Farm Equipment - Geronimo

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Geronimo

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=207090
Printed Date: 14 Jul 2025 at 6:59am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Geronimo

Posted By: soggybottomboy
Subject: Geronimo
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2025 at 10:41pm

Well we bought a used Apache sprayer this spring and have had a terrible time with it. We are already calling it Geronimo because he was a bad Apache. It has a Cummins 6.7 engine which runs very quiet and smooth, but it gets to hot. Thermostat opens at 190 degrees, but when you start spraying it just gradually gets hotter. Got up to 212 yesterday, but i have seen it at 231. Nothing in the radiator that we could tell. the fan is hydraulic drive, and it throws out a some air, but not enough. Dealer said change the hydraulic oil so we did and it did not help. Then they asked if we checked the sump screen while we had the oil out. No. So we let the 40 gallons back out and the screen was open. Finally the repair man stopped in and put a flow meter on the oil line going to the fan and the flow was from 7 to 9 GPM depending on motor rpm. Supposed to be 12.5 at full throttle. Checked the fan rpm and it was slow. Now they are suggesting a new hydraulic pump. And that is just one of the problems that we are having with it. If I start on the other problems we are having I will be here typing till midnight, so I better quit. It has 1300 hours on it but it is a very bad Apache.

Replies:

Posted By: Tenn allis
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 3:50am

May need to keep Geronimo on the rez
Your not the only one I’ve heard with trouble with Apache sprayers several around us some people swear by them some at them I hate chasing gremlins in a piece of machinery
Sure hope yall get it worked out

Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 1:10pm

Previous owner had to know about the problem. Someone's dishonest in this deal. Hope you bought it right.

Posted By: Codger
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 2:05pm

Seen, and worked on a lot of hydraulic driven cooling fans. Did he just plumb in a flowmeter, or a pressure reducing valve a guage also? One without the other is a guessing game.

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That's All Folks!

Posted By: soggybottomboy
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 3:48pm

I guess I don't know the answer to that question Codger. He just took the line apart and put the meter in. They had suggested a new fan control module, so we put one in and all it did was melt some plastic out of it. We are not impressed with this machine or the dealership we bought it from. We would call them, and they would say ''we will get back to you with the answer'' but then they don't. The one mechanic that came out though is helpful and does take our problems seriously. He is the only one in that group that we like.He was not answering his phone this week, and I heard rumors a couple of months ago that he was getting married. A person would hate to be talking about sprayer problems on a honeymoon I guess. If we should happen to actually get this problem fixed then we still have the rumbling and shuddering in the drive lne to figure out.

Also, the spray control that gets confused about every other round. We can't sell this thing with a clear conscience till we get it fixed.

Posted By: Codger
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 6:10pm

If the engine is overheating that would be the first thing to resolve. The machine needs to run satisfactorily to discern other underlying problems. I don't know the machine at all so don't know if a single pumping circuit for the cooling fan, or the configuration if different. First thing I would look for is foaming, or frothing in the return oil to tank in the fan circuit. If foam is present it is sign either the hydraulic pump, or hydraulic drive motor is cavitating and an inlet strainer, filters, internally swollen line, improper termination ends, or combination of these could be suspect. A flow meter and pressure gauge(s) operated by qualified personnel is what is needed for effective diagnosis. Otherwise, you "shotgun" parts installation and that gets expensive. It takes quite a bit of hydraulic power to turn a paddle fan to move the requirement of cooling air across a coil. Worn parts will severely degrade performance of the cooling system.

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That's All Folks!

Posted By: soggybottomboy
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2025 at 9:07pm

Sorry this took so long, but I think we made a little progress today on this thing that they call a sprayer. Finally, a new hydraulic pump showed up, and we put it on this morning. Went to the field and sprayed some late beans this afternoon. It was 94 here today and the hottest it got was 195 degrees. I think the overheating problem is fixed. The new pump was bigger than the old one, and I had to drive to Des Moines [75 miles] to find the right hydraulic fittings. Don't know yet how much it cost but it look expensive. Thanks for the advice. I am always amazed at the knowledge that is on this forum. The rest of the problems with this machine can wait till winter to be fixed.