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955L Torque Cooler Leak

Athompson2817

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
24
Location
Birmingham Al
Working on my 955L SN 85J4919. Still doing maintenance before I start operating it. It has been sitting all summer while I have been getting the tar substance out of the fuel tank. Cranked it and ran it for appx 20 at idle to find what appeared to be water/coolant leaking out of the front right of the machine if you are facing the grill. Looked in the grill and the liquid was coming from the aux cooler that is to the right of the radiator when facing the front of the machine. The next day, I wanted to get the machine up to operating temp to check the trans fluid level. Drove it around the yard. Returned the machine to the parking area and discovered a clear oil now leaking from earlier stated cooler.

From my research I conclude that this is a torque converter cooler? Is this correct? Is it safe to assume the oil coming from this cooler is the transmission fluid? Transmission fluid barely registered on the dip stick when I checked it in neutral with the engine at idle. Any advice on draining, flushing, using stop leak, repair v. replace? Just getting started, trying to figure out what I am in for. The pics are all I have at the moment and show nothing more than the area the fluid is coming from. More to come in the next few days when I get the skins off. Thanks in advance.
 

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Last edited:

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Hard to tell where the leak might be with the grill in place! Remove those panels and get a better look!

Stop-leak is NOT an option, at least I never heard of some of that you could use in an oil to air cooler!

As for repair I guess it all depends on exactly where it is located and the skills of who ever might be doing the work.

Well just for kicks I did a search for a new core and found this one that claims to be the one your machine:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1W0220-Cat...ic-transmission-radiator-4N5903-/361990028353

Not sure but shipping should not be too bad considering the location!
 

Dave Neubert

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
1,649
Location
Monroe NC
A radiator shop should be able to fix it. this is a air cooled cooler so no coolant should be present that is another leak
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
A radiator shop should be able to fix it. this is a air cooled cooler so no coolant should be present that is another leak
I went back an reread the first post and now I'm not sure if there are two different leaks or just one and what fluid is leaking. Hope Athompson can remove at least the grills in front of that radiator and cooler to get a better idea of what and where the leaks(s) is(are)!
 

Athompson2817

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
24
Location
Birmingham Al
I'm confident the fluid that has leaked out is oil. I am attaching pictures. Leak appears to be in the middle of the core among the fins. I have uploaded more pics.20200905_093316.jpg 20200905_093242.jpg
 

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AllDodge

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
2,289
Location
Kentucky
Trans cooler and agree, take it to a rad shop to see what they might do, other wise the ebay might be the thing
 

fest777

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
129
Location
shaky city
Occupation
opp/mecanix
no need too unwrap front radiator goes out the top .straight up, un bolt shroud guard , upper bolts and go up with it, no need too take front radiator guard off
 

Athompson2817

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
24
Location
Birmingham Al
Well, we might be going about it the hard way but we did pull the nose. Man, talk about over engineering, if there is room for a bolt around that radiator they put one in, whether it need it or not. The cooler is still in the nose. Ran out of daylight. Thanks for all the help so far.
 

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dozr

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
272
Location
alabama
Occupation
excaving
great on suport but did not have to pull rad core if did not want to trans cooler has two 3-4 bolds straight in back and cooler comes out back so you have to pull nose and if i was going to use machine i would not waste time trying to fix just rust out and will do again had uncle and dad that would try that cause labor was cheap. went in to a 3306 engine 3 times for sleve leaking water pull pan see it come out pun that one in till they was gone pulled other three worked onpiston and sleve with slege hammer got all 4 and it worked good then and i got good at building a 3306 cat engine live and learn.
 

Athompson2817

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
24
Location
Birmingham Al
The safety link is engaged but its missing the safety bolt. It screws into the lower section so if arm falls/lowers, it cannot move it off
I know you won't believe me, but it actually has an aftermarket, homemade threaded keeper in it now. It was not installed when photo was taken but it is in use. Will photograph it soon so others can see it incase their original is gone and forgotten. What does the original look like? Any pics out there?
View attachment 224852
 
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