HD5G Air Cleaner

Just wondering if anyone has taken  one of these oil bath air cleaners apart? The mesh material inside is really full of crud. I was attempting to pull that section out of the shell yesterday and it seems to be moving a bit but one side of the shell is dented so it may be partly why it's not coming out but I suspect there is more holding it. Today I think I'll just try spraying a bunch of degreaser inside or maybe mix up enough solution to dunk the whole thing in a five gallon bucket. Now that I say it that sounds like a good idea. That will clean the whole unit. Along with some pressure washing I should be able to clean it out. I bought this machine early this summer for $3000 and trusting the guy in saying it would run and function. After 3 months of trying to get the original starter to work good enough to crank it I broke down and bought a newer model, MT42 starter for it. Started right up and holding 40 to 50 lbs of oil pressure. Was smoking BAD and raining an oily mix on me. Nice, not! lol But after disconnecting the air cleaner the smoke let up significantly and stopped raining. The hydraulics weren't responding except excessive leaking from right dump cylinder. I had some packing that I put in and then added 5 gallons of hydraulic oil. Good news! The hydraulics are working now with minor leakage.Todays plan is to put some kind of seat on and try the running gear. Over all the machine looks good, tracks are tight, sprockets look good, cooling system is full, I changed all the filters and put new oil in. Seeing the hydraulics function and smoke ease up yesterday made my day. Beginning to feel like it is going to be a good machine. I own 7 acres that are mostly wood and sloped, like being on the side of a mountain. I have always wanted to change some of the landscaping to be more usable and easier to mow so that is the plan for this old machine. It has forks and a wench but also have the bucket which will be going on soon. Assuming it will move I'll do some pressure washing and then move it inside to finishing doing complete service on it, (grease fittings, fill rollers, etc) 

By the looks of the rails/shoes I would be finding some re-rod to weld on the shoes, give it some traction for the slick shoes that are on it.

Be careful adjusting the packings on the cylinders, get them where they are moist and they will stay lubed and not bind up. Check with coke-in-mn, he has a dealt with and I believe still has a HD6G

Worst of them being slick is it will slide when you least expect it and usually into a predicament you cannot readily get out of like situating it between two trees!

I might also be investing into a scrub cage for tree limbs and such, not so much ROPS just for dropping stuff.

Edited by DMiller - 20 Oct 2013 at 11:10am

Check the transmission and final drives for oil.

Be real careful with riding track units off a trailer sideways, make sure you are belted in or at least no way to get thrown out.

Experienced excavator and rock supplier in Hermann MO was trying to unload a JD850 dozer from a stuck trailer, did not belt in, had no side cages, as soon as he moved an inch by the location of the wreck it had slid sideways, tipped up and threw him out, cab guard piping crushed him and he died there.

Disengage the engine clutch , put it in 4th gear , block steering clutches both pulled back , start engine then let steering clutches engage sharply - see if that will free master clutch.

It might be easier to do a complete engine job on the bench or stand than in the machine . I did the first one in frame but about 2 years later needed to grind crank as rear seal started leaking - crank was worn enough to wobble on thrust bearings and taake seal out. 

Here is the Allis Chalmers 260 Pan/Earth Mover. That was my machine. I loved running that dinosaur. After I spent the winter welding and helping rebuild the HD11 they laid me off. But I got lucky because they had an equipment operator that quit, he was running this small John Deere Pan. I had run a few old farm tractors when I worked on some dairy farms in Wisconsin but always had the attitude that I could do anything. So when this guy quit I stepped up and said I could run it. Once they explained the controls it only took a couple runs and I was in. I ran it 8 hours a day and another guy run it 8 hours. I loved running it except one thing, it would beat you to death especially on the haul road to and from the dam. I think we ran that machine 2 summers and the dam seemed like it was going no where. Especially the base being so long and wide. But then they bought the AC 260 which held 3 times the dirt. At first the other guy, Jim, ran the AC 260 and I ran the John Deere. Then we started seeing some progress. After a few months they decided to hire a couple more guys to run both machines 2 shifts a day. I got promoted to the AC and I got my young er brother hired on and taught him to run the John Deere. AH, the AC was so much better to run and easier on the body. Air Ride seat plus those monster tires made it feel like it was riding on cushions. With both machines running daylight to after dark is when the dam finally started taking shape. It was like you could see it everyday. Altogether I think it took 5 years to finish the dam. We spent the winters working on equipment and clearing the shore line. I cut down many, many trees which later on provided another source of income for me, firewood. Can't tell you how much firewood I sold. Here are couple other machines we used. This compactor being pulled by an old Case tractor.

This is a Caterpillar.


View of the dam, it was 1/4 mile long. there is a road across the top now as well as many homes built around the lake. the county agreed to pave and maintain the road in return for access through the lake property which covers 600 acres. I missed it when I was young and dumb. Lake lots went for $6000 with waterfront. all others were $4000 One undeveloped lot recently sold for $57000. Although I live only 10 miles from the lake I'm not allowed on it, lol. Aint that a kick in the pants. private lake and access to lot owners or with lot owners. a girl of one owner caught an Indiana State Record Bass from there.



The old Case tractor with my ex-mother-in-law. another reason I have no access. I went astray after a pretty little blond that caught my eye. Oh well, my ex's father used to tell her there are more fish in the sea (besides me). I say, oh well, there are more lakes in the state, not just as close.



Hope you enjoy, someone mentioned that you all like photos. I have many.

Just remember to change the oil in the cup when servicing the machine - and when working in real dusty conditions to change more often than engine oil . 

    If you are not into playing mechanic ,hopefully you have a operators manual to help you get the oil level correct in the air cleaner.To much or to little is all bad. If you wish to continue the advice to soak and pressure wash is good and may help your engine.The spitting oil may be from letting it idle to much as most old diesels pump some oil  if you don't keep it working.
Ray 

Ray and Coke, thanks so much for your advice. I'm working on it and I think I've got it figured out. Can't wait to get it cleaned and back on so I can try it out. I'll let you know how I come out.