955K eating oil

Rookie955L · Apr 5, 2019

running good and no smoke but at idle and beginning of the day oil will be perfect. After running hard for 4-5 hours it’ll be off the stick or almost. Re up the oil to the line for warm and idle and it’ll last the rest of the day. Looked under the belly and noticed some dripping. Gonna drop the pan soon. Also noticed this on the right side when doing a walk around.

Also when I was under her I’m seeing dark mud spot under both drives..seals?

Any clues on where to start looking for the oil consumption before I can drop the belly pan?

Nige · Apr 6, 2019

Well IMO an external engine oil leak may well be easier to sort out than an internal one, so I'd be dropping the belly guards, get everything cleaned out and see what you can find.
CAUTION: A belly guard full of packed material is going to be HEAVY. Be careful when removing.

The dark stains on the final look like leaking Duo-Cone seals. Deep joy ...........

kshansen · Apr 6, 2019

Just curious, is this something new, the engine oil part, or has it been doing this for weeks or months?

Never was "lucky" enough to deal with those Duo-Cone seals on a track machine, just wheel loaders and smaller haul trucks. But I'm thinking as Nige says "Deep Joy" is not a good thing!

grandpa · Apr 6, 2019

If I remember right those belly pans are two or three piece pans so that will help. As far as the finals leaking, I've had them leak from sitting long periods of time. Before I dug into the finals (the deep joy Nige speaks of) I'd check levels and monitor. Personally I can tolerate a little leakage in a final verses a reseal. Monitor is imperative if you chose this route.

Rookie955L · Apr 6, 2019

That’s the advice I was hoping for. I just noticed it so I’ll start checking and see how fast of a leak I’m getting. I’ll report back about the belly pan or where I can find that leak from the engine. I was hoping there was some blocked vent or something simple but it never is, is it. Thanks guys.

Nige · Apr 6, 2019

Thinking a bit more about the leaks from the finals, it may simply be the Duo-Cone seals bedding in again after the machine was stopped for so long before you bought it. Well worth draining the oil and refilling with new (correct type & viscosity) oil to make sure the levels are good for now, and monitor the situation as you use the machine.

Here is the original thread relating to this same machine ......... https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/replacement-gauges-955l.76263/

Nige · Apr 6, 2019

kshansen said:
Never was "lucky" enough to deal with those Duo-Cone seals on a track machine, just wheel loaders and smaller haul trucks. But I'm thinking as Nige says "Deep Joy" is not a good thing!

"Deep Joy"....... - Professor Stanley Unwin, take a bow......... http://www.stanleyunwin.com/unwinese.htm

Dave Neubert · Apr 6, 2019

Looks like the oil on the final drive is running down from up top side where you took the picture. Are you loosing engine oil or trans oil

kshansen · Apr 6, 2019

Nige said:
Thinking a bit more about the leaks from the finals, it may simply be the Duo-Cone seals bedding in again after the machine was stopped for so long before you bought it. Well worth draining the oil and refilling with new (correct type & viscosity) oil to make sure the levels are good for now, and monitor the situation as you use the machine.

Not a bad idea. I can recall a couple time we had a 769C that would develop a wheel seal leak over the winter from sitting. Then as they were in to big a rush to start production in the spring to let me fix the leak they put truck to work as is, a few days running and the wetness dried up.

Rookie955L · Apr 6, 2019

Dave Neubert said:
Looks like the oil on the final drive is running down from up top side where you took the picture. Are you loosing engine oil or trans oil

I’m losing engine oil. All other fluids are right where they should be after 25+ hrs work. The finals have the same dark spots on the inside of the tracks, both sides. I’m gonna donloke suggested and too fluid off, and monitor ever hour or so to measure loss.

My biggest concern is the engine oil lose. It supposedly had a rebuild xx number of hours ago....it starts and runs like it did though. Fires right up, no smoke other than normal diesel spool up, and doesn’t miss a beat. It’s been working and in a field and obviously brand new to me so I haven’t had time to really get to know it. Belly pan off here soon but gonna take some of the cowl off and see if I can spot something. Looks dry inside when I check the oil though.

DB2 · Apr 6, 2019

How much blow by? If it’s burning that much you should be able to smell it.

Rookie955L · Apr 6, 2019

Very little from what I can tell, I’m just used to checking it with the oil cap on a diesel truck, any different checking it on this?

DB2 · Apr 6, 2019

That or the crankcase breather tube.
Pull the pan(s) and see if you have a leak.

DMiller · Apr 6, 2019

Yours will have a Draft Pipe on it, with the oil cap off may not visualize a quantity of blowby as will also be passing thru to the pans. Would also check the Turbo discharge piping Internally next chance you get, also from sitting the Turbo seals may be weeping/puking more when initially started and cold.

Nige · Apr 6, 2019

Rookie955L said:
Very little from what I can tell, I’m just used to checking it with the oil cap on a diesel truck, any different checking it on this?

Does your dipstick have markings on only one side or both..? If it has MIN/MAX markings on both one side will say "ENGINE STOPPED - OIL COLD" and the other side something like "ENGINE AT LOW IDLE WITH WARM OIL".

kshansen · Apr 6, 2019

Like Nige says need to be sure you are checking oil level the proper way on an engine, forget if you posted the S/N but here's a generic 955 Maintenance manual out take:

(3)Engine Crankcase

1. Measure oil level with machine on level ground and transmission safety set. Before starting, oil level must be in SAFE STARTING RANGE on ENGINE STOPPED side of dipstick.
2. With engine running and oil warm, maintain oil level between the ADD and FULL marks on the ENGINE RUNNING side of dipstick.

Dave Neubert · Apr 6, 2019

I would look at the turbo pull the he cross over pipe from the turbo to the head and see if it is oily

Rookie955L · Apr 6, 2019

Yes it has the dual sided stick and I’ve been checking it the way the manual says. I wish I had a better place to pull this belly pan off. It’s in a field and not to easy to get jacks under. I’m gonna mess with it next week and see what I find. I really appreciate the feedback!

kshansen · Apr 6, 2019

Rookie955L said:
Yes it has the dual sided stick and I’ve been checking it the way the manual says.

Good on that, not trying to point fingers just want to be sure things are being done right. Have seen too many self inflicted problems over the years to not try to be 110% sure the basics are being done right!

Rookie955L · Apr 6, 2019

My brother was actually reading it wrong till I pointed it out. But then at the end of the day it turned out it was still consuming oil. We’ll get it stripped down a bit and take a peek on Tuesday or Wed. I’m praying it’s something small or small enough to finish this basement dig, so another 15 hrs of run time.

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