1986 cat 943 track loader

[BradleySherrell]

Hello I have bought a 86 cat track loader and it’s been setting for close to ten years and I’ve been trying to start it but after filling it up with oil and antifreeze I notice antifreeze coming out of exhaust manifold when it cranks and now it’s hydrolocked by antifreeze. Don’t want to bend a pushrod. The question I have is, is this machine moveable not running? Or are the finals locked when engine isn’t running? Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[sealark37]

You need an Operator's Manual. This book can be found on the internet. The 943 can be towed or pushed after releasing the brakes. Different procedures depending on SN. You may have a leaking oil cooler, but more likely the coolant leak is the cylinder head or gasket. If antifreeze has contaminated the engine oil, the chances are that the engine bearings are toast. This is likely why the tractor has been parked so long. The crankcase pan should be dropped to check the bearings before other repairs are started. If you do the repair, you will need a complete Service Manual, as well as a Parts Manual. Please don't ask how I know these details. Good Luck, and Regards, Clark

 

[BradleySherrell]

Thanks for your information.
Convenient as it sounds, I purchased this Friday and have been working on it over the weekend and it has to be moved by Wednesday. Probably No way I could get a service manual between now and then. If anyone that knows how to release the brakes could pass that information on to me would be much appreciated. I have another dozer I can load it with but if the tracks won’t turn its going to turn a hard job into a near impossible job. Thanks in advance

 

[petepilot]

Thanks for your information.
Convenient as it sounds, I purchased this Friday and have been working on it over the weekend and it has to be moved by Wednesday. Probably No way I could get a service manual between now and then. If anyone that knows how to release the brakes could pass that information on to me would be much appreciated. I have another dozer I can load it with but if the tracks won’t turn its going to turn a hard job into a near impossible job. Thanks in advance

serial # needed to determine method for releasing tracks

 

[BradleySherrell]

I’ll get the serial tomorrow. Thanks again

 

[Tyler d4c]

Pull the axles easiest and fastest way to free it up

 

[Nige]

Early machine had an on-board pump to release the brakes, leter ones did not. Check out the attachment from page 9 onwards, it gives you both methods for releasing the brakes.
The nice thing about doing it this way is that if you need to apply the brakes in an emergency you can do that just by releasing the hydraulic pressure.

 

[BradleySherrell]

Well I got the track loader home and got the engine out and found a crack in cylinder wall “hence the antifreeze coming out exhaust” stripped block took it to machine shop and had it bored and sleeved, had line bore checked on mains got all new pistons, rod bearings, Main bearings, cam bearings etc... got it all back together and now it won’t build oil pressure after cranking quite a bit. Oil suction tube is tight with new gasket as well. How much cranking do you have to do to get oil pressure on the gauge after complete over haul?

 

[Welder Dave]

Make sure the pick up on the end of the pick up tube isn't cracked or somehow sucking air. When I had a hole punched in my oil pan on a 931B the shop that did the engine said the weld cracked where the pick up screen was attached to the pick up tube so installed a complete new pick up. Probably not your problem but I also had a couple gear teeth strip off the oil pump drive gear. Shop didn't replace the oil pump because they said it measured to spec. They replaced the oil pump on warranty and said from then on they'd put a new oil pump in on all rebuilds. I think you should get oil pressure in 15 seconds or less. I don't know if there's a way to prime the oil pump. Did you put 3 ring pistons in?

 

[BradleySherrell]

Yes I did put 3 ring pistons in it, I’ll have to check the suction tube for sucking air but I’m pretty certain it is not. May be the oil pump

 

[Nige]

Did you replace the oil pump..?
False economy if you did not IMHO because that's the critical item that is protecting all the other new parts (and machining work in your case) that were installed during the rebuild.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Not CAT but I have known oil pumps to not prime when fully stripped, filling the pump with Vaseline is the old trick to prevent this.

If you can get oil into the gallery - e.g through the oil pressure switch or at the filter housing - so it drains back down to the pump it'll do the job. Doesn't take much, a few squirts from an oil can is enough to make the pump prime.

 

[BradleySherrell]

Ok, so I took the oil pump out and find it had a lot of wear on it, don’t know if that’s the problem or not. I feel like since the motor is fresh the clearances are tighter and the worn oil pump doesn’t have the umph to pump through all the new clearances. But done several rebuilds on other engines that were not CAT and did not replace oil pump and engines are still running every day. But I guess this was a scratch my head moment for me I guess I’ll know next time to always change oil pump on these engines. Here is a photo showing the wear around the outside of the pump housing. Hope a new oil pump gets her pumping again.

 

[Nige]

If I was doing a rebuild on any make of engine to the level you have done on this one there would be a new or reman oil pump going into it. In my eyes it’s false economy not to.

What’s the possibility that the issues you found when you disassembled the engine could have a root cause in low oil pressure caused by the worn pump..?

 

[Welder Dave]

My oil pump was within spec but sheared a couple gear teeth off the drive. I think a new oil pump is good insurance on a complete rebuild.

 

[BradleySherrell]

You guys are right, I don’t know what I was thinking on this one especially knowing nothing about this loader. It had sat for 10 years and I knew nothing about it unlike the other engines I’ve rebuilt Of my own that I’m familiar with knowing they had good oil pressure before rebuilding. But now I think I will take a little more time and spend a little more money and replace oil pumps on any rebuilds from now on for assurance like you guys said. I’ll update when I get the new oil pump on and crank it. Thanks for your responses