580K Backhoe Radiator

[BudW]

Most of the belt tensioners have a provision to make belt removal/install easier but unless you know its trick, it can make it, um, ”lots of fun” (not). Without seeing a picture of the tensioner, I won’t be able to tell you its trick.

Wife sent me a text earlier today, about the rain. Our front yard is now a lake . . .
BudW

 

[Justwondering]

Good observation; however, the technical service manual says I need to actually unbolt the lower pully and move it away from the crankcase in order to change out the belt.

UPS says they are delivering the replacement wheel studs tomorrow which means that Wednesday I get to try the belt change and wheel studs.... The moment of truth is near (assuming its not raining).

JW

 

[Justwondering]

Received the wheel studs about 2 hours before the rain started last night... so that means Saturday is the day I try to get this one project done and off my list.

Guess we shall see what happens in 3 days.

JW

 

[old yellow 78]

Argh! Isn't it frustrating when the weather doesn't cooperate with our plans?

 

[Justwondering]

Saturday is not the day.
Woke up to thunder and lightning and rain

Arghhh
JW

 

[Oldiron440]

You just need a plan B....

 

[Aspen500]

I feel your pain, JW. The constant, never ending rain is screwing up a lot of peoples outdoor only plans and projects, like my dormer roof. Going to have to do it myself, since I can't find a contractor to even come give me a quote, much less do it. Guess it's too small a job or something, I don't know. A pro could have it done in 2 days max but it'll take me 2 weeks probably, depending on what hidden "surprises" I find once I tear into it. Of course I'd tarp it but I only trust a tarp so far and with my luck, a big gust of wind would blow it off and the water would come pouring in. Sigh............................

 

[Justwondering]

I would offer to help with your roof, but I have two of my own to do....
one is asphalt shingles on a storage building and the other is metal on the small building I use for processing honey from the bee hives.

I stare at them every time I leave or enter the properties and they are always staring back at me in a very disappointing manner. Once we get some decent dry weather, I'll be dealing with them.

JW

 

[Aspen500]

I can't see the dormer roof and therein lies the main problem of doing it myself, it's 16 feet off the ground and I'm deathly afraid of heights.

 

[Darth-Car]

Car Show / Cruise In season began here on the 19th of April. There is a local Cruise In at an abandoned Furd dealer every Friday night. The first one was rained out. I went the next Friday, and the wind was so strong it made the 58 degree temperature not feel very fun. I with Darth-Car, and about 11 other hardy car guys showed up. We stayed for an hour, and left, because no spectators ever came. Then last week we had more rain. Last night it threatened rain and it was a bone chilling type of cold so once again I did not get to go.

All of this rotten weather is inhibiting my ability to get Darth-Car some exposure to Car enthusiasts so he can find a new home.

I really want him sold before I have to renew his plates at the end of the month.

 

[Justwondering]

Mother Nature is playing hardball this year.

Backhoe sits in the rain with a tarp still covering the engine waiting for me to finish the belt installation.

About 1/4 of the plants grown in the greenhouse this spring and then planted in the garden have drowned and died.

Darth-Car is still hiding from raindrops.

Aspen500 is dreading the roof replacement.

I'm thinking we all need sunshine and blue skies.

JW

 

[Aspen500]

Yes we do need some sunshine and blue skies! The crappy weather is putting us all FAR behind schedule. By us I mean, us here on this forum, farmers (who can't even get into the fields yet without a track machine), road work, construction work, on and on. Heck, piles of snow aren't hard to find yet. Grumble, complain, moan, sigh.................

 

[Justwondering]

I am so over my head in this belt change.
Wasted 2 hours this afternoon trying everything I could to get to the 4 bolts. One was always blocked.

Came home this evening to research the belt change; because, in the service manual it explains how straightforward this is IF THE ENGINE IS NOT IN THE ENGINE BAY.

Like when would that ever happen. What twit wrote that manual.

Here is the best advice I found so far:
quote
Put the belt back on all the pulleys first. I believe it's a 5/8" wrench you need to remove the bolts from the pump coupler. Once the belt is back on use the fan to rotate the engine, you can only turn the fan one direction if you turn it the wrong way the belt will slip and will not turn coupler. Get the bolt so it's at the top because there is a slight indent in the engine harp to allow removal of bolt. Keep turning engine over until all 4 bolts are removed. Now use a pry bar....sometimes having two guys one on each side of the engine helps and pry the coupler back. Don't go back too far remember the belt is very slim and can slide through a narrow opening. Once you have the coupler back don't drive yourself crazy just cut old belt off. Start the new belt over the fan first. Let it hang loose once it is and push it between the coupler and the engine pulley. Once thats done put belt on all pulleys. Pry coupler back and line it up at the top. Start the first bolt but DO NOT tighten all the way. Rotate fan untill all bolts are started the tighten them one at a time. Sorry the Case portal was down so no pictures.
unquote

They say when you get good at it, it only takes between 1 and 1 1/2 hours to change the belt.
I am so un-impressed.
Where am I going to get 2 guys to help do this?

Lets see how that conversation goes...
Ring Ring
Hey Roy! How ya doing?
Could you come over to the farm (45 minute drive) for about 1 1/2 hours and help me change the belt on the Backhoe?
Just need you to stand around, wasting your time for 45 minutes, then push on a pry bar for about 2 minutes.
Oh and would you stop by and pick up one of your good buddies that wants to waste 1 1/2 hours plus 45 minutes of drive time to stand on the other side and use a pry bar as well?

Cold day in heck fuzzy town before that will happen.

I'm thinking...
I'll drain the radiator for the 3rd freaking time.
Take off the lower radiator hose.
Remove the radiator.
Re-thread the old belt.
Rotate and loosen the bolts in the coupler.
Run a strap around the coupler housing.
Loop the strap to a come-along attached to the front bucket.
Slowly tighten the come-along till I have the coupler loose enough to thread the new belt on.
Put on anti-seize on the parts of the splines I can reach.
Take the come-along off.
Take the strap off and run it around the back of the coupler and towards the digger claw.
Re-attach the come-along at the rear and slowly tighten it to pull the coupler back on.

Sounds possible if I can get the splines to line up.

I hate the project already.
Too many moving parts.

If I drank beer, I'd have one right now on basic principal of poor design and personal irritation.

JW

 

[Oldiron440]

You tapped into how I feel about working on skid loaders, you have to start with your head up your butt to understand how there built.

 

[BudW]

Um, wow.

 

[Oldiron440]

I've rebuilt three from the frame or tub up. Including one tub I made from two.

 

[Justwondering]

Ouch.

Today I cycled back to the golf cart.
Won't start ... ran through the checklist and made it to the 'bad ground' determination before I ran out of daylight.

Also pulled my 62 Willy's brake backing plate out of the pinesol and spent 30 minutes getting the seized eccentrics off.

That means that my 2 weeks of pb blaster twice a day worked!

Also was able to get the backing plate painted!

Made my list of next parts to get for the Willy's truck.

Only 12 more days to go and I get my trailer back so I can take the Chrysler to the mechanic. We are going to use his hoist to put it up in the air so he can show me how/where to check all the fuel lines as well as pull the gas tank to check the guts inside it.

I'm starting to worry that my husband's health will fail before I get it running again, so I'm getting help with the fuel problem. I'm probably worrying needlessly but he has more bad days per week than good days for the past few months.

Tomorrow, I go back to battle the Belt replacement in the Backhoe.

JW

 

[Justwondering]

Three hours into the battle.

None of the recommendations was working for me so I figured out my own plan.

Loosen the shroud over the intercooler and radiator. Tip the shroud forward so I can remove the radiator and it’s hoses

Take the belt loose

Take the fan shroud off

Take the fan off.

The process requires you to drop 31 items (nuts bolts locking washers sockets ratchets cheater bars). Doesn’t seem to matter what combination just drop assorted things and pick them up for three hours while you search for tools.

Use two 16mm wrenches. One to hold the second bolt to keep the coupler from moving. And one to actually use with a cheater bar to loosen the bolt on the coupler

Same bolt everyone said was finger tight and comes off easy. Not.

Then just as you get the first of four bolts to loosen reach up to swat a red wasp away from your face, accidently nudge the cheater bar, watch helplessly as one of the 16mm wrenches falls into the housing, and realize you can no longer turn the coupler to get to the other three bolts
And
You can’t fit your hand in the housing
And
Your nifty magnet can’t pick it up cause it’s on a string and adheres to everything closer than the wrench in the housing.

No victory
No success

I’m thinking stalemate at this time

Other than removing 15 gallons of hydraulic fluid and pulling the front hydraulic pump I don’t have any sort of idea what to do next

JW

 

[Justwondering]

Now 5 1/2 hours into the belt removal and I have two bolts loosened, one casualty of war (screwdriver), and temp in shade is 92. So I’m calling it for today

Will try again on Friday

Work area

Objective

Casualty

JW

 

[Darth-Car]

Can we really count on these instructions for accuracy? Sure they were fine for the original engine, and how the backhoe was designed at the factory, but did you not say this was some aftermarket Gm engine somebody stuffed in at some point? They probably did exactly what you mentioned earlier, put the entire thing together outside, and then just dropped the completed engine in, and bolted it up. You may have to take out that radiator, and hydo. pump to get enough clearance to do what you need to do with this GM engine. You would have never had this problem if somebody would heave been smart, and put a Chrysler engine in that machine.