I came in possession of a Cletrac about a year ago - Model AD Oliver Cletrac Serial # 6Z180, Herclues Diesel Engine. I got it from my cousin who needed a woodsplitter, which I built and traded him for this Cletrac. It sat for about 12 years because the hydraulic would not lift the blade. I got the Hydraulics fixed by replacing the pump, had the injector pump re-built and new injectors put in to get it running. Got it running last fall but it has excessive blow-by from the oil filler tube, about a gallon/hour of running time. I put transmission oil in the cylinder and I also tried Seafoam to free up the rings. Looking for input for the best thing to do in the spring, the Seafoam has been sitting all winter. Should I try running it awhile or start a re-build? There is no one available to get a history on how it ran before it sat for 12 years. Any suggestions are welcome.
I would say with that much blow-by you might as well figure on rebuilding it.
Randy
thanks randy for the quick respone, your probably right. i was hoping by running it or letting it sit with the right stuff in it would lossen up the stuck rings. anyone know of availabilty of parts for the DOOC engine. i have Biro & Zimmerman phone numbers.
thanks again drolson
Jerry Biro had all the parts I needed except for pistons that no one makes, for my DJXC. He was very helpful. I would give him a try.
Randy
After sitting for 12 years most of the rings are likely stuck in the ring grooves and not sealing at all. I have never had a DOOC apart, but have had the DJXC and DRXC apart and they are dry sleeved. The sleeves are very hard and last along time. Oliver at one time supplied over sized pistons so the sleeves could be bored in place. Actually they are ground in place. I don't think you will be able to find any new sleeves or over sized pistons. But being that the sleeves are very hard you may get it to run quite well by just replacing the rings. The head gaskets should be solid copper and they can be reused if handeled carefully and cleaned. I would use a copper base gasket sealer when reinstalling. I have a Hercules manual if you have any specific question.
thanks guys for all the info. when my uncle bought this cletrac, i think back in the 60 he did a engine overhaul on it. he never worked it that hard plowed snow and skidded a little firewood. saying that i'm hoping sleeves are still good. the engine was never stuck. i'm still in sparwood b.c. till winters over, the cletrac is in northwestern ontario so will be a couple month before i get to it, in the meantime i'll phone jerry biro and find out what he's got for parts. i also understand know why he always seemed to fly around in the field plowing wind breaks for drifting snow with no aux. trans. he sure would move. thanks again randy and robert drolson
A word about re-using copper head gaskets:
The old Triumph motorcycles used solid copper head gaskets, and the owners manual recommended annealing them before re-using them (the Brits were either thrifty or cheap). Heat them to dull red and quench them in water. I know- this hardens steel, but it confuses the molecules in copper and softens it.
Were a pretty thrifyty lot over here, a Scots man would be too tight to use the fuel to heat it up!
phoned biro today, he has standard rings for the dooc engine and rear seal, but no gaskets. will disasemble engine before ordering parts make sure things look o k. rear seal leaking bad is this a big job to replace when doing ring job? in my welding history i never herd of annealing cooper like that but am game to try anything once. cletracboy humor is always welcome, keep it up. thanks guys for all your info. drolson
Yes you can anneal copper by heating and quenching. But remember that this is a thin gasket, and when hot is soft and weak so if you try it be very careful not to distort the gasket beyond use. When I reused the gaskets on my DRXC they showed very little effects of have been used. It takes alot of working to work harden copper and I doubt if they would be signifigantly hardened by use to warrent annealing. If you try it let us know how you make out. I reused mine because my supplier wanted over $200 for a set and the Hercules manual says they can be reused with no mention of annealing. but they say to use a sealing compound.
no stuck rings # 1 piston broke between ring grooves rings ok #2 cly. ok #3 cly. ok. #4 piston broke between ring grooves all rings broke except top one. my guess # 4 is where all blowby coming from.
Landis had two .040 over piston, had to take block to machine shop and have two sleeves trunout to fit oversized piston. no more blowby and satisfied the why it runs got more power than i thought it would have.
track are shot need rails and smaller bushing. larger bushing that runs on spocket and pads are o.k. if anybody know where to get these i would appeciate it. next years project. trying to mount a case backhoe on it.
wife and grandson are sick had to come back to sparwood for a couple weeks. thanks everyone for all the imput helped alot.
for know drolson.