Freeze plugs leaking on brand new Cat Skid Steer

[Johnstra]

I took delivery of my brand new Cat 226B skid steer this week and with only 5 hours on it two adjacent freeze plugs are seeping coolant. What would cause this? I live at 9000'. Could that be part of it. Thermostat not opening maybe? I've never heard of freeze plugs leaking on a new engine.

Thanks,

-john

 

[PToombs]

1 word for you, warranty!

It may be a defect from the factory. They could be in wrong, or be bad plugs.

I work for a heavy equipment dealer, call your dealer and get a paper trail started. Don't hesitate to ask a lot of questions, and don't be put off. We actually have a good record with our manufacturers and the customers. But it doesn't take much to get a warranty refused, so document everything, pictures won't hurt either.

 

[Johnstra]

Pete - I've heard from a couple of people who run heavy equipment a lot to put some hours on the engine to see if the plugs seal on their own. They say they've seen this from time to time and it usually heals on its own. What do you think of that?



I feel pretty good about the dealer. He called me today to check how the machine was doing and I told him about the leak. He said they'll come to my place and pick up the machine for repair next week.



Thanks,

-john

 

[PToombs]

John, I work for a Case dealer. I have been there 8 years now. I have never seen a leaking soft plug that "seals itself". Maybe those guys have been adding Barrs Leaks?

But then, Case runs Cummins engines, need I say more?



:-laf





It sounds like you have a good dealer, congrats.

 

[Johnstra]

You don't know how bad I wanted a Cummins in my skid steer, but Case wouldn't come close the deal Cat made. There was some promotion going this month. Anyhow, what makes these plugs leak on a new engine?

Thanks,

-john

 

[PToombs]

Hard to say, could be in a little crooked, they got a bad run from the vender. You know, bad steel, pitted, deformed. It's hard to say. I'm not real familiar with the Cat skidsteers, but I have worked on NH and Bobcats. We work on anything that customers bring in, but the Cat dealer is pretty competetive on price for labor. Most of the Cats we see, the customer is mad at them or they are a faithful Case customer that has Cats also.

 

[MMiller]

Get them fixed, they won't heal themselves... ... Your little Cat probably has a Perkapillar in it, a Perkins, and they are owned by Cat. Pete you be nice, them Cat loaders are real hard to beat. I've got a customer with one, and his only complaint is this: The hydraulics are too powerful... . When he first got it, he moved the lever the wrong way and promptly put a hole in his barn with the bucket. :-laf



FWIW, I'd take a Perkins in that application any day. They are hard to beat on fuel economy, quite reliable, and good power. DON"T EVER run it out of fuel, they are a pain to prime back up.



Michael

 

[Johnstra]

Yup, it's a Perkins. Finally have a good snow removal machine. Perkapillar + Erskine Snow Blower = a lot less work keeping the roads clear.

-john

 

[Johnstra]

Here's a couple of pictures for anyone who's interested. Think this was done at the factory or by the dealer?

 

[TFucili]

I can't imagine the dealer fiddling around in there for no reason. Normally,a plug like that would be driven flush with the block, as the machined area they mate with is generally pretty narrow. They appear to have been overdriven.

At the machine shop I used to hang around he would use a bit of a FelPro blue brush grade sealer on them as insurance.

 

[PToombs]

John, did you get a block heater put in? I wonder if they knocked out the wrong plug, then found they couldn't get the heater in. So they put in a new plug, and put the heater elsewhere. I have done this myself, it pays to read the directions before you start.

I bet that blower will throw snow 40 ft in good conditions!



I agree with Michael on the Perkins, they run great, but don't run them out of fuel!



Michael, I was being nice! (I know it's rare, but I'm trying!) :-laf

 

[Johnstra]

No, the block heater is factory installed. There are 3 plugs on that side of the ening. 2 of them leak. The one with the heater in it is bone dry.

-john

 

[PToombs]

From what I have seen, the heater is not installed at the factory most of the time. The dealer does it. There is a place that installs aux hydraulic kits, predelivers and installs block heaters, beacons, etc in the midwest. Called Burlington something. They do a lot of Case stuff, may do others too. We get some machines from them, we (techs) complain, it takes work from us. Those plugs were hit with a chisel or something, the mark is obvious.

Michael works for a Cat dealer, I'd like to hear his input!

pete



edit; The other thing I just noticed, after the 3rd look, no paint on the plugs! They are in before the engine is painted!

 

[AEdelheit]

Warrenty

I work for a Cat dealer and we see more skid steers than anything else, especially B series. I would recommend taking it in for warranty repair as soon as you notice any little problems, the Perkapillers in those are also notorious for head gasket failures, Other than that you shouldent have any problems, good luck!

 

[Johnstra]

I appreciate all the input, guys. I'll try to find out why the plugs were removed and I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

-john

 

[catoiler]

We got 3 new 980H this year and all had to go back to the dealer for different things from oil leaks to balancers falling off! i think they need a better QC program!

 

[2Rowdy]

From what I have seen, the heater is not installed at the factory most of the time. The dealer does it. There is a place that installs aux hydraulic kits, predelivers and installs block heaters, beacons, etc in the midwest. Called Burlington something. They do a lot of Case stuff, may do others too. We get some machines from them, we (techs) complain, it takes work from us. Those plugs were hit with a chisel or something, the mark is obvious.

Michael works for a Cat dealer, I'd like to hear his input!

pete



edit; The other thing I just noticed, after the 3rd look, no paint on the plugs! They are in before the engine is painted!

Ptoombs, from a sales point of view we use Burlington Installation be cause the price is so much better than we can get in the shop. On the Cat skid I'll keep comments to my self on the better deal.

 

[PToombs]

Rowdy, I'm sure that's why our sales department uses it too! But we have seen many machines come thru with oil leaks, and other definite problems that should have been caught, and we would find, at an in shop PDI.



Do you work for a Case dealer, or another brand?

 

[2Rowdy]

Yes, I work For a CASE dealer we have both lines CASE/CASE IH.

 

[PToombs]

Lucky me! I don't work on manure spreaders! :-laf We have 3 CE and 4 Ag stores. We share parts, but that's all. I'd rather work on dirt stuff. We also handle Doosan, Vogele, Wirtgen, Hamm, Takeuchi, NPK, and Talbert trailers.