old-iron-habit
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2012
- Messages
- 4,233
- Location
- Moose Lake, MN
- Occupation
- Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
Yesterday afternoon with the temperature 50 degrees higher than a couple days ago and up to +12 F I decided I had better go skid some firewood out. With the extra cold temps we have been blowing through the stockpile pretty fast. My Ranger 666D grapple skidder has been setting by the cabin at our woods property since last fall. I took my torpedo heater and generator along, heating it for a hour before I started it. It fired right up with no issue. After letting it warn up for about 30 minutes while I loaded a load of firewood I went to skid. I drove about 40 yds. and it died rapidly like it seized. It would not spin. It had oil pressure as it sat there idling during warmup. When I first started it, it had taken about 30 seconds to build oil pressure on the gauge as is common in cold weather with the capillary tube gauge. After setting for about 10 minutes while I pulled covers and further checked things over I pushed the starter and it spun like normal and immediately started. It ran about 15 seconds and died, no oil pressure showing on the gauge this time. Not sure what is going on but I expect the worse. I am wondering if something in the oil pump could have broke when I revved it up to move. Them Clark transmissions take a healthy dose of power to move them the first bit of distance when they are cold. I am going to have to haul another machine over there and pull it back from the edge of the swamp where is now setting. I'll have to pull the engine to even get to the oil pan. The entire belly pan is one complete welded assembly. Weather is going to have to get better before I tackle this one. Meanwhile I better keep my eyes open for a spare 4-53. I got an extra 3-53 and a 4-71 but no 4-53s. My wife just told me to quit thinking about it and take her fishing instead. I guess I will for a couple days and let it warm up a bit more.