Need advice on Michigan 175 Wheel loader

tarmop · Jul 20, 2021

Hello all and thanks for the place to be

Just purchased a wheel loader off a fella, been sitting in his yard for 3 yrs. said he ran it last summer.
Im pretty confident in going over the Detroit 4-71 to set the rack and make sure the shut offs are working.
Ive drained the Oil(about 5 gal of water in there too) and ill top up all the drive line fluids. havent cranked it over yet but fairly confident it will start ... ha ha

but what I have no idea or experience with is the air brakes. he said they work but not strong.
I am planing to drive this home about 15miles all back roads , shouldnt really see more than one or two cars along the way, but id like to go over the brakes. its air over hydraulic? where is the air pressure created and how do I measure it?
is there a regular brake fluid type master cylinder as well?
If anyone can guide me from start to stop on how to follow them along and check Id be much obliged.

i know these have a habit of overheating the driveline and tires when traveling so any other advice or comments are most welcome
cheers
T

tarmop · Jul 20, 2021

also If anyone has a link or knowlege on where to find a service manual for this
michigan Clark 175A loader pls let me know. seems to be none out there

kevman6 · Jul 21, 2021

Power assist booster and master cylinder are usually right under the floor. Its a very small master cylinder for all the brake lines and brakes that it supplies. If you need to bled the brakes for removing any air out, use a power bleeder or you will be filling that tiny master cylinder over and over.

kshansen · Jul 21, 2021

tarmop said:
where is the air pressure created and how do I measure it?

Should be an air compressor mounted to the engine, might be belt driven or even gear driven.

How about posting a few pictures of the engine to help get answers. As for measuring the air pressure there should be a gauge mounted in the cab area. Should read between 100 to 120 psi when pressure is up.

kshansen · Jul 21, 2021

Did a search online for 175 Michigan images
Firt off if yours is the same as the one I found the red arrow in picture below points to the air compressor, gear driven in this example:

And I believe the red arrow in image below must be the air pressure gauge as all the others are marked, this one appears to have been replaced with an Euclid air gauge. See red arrow:

Vetech63 · Jul 21, 2021

Before you go firing off that Detroit engine here is some advise.

If it has sat as long as you say, with water in the engine, there is a possibility that the injector tube and injector rods are rusted, and possibly the governor links. You really need to remove the valve cover and make sure everything is moving like its supposed to. If they are stuck the engine will shoot to the moon and you will have a runaway on your hands that usually ends up in a explosion.

tarmop · Jul 21, 2021

kevman6 said:
Power assist booster and master cylinder are usually right under the floor. Its a very small master cylinder for all the brake lines and brakes that it supplies. If you need to bled the brakes for removing any air out, use a power bleeder or you will be filling that tiny master cylinder over and over.

Thanks a Million Kevman, I will look for those under the floor.

tarmop · Jul 21, 2021

Vetech63 said:
Before you go firing off that Detroit engine here is some advise.

If it has sat as long as you say, with water in the engine, there is a possibility that the injector tube and injector rods are rusted, and possibly the governor links. You really need to remove the valve cover and make sure everything is moving like its supposed to. If they are stuck the engine will shoot to the moon and you will have a runaway on your hands that usually ends up in a explosion.

Yes absolutely. I was out there today and I took off the valve cover and made sure, all the injectors go in and out. and the rail is free. I checked that the shut off works and I also checked that the emergency shut off is still closing. wether or not it has all the seals in there is another story, but I will be prepared with something to choke the air incase all else fails in a runaway. Thanks for the reminder.!!

tarmop · Jul 21, 2021

kshansen said:
Did a search online for 175 Michigan images
Firt off if yours is the same as the one I found the red arrow in picture below points to the air compressor, gear driven in this example:
View attachment 242655

And I believe the red arrow in image below must be the air pressure gauge as all the others are marked, this one appears to have been replaced with an Euclid air gauge. See red arrow:

View attachment 242656

This IS exactly the info I wanted.
Thanks Kshansen
I didnt see a pressure guage on the dash but will look more closely tmr.
I assumed the compressor was belt driven as there is some sort of pump off the belt but maybe its a ? dunno? the power steering is hydraulic so im not sure what it is?
maybe mind has a belt compressor ? Ill take a pic tmr and put it up here. thanks a million
cheers
T

tarmop · Jul 21, 2021

heres some pics of engine from today.... see whats run off the belt

Vetech63 · Jul 22, 2021

Clamp a good pair of vise grips on that fuel rack tube tight enough that it doesn't slip but also doesn't crush it. Its a good way to slow the engine enough to kill it if an injector hangs up. I also keep a BFH nearby to knock a fuel fitting off if all else fails. You cant have too many ways to shut down that engine if it decides it wants a moon trip.

tarmop · Jul 22, 2021

good Idea, I will do that.
once it starts and runs a few times and is started regularly the chances of a run away are pretty slim?
its only after it sat and gets siezed up right? or is it a constant worry with the detroits?

Vetech63 · Jul 22, 2021

tarmop said:
once it starts and runs a few times and is started regularly the chances of a run away are pretty slim

Correct! Once everything is oiled up from a start or 2 you should be good to go with no worry.

tarmop said:
its only after it sat and gets siezed up right?

For the most part. Those engines sitting for long periods of time can sometimes rust up top and seize a fuel rack, injector, or a governor link. It only takes one injector to hang which will override the governor yield link which is what stops your engine at the set speed. Yours in the pic looks pretty good but if you have ever had one of those engines run away its something you never forget. Most of the time when it happens, people run for cover instead of trying to shut it down.

tarmop said:
or is it a constant worry with the detroits?

An injector can hang up at any time which is why the emergency shut down flap is there. Its important that the engine oil is changed regularly and kept reasonable clean. Good clean fuel supply and clean oil helps prevent it.

tarmop · Jul 22, 2021

Ok.
I took off the valve cover
And have been moving the rail back and forth
Making sure the pins? (What ever they are that the rail pushes foreward and retracts) are moving in and out
Checked that the shut of pops the rail back . The air flap is too hard to pull by cable but I can flip it pen and closed at the linkage for the cable by the flap.
Will keep a piece of tin handy to smother air if needed and an extinguisher for worst case.
I don’t want to have to runaway from a runaway! Lol
Also the fella I bought it from is very particular about oil drips and tire tracks in his lawn. can’t imagine the hell od catch if I exploded a Detroit there ha ha ha

tarmop · Jul 22, 2021

One strange head scratch I had was
When I first checked the rail it was free. then I turned the engine over with a bar. And the rail was stuck!
Turned it over some more and it was free again?
Any thoughts on that?

Bluox · Jul 22, 2021

You have a sticking injector.
Bob

tarmop · Jul 23, 2021

Injectors are ok, Ran the engine a dozen times after making sure they were free and moved the machine home. It stalls here and there when it comes down from a higher rpm, but I assume thats because I havent cleaned the Fuel Filters and or the Idle isnt set correctly..

Air compressor works and fills tank but brakes are almost non existent. I assume theres pads or bands in there that need replacing.... if anyone knows pls fill me in.

also Theres alot of Transmission fluid dripping only when the unit is running and for a few minutes after then it stops... any Ideas?

and Diesel fuel drips from under the blower for about a few minutes after the unit is turned off but now while its running or sitting.....

thanks for all your knowlege Folks It sure is nice to have some light shed on all these issues. I really appreciate your time...
Cheers
T

kshansen · Jul 23, 2021

tarmop said:
heres some pics of engine from today.... see whats run off the belt
View attachment 242668

OK, then yours has a belt driven compressor! Just keep in mind that on a machine of that age it has probably had many hands on it and what it came from the factory with has little bearing on what you might be seeing today.

Might take some work but I would be trying to locate some manuals on this machine, operators and parts manuals would be my first choice and if possible a service manual. I would prefer an old dog-eared original to one of the new scanned copies as sometimes those are very hard to read and pictures almost worthless.

tarmop · Jul 26, 2021

yes, It has been around the block for sure!
I have an operators and parts manual but cant find a service manual
there is one for a 125a avail but not sure the differences.
gonna get to the brakes this week. somehow I think Ill want them

and trying to figure why my trans fluid is pouring out when running. the manual calls for 7 gal of fluid I put in 5 and seemed to fill it up to the level plug but Im a bit confused because ...
the manual says to fill till the fill plug which is up top on the torque converter. but then theres a level drain cock on the lower part of the transmission housing above the screen. and that seems way over full.
any insight?

kshansen · Jul 26, 2021

Any idea what model the transmission is in that? Michigans I was around all had Clark transmissions.

Maybe post some pictures of the transmission from different angles someone might spot something.

Need advice on Michigan 175 Wheel loader

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