Cat 325 suddenly stopped operating

[Joseph Marasco]

I got a call for an excavator that quit working. On arrival I found the bucket in the air resting on a piece of sheathing they were placing in the ground. Operator stated that the machine just stopped in the middle of operations. The engine starts, runs, and idles up fine but there are no bucket or track controls.

Serial # DHPAL0027

I checked the fuses, battery connections, looked for leaks, checked operation of the safety lever and the micro switch.
I am not sure where to go from here.

 

[92U 3406]

Any hydraulic pressure at all?

Sounds like either a pilot lockout issue or possibly a broken pump coupling. If you have no hydraulic pressure at all in the pilot system I would suspect the drive coupling failed.

 

[Joseph Marasco]

I thought of something like that. I didn't install a gauge, frankly I wasn't sure where to check for pressure. I haven't worked on big yellow iron in 10 years and back then I had access to Cat diagnostics and schematics. I am kind of trying to help out a friend/ colleague who's contractor has the failed machine.

Engine is a C-7 if that helps in any way.

 

[heymccall]

I can't work with that serial number.
Can't interpret the prefix and the last five should all be numerals.
With a C7, it has to be later than a B model.
What letters after the model number?

Only reason I ask is that my BKW 325CLCR sheared the pump input shaft at 4800 hours, and there is an update to the balancer and some other parts to prevent it from happening again. Mine was a 00334 s/n and the bulletin ended at 329 or so, but, mine had the failure and unupdated parts.

 

[Joseph Marasco]

Sorry, 00276

 

[heymccall]

It's more the prefix that is giving me trouble.
For example, my 325C was BKW00334.
So, I need 8 digits.
I tried every scenario for what you gave
PAL, DHP, HPA...none on my 325 list, in any series.

 

[Cmark]

PAL00276 is a good serial number.

Check for pressure at the tap on the pilot filter to confirm pump drive failure.