines are delivered straight synthetic. Oils have changed since the first synthetics came out, have come a long way.

 

[Nitelite]

I have no problem with the synthetic oil in itself. Neither is the machine consuming oil. No problem with things sealing up. I just don't like having to stock so many kinds of engine oil. When I finished the overhaul the Rotella was on sale with a decent rebate and without considering all things, I went for . it. Really not that big of a deal as if it was a daily driver. I don't really think that there is a bad oil out there today, so long as it is compatible with the seals and o rings.

Dick, My F250 is a naturally aspirated 1989 7.3 liter. The Ford factory recommendation was straight 30 wt. For many years it got Castrol 30 wt. The last 5 years or so I have used 15w30. We don't have emissions checks in our county on any vehicle, gas or diesel, so I don't consider the viscosity of the oil as a factor. I have owned that truck 28 years now. It runs and drives like new and has not turned 75,000 miles yet and it looks new. I drove it more than 700 miles and put it through its paces at 70 mph pulling that 5600 lb military trailer back from Indianapolis a few months back. By the way, no bridge toll bill in the mail yet from that trip. They won't get another chance at me unless I see a "can't live without, can't pass it up deal" at Iron Planet Indianapolis auction site. Nice 5 ton was auctioned from there today. I don't know what it brought but I figured that it was best if I kept my computer tuned to something else!

My 5 ton is loaded and ready to pull out for a food delivery trip on Friday and Saturday.

 

[Dickjr.]

That's a sweet rig.

 

[Nitelite]

Now that the old war birds are retired I will do what I can to preserve them. The 5 ton and trailer is 32 years old and the Jeep is 55 years old. I am in the process of constructing a building to put them in the dry. The M151 jeep is a rare survivor from the Vietnam war. The 5 ton is a survivor of the first Gulf war.
When they go down the road horns blow and heads turn. The grunts who once depended on them just stop and stare in amazement.

 

[DMiller]

I still remember sitting behind the wheel of a M35A2 and a M816, my favored drive was the M715. LONG time ago now when I received my Military Drivers License. Good work preserving a bit of heritage.

 

[Hobbytime]

Interesting, I was taught (not in a school) to never run in on sythetic, I suppose it might take more time and hard running to seat in? I know it's not recommended by any manufacturer (engine or parts).
I only have the experience with one engine the owner ran in on synthetic, it drank oil for 500hrs (2 changes) until he switched to mineral 15w40, 200hrs hard running later it sealed up and he switched back to synthetic with no problems. It was a 3208 with 3 ring pistons. I suppose there are a lot of factors involved though.

most new trucks and cars come with synthetic oil in the crankcase, so I would think the engineers know more than me.. both my toyota trucks came with synthetic oil and are doing fine...one has 10k and the other 30+k miles on them..

 

[Nitelite]

This is the Deuce that I drove in service. I took good care of it as you can tell by the picture.

 

[Nitelite]