• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

The old 930 stated getting coolant in the oil.

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Hello again.

This old Cat 930 front loader has been going very well however it started getting coolant in the oil in the last few days and now will lose large quantities of coolant. Of course, I wasn’t informed until oil started coming out of the dip stick.

Caterpillar 930 front loader serial number 41K2780 the engine serial number is the same as the machine.

The engine still runs good no smoke no mise fire etc.

I am looking for recommendations as where start looking?

Phil P
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Hi

I have the oil cooler removed for pressure check but have the following question.

Does anyone have any idea what this plate bolted to the side of this engine is.

By the way this is a 3304 engine.

Phil P
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3829.JPG
    IMG_3829.JPG
    4.4 MB · Views: 38

oarwhat

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
826
Location
buffalo,n.y.
If it's a bad oil cooler the oil goes into the antifreeze not the engine. Oil pressure is greater than coolant pressure. My guess would be headgasket.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
My guess is an injector precup seal
Just thinking outload here!

Being a 3304 the pre-chambers are outside the valve cover so if one of the orings around them were leaking it would be seen externally. Also if there was a leak at the washer or rust hole in chamber itself I would be thinking the engine would be skipping or hydrostaticly locking and not crank over.

Possible for a leaking cooler to let coolant into oil but would also expect at least signs of oil in radiator.

I have seen 3300 series engines where the weep hole for water pump was plugged and a leaking water seal in the water pump push coolant into the engine oil. Mud wasps are know for that problem.

As oarwhat say head gasket is one possibliity.

Two not mentioned are probably the worse but somewhat common. One being the orings at the bottom of the cylinders and equally as bad a rust hole in one or more liners. Then maybe the real bad one a cracked block, had a 3306 with a crack between the lower bores of two cylinders.

Those last two or three might be able to see if there is room to drop oil pan with engine is in machine and apply air pressure of about 10 psi to the cooling system. Then just look for drips, may have to turn engine over by hand to see all cyinders.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Just got to thinking, I belive a 3304 has balance shafts in the bottom of the engine so not sure if you can see much without removing them or if that is even possible in frame!
 

Simon C

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
664
Location
Rocky Mountain House , AB., Canada
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Have seen the water pump shaft leaking only with vibration on a 3306. Would not leak with a pressure test.
Have also seen a 3304 leaking out the compressor shaft into the engine.
Have seen 1 - 3306 leaking internally from a crack within the head. Have seen some badly pitted liners that were very close to leaking through.
Would of been better to pressurize before disassembly.
Simon C
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Have seen the water pump shaft leaking only with vibration on a 3306. Would not leak with a pressure test.
Not a Cat but a Detroit 16V-71. Figured it was the typical injector tube oring leak. Spent a lot of time checking those. Even had dropped oil pan looking for coolant, still none! Went home for the night and came back in morning to find a big puddle of coolant on the floor. Turned out to be water pump. Should have leaked to outside but due to mud wasps sealing up the weep hole the only place for the coolant to go was past the oil seal and into the front cover of the engine!
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Thanks all.

I had to remove the air brake compressor to repair a broken pipe on the engine side of the compressor. Once that is out of the way removing the oil cooler is easy work.

If cooler pressure test indicates it is good the next step is the removal of the radiator for repair of a minor coolant leak while it is off I will pull water pump to check for coolant leak there.

The process will continue correcting minor problems progressively as needed. These minor problems have been deferred while our IT28F was at another part of the ranch that is 25 miles away.

It is back at the main facility so this unit will get a lot of systems repaired even if we have to replace the engine.

This engine was running very good had no indication of hard starting or any tendency to hesitate in the start cycle so I have ruled out a coolant leak into a combustion chamber.

My experience with the GMM90, 71 and 53 series engines I am very aware of leaking injection chambers and liner “o” ring leaks or corrosion holes in the lower portion of a liner.

I will progressively correct known issues including some lift cylinders that need repair until we find the problem.

The intention is to return this unit to service for a cost of 10 to 15 percent of a replacement.

At the time I took over management of this fleet this unit was sitting and destine to go to the scrap yard. That was 9 years ago I spent about $3,000.00 on it and this is the first major problem we have had sense I replace the cylinder head.

I will keep you all posted.

And again I thank you for your input and invite any further ideas anyone has.

Phil P

PS:
I am 80 years old and still chase woman however I can only catch the ones in wheel chairs and then my memory is so bad I have to call my wife to find out what to do next.
 

Dave Neubert

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
1,651
Location
Monroe NC
most likely liner seals or pin hole in liner check the lower bores of the block if you pull the liners they are known to erode out where the liner o rings seal
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Hi all

Sorry for the delay we had some more of the larger equipment go down so haven’t spent much time on the 930.

After determining the oil cooler, water pump and compressor was not the source of the water we are in the process of removing the engine.

We will put the rear axle on some large jack stands we have and remove the wheels for brake repair and some kind of arrangement to hold the transmission while the engine is not in the unit. The engine will go to an overhaul shop in central Florida.

After getting the brakes up to par I will start on the hydraulic cylinders.

Thanks all for your input.

Phil P
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Hi

Nothing to report on this project but it will proceed.

Phil P
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
If you all have been watching my other post you probably have figured out the work on the 930 has stopped.

However now that the grader and some of the smaller stuff have been corrected and I have an intern helper for the summer we will get the engine out of the 930.

Phil P
 

Phil P

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
166
Location
Florida
Occupation
Consultant
Here is a picture of the engine data tag.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3084.JPG
    IMG_3084.JPG
    2.6 MB · Views: 6
Top