Happy New 955L Owner With Questions

[Fat Dan]

Does the radiator cap regulate pressure? It sure doesn’t look like a cap with that feature built it.

You might be right there, I haven't seen the cap but both types (open air and low pressure open air) are open systems and the Normal OT would still be around 180°F to 200°F.
Closed systems are a little less temperamental and have a reservoir for any overflow when hot and that little extra for when the temp drops or when the temp changes rapidly. The closed system Normal OT should still be close to 180°F to 210°F (extremes temps should only be use in extreme conditions).

 

[DMiller]

Should have a valve assembly (pressure/vacuum relief) in the top tank
Caps on older cats were generally just a cap

 

[kshansen]

Here are two views from SIS:

In the picture above the pressure cap is to the left of the larger filler cap. In the picture below it is number 15 but hard to see!

 

[leadfarmer]

Ah, I will have to look for that and confirm it's there.

On my old Chevy trucks, I’m used to replacing radiator caps and thermostats every few years to keep the cooling system functioning properly.

Should I replace the regulator/thermostat and pressure regulating cap if they're older than dirt and the cooling system is running on the hot side in mild weather? I'm not sure how these components are viewed on equipment.

I'm planning some serious downtime for repairs this winter to get this machine whipped into better shape. I'd like to pull the radiator and send it to my local shop for boil out/cleaning as well. Blowing it out with compressed air made a difference but pulling it for inspection and cleaning is ideal.

This past weekend I had to prime the machine to start Saturday morning after sitting a few days without use. While operating it seemed to be bogging down easily. I had to prime it again again Sunday afternoon to start after it sat about 24 hours. I installed a fresh fuel filter. It had some mustard colored liquid crud in the bottom of the old filter when I dumped it out. I blew out the fuel line from the tank with compressed air and didn't see anything come out of it. I didn't see any water drain out of the bottom of the tank. The fuel filter had 43 hours of run time since I installed it back in early March.

 

[kshansen]

Should I replace the regulator/thermostat and pressure regulating cap if they're older than dirt and the cooling system is running on the hot side in mild weather? I'm not sure how these components are viewed on equipment.

I would want to know they were good, but also make sure the radiator core is clean inside and out. Here are a couple files that should help:

 

[leadfarmer]

I think I figured out why my glow plugs don’t work. Checked the resistance of all the plugs and they’re each around 4.5 ohms. Wiring connections look decent. I checked for power from the starter switch when turned to heat and nothing! So a new starter switch is ordered.

Now, to figure out why my crawler has started bogging down excessively while running and I have to prime it with the pump above the filter each time I want to use it...

Last weekend when this issue appeared I changed the fuel filter and blew air through the fuel line from the filter back to the tank (with the line disconnected from the tank). The issue has persisted after a few hours so I cut apart the filter I removed to find this:

Maybe a mix of biomass/algae and rust?

So it looks like I need to drain the tank, blow some acetone through the fuel lines, try to spray out the tank with brake cleaner or something, add a water drain to the tank (thanks previous owner for removing that), and fill it with fresh fuel.

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

I’m also missing a torque converter temp gauge and want to fix that. I haven’t found where the temperature sending unit goes for the gauge. Looking from the seat/rear, does it install on the lower front left of the TC housing? There is a wire running down there that runs up to the gauges and connects to nothing, like someone had an electrical temp gauge installed at one point, if that is the sending unit location.

Also, the bottom of the steering pump and trans pump are wet, so there’s one leak found. Now to find where the engine oil is leaking.

 

[kshansen]

One thought for the fuel tank would be something like this stuff:
https://powerservice.com/psp_product/bio-kleen-diesel-fuel-biocide/

Anyone else have other suggestions of something they have had success with?

As for the temperature sender/sensing bulb for converter the best I can do is a lousy picture from SIS pointing to it. maybe if you have machine to look at it will makes sense to you:

 

[leadfarmer]

I'll try to match that photo up when I get home later. Thanks!

I plan on running biocide as an additive going forward, but I think I need to clean out everything and start fresh.

 

[kshansen]

Yes not being at all familiar with the machine I was not sure if that point in the picture was on the converter housing or maybe on the inlet to the cooler or some place else!

 

[leadfarmer]

I drained all the fuel out last night and I can see some of the yellow crud in the bottom of the tank through a hole in the baffle. I don't really have a good way to clean out the tank due to the baffles inside. I will just get this resolved with additives and filters I guess. 4 wix filters are on their way from rockauto.

Does this machine have anything filtering the fuel, other than the spin on filter? I see in discussions some models had a screen or a bowel, but I haven't come across anything yet. Forgot to check in the parts book last night.

 

[AllDodge]

What about using a power washer?

There are some companies which will "polish fuel", which keeps circulating fuel thru a few canister filters

 

[leadfarmer]

My concern with using a pressure washer is not being able to do much, since the tank has so many baffles, I can only see the bottom through a narrow slit 2/3 down and I can only see the right 1/4 of the tank. Spraying water in there won't be hitting much of the tank, so I would be filling it and draining it basically. Doesn't sound like it will be much more productive than just draining the fuel like I did last night, plus there will be a lot more moisture in the tank.

 

[leadfarmer]

What are these rubber mounts behind the seat for? Cab mounts? Light mounts? They look like original CAT parts.

 

[leadfarmer]

One thought for the fuel tank would be something like this stuff:
https://powerservice.com/psp_product/bio-kleen-diesel-fuel-biocide/

Anyone else have other suggestions of something they have had success with?

As for the temperature sender/sensing bulb for converter the best I can do is a lousy picture from SIS pointing to it. maybe if you have machine to look at it will makes sense to you:
View attachment 225437

Found it! It was where I thought, and had to be changed from below. Also found that my belly pans are not welded on as I thought. They just have a bunch of hard facing around the edges. That's a relief. I dropped the transmission pan last night and cleaned out a ton of oil soaked mud to change the sending unit.

I'm going to clean up the underside and run it around to try and identify where my leaks are.

Are the instructions found in REG00861 the only instructions out there for removing the transmission pump and steering pump? I was hoping for a little more detail, especially any alignment instructions for reassembly to the transmission.

 

[kshansen]

Are the instructions found in REG00861 the only instructions out there for removing the transmission pump and steering pump? I was hoping for a little more detail, especially any alignment instructions for reassembly to the transmission.

Here are a couple files on the pumps, see if they help. Not thinking there would be any alignment as I believe they a dowed to line them up or ar these not the pumps you are asking about?

 

[leadfarmer]

Spent the whole day cleaning out the skid plates, frame, and around the power train. I have a few hundred pounds of oil soaked crud to dispose of now. What a task.

It looks like the flexible hose joints on the transmission cooler lines may be leaking. Need to run it around to confirm. The hose is 5K4725. Can anyone give me the details on this hose (ID, OD, pressure rating) so I can buy something economical in bulk?

 

[Nige]

5K-4725 is replaced by 5P-2094 that is sold by Cat by the centimetre & priced @ $0.62/cm.
The hose meets the requirement of an SAE100R4 specification hydraulic return hose.

 

[kshansen]

It looks like the flexible hose joints on the transmission cooler lines may be leaking. Need to run it around to confirm. The hose is 5K4725. Can anyone give me the details on this hose (ID, OD, pressure rating) so I can buy something economical in bulk?

Is this the short pieces of hose between two pipes held in place with hose clamps? If so why not just measure the OD of the pipe to get the ID of the hose and measure the OD of the hoses? Anyhow I believe that hose may be 1 inch ID hose that Cat sells by the centimeter and the Cat number for the bulk hose is 5P2094.

OK, Nige was able to come up with all the spec's while I was typing.

 

[leadfarmer]

You guys are great. At that price I’ll go to Cleveland Brothers and pick some up. I was finding high prices for that PN online, must of been priced per kilometer.

 

[Nige]

I was finding high prices for that PN online, must of been priced per kilometer.

In bulk it's sold in rolls of 750cm (300"), although you can buy "X" cm from the Parts Counter. Based on $0.62/cm the price for a roll would be around $465.
I see 5 of those hoses on your machine. All five would probably run you maybe $75 in hose, it might be wise to also replace the hose clamps if you have any doubt at all about them. As you have found you can't see them once the belly guards are back up.