OC-3 Top Speed

[FirstEliminator]

Hey guys,

   I have been lurking around for a year, maybe 2 now this is my first post. This past weekend I had also looked at a McCormick-Deering T-20. The T-20 had fresh paint and didn't run so well. Plus it looked too heavy for my trailer. More of an antique and needed more TLC. I went on to look at an OC-3 bucket loader. Most of the paint is falling off, but it ran much better. The OC-3 does need some TLC too. A few leaks, tune up and a muffler.

    I brought the machine home, and drove it around my parking lot. Now, I am wondering about the top speed on the OC-3. It doesn't have any writing around the gear shift to say which gear is which, but I think it is a 4 speed. Now 1st gear doesn't seem slow enough and 2nd gear is pretty fast. I cannot get the machine going in 3rd or 4th gears, they are just too high and the engine wants to stall----not enough torque. Is this thing supposed to do 20 mph or something? Were the OC-3's offered with different final ratios?

    Also, trying to turn the machine, I have to pull really hard on the levers---I mean practically lifting myself off the seat. Is this normal?

    thanks in advance,

[kapou]

eliminator
  I think oc3's only have a three speed.H patern--1st + rev and 2nd +3rd, 1st is to the right forward and revese is back. to the left of the shifter base scrap of crude the shift patern is there. Sounds like shift fork might be bad. my suggesrtion get a manual. just my quess.

[kapou]

eliminator

what did you figure out? did a tune up solve the stalling out problem? let us know more, like the year, 12 or 6 volt ,and so on so we can maybe help. your turning problem may be brake bands are bad,or out of adjustment. I hope its going good. take the differencal fill pug out[top left  by turn lever],,look straight across top you should see metal band with a pad on it. if you look close you can see the other side,,no pad no turn so good!  good luck!! and i hope i'm helpfull and not to late to help out.

KAPOU

[FirstEliminator]

I did adjust the brake lever on one side and it turns easier. I haven't done anything with the engine tune yet, it still lacks power. I did install a muffler today. The muffler is big and takes up a lot fo space, but the machine is a lot quieter.
   I've never dealt with a Magneto on a tractor before. Where would I adjust the ignition timing? And, what are the timing specs on this machine?


   thanks,
     Mark

[kapou]

eliminator

first are you sure its oc3? what year?under magneto is the cast in block date. front idlers solid or holes and they resemble spook wheels? a photo would help . the guys here know alot but there are many versions of the of the crawler,maybe someone else will jumpin if we get more info.

   KAPOU

[FirstEliminator]

I will check the date. Oh, it is a 3 speed. I noticed that yesterday but forgot to mention in my previous post.

[kapou]

I tried to post  pic but didnt work out ill try late kapou

[FirstEliminator]

Well, the OC3 runs much better when running on 4 cylinders. It was only running on two before. Both exhaust valves on the center cylinders were stuck open. I got them unstuck, but had a pop coming from the intake intermittantly. I removed the head off the engine and cleaned up all teh valves and hand lapped them in. It took a lot of rags to clean up the valve grinding compound to make sure none would get into the engine. The crawler runs much better now. I actually did some work with it. However, this has the Ware Loader which I find kinda of difficult to level out dirt. It sometimes likes to dig in and screw up my work. A bulldozer blade I think would work better. Or, a loader that wasn't so sloppy loose. I did not figure out what year this Oliver was made. I was just trying to get it into working mode as fast as possible while running my shop and doing other projects.

   thanks,

[John Schwiebert]

does loader hydraulic valve have float position? You need that for a blade loader or what ever.

[mikegt4]

I actually did some work with it. However, this has the Ware Loader which I find kinda of difficult to level out dirt. It sometimes likes to dig in and screw up my work. A bulldozer blade I think would work better. Or, a loader that wasn't so sloppy loose.
   thanks,

My OC3 loader is difficult to level dirt or dig accurately with. IMHO, the main problem is the spring suspension which allows the machine (along with the blade or bucket) to wallow around like an old Buick. The load applied by the bucket or blade compresses the suspension which in turn changes the height of the cutting edge. The spring suspension does relieve the frame from a lot of twisting stresses and was a good design for the machine's original market. Some people switch out the springs for short sections of pipe to disable the suspension. Somewhere in the archives there is a thread with the pipe's dimensions.