Case 644 loader repairs

[JSinMO]

It’s unfortunate that poor customer service is the norm now days. The closest parts store to my house happens to be a Napa about 12 mile away. The employees are nice enough but I don’t go there anymore because they never have items in stock. I’ve heard “ we can have later today”, or “ it will be here first thing in the morning” so many times I just quit going there. And this is simple stuff that I would think a parts store should have on hand like belts, spark plugs etc. I’m not making 2 trips for a total of 48 mile just to get a 10 dollar item.
So I usually just stop during my work day and get what I need or use Amazon.
Price is another issue. I stopped by local store to pick up a few things, I wanted some spray paint but not at $10 to $15 dollars a can. So I waited till I was by a Walmart $5 a can.

There is an o’Reilly’s near my office that still has pretty good service. I use them quite a bit as I’m coming or going from work. I’ve been in there enough that I see some little perks once in a while. Nothing big but things like free flash lights, calendars, or going behind the counter to look at parts, stuff like that. It reminds me of how thing used to be.

I love to support the local small businesses and even pay a little more to do it, but they have to be close to competitive and actually have what I need!

Dang it Eugen, now you’ve got me rambling!

[Eugen]

That was great entertainment Eugen. Thanks. Just what I needed at 5:00 am while I had nothing better to do. Hehehe.

For the cover on the gear box. I would use a gasket. And I would use a very very thin layer of your favourite gasket maker. I like to use a gray silicone that ford uses on there Diesel engines.

I wouldn’t worry about bolting the engine down solid. The older Ford LGT garden tractors had the base of the engine welded to the frame from the factory. I really think it’s the better way. Just my opinion.

Noel

Somehow I missed your message. I don't have a gasket or I'd use one. As other reported that this ultra grey worked for them alone this is what I used. But, I'm a little worried it will cure too slowly in this cold weather. Some people (and the manual) say that's the case. Normally the instructions say to hand tighten the parts and after an hour torque to specs. I put a bead on the surface to be able to check later.



@JSinMO good ramble!

Beads on the edges of the gearbox top surface, about 1/8 thick.

Allowed the frame to slowly descend on the gearbox. The goo on the edge was pushed a little out just as I wanted.

Placed two more beads on the cover, set in place and hand tightened the bolts each of which got a little goo right beneath the cap, around the thread.

[propane1]

Could you have made gaskets Eugen. Just wondering.

Noel

[DavidBarkey]

I have a Car Quest 10 min. from me . Have been shopping there regularly for about 5 years now . They know me by name and if I needs belts,filter,spark plugs , batteries ect, I call in to see if they have in stock . If they don't have in stock they will order it in for me without deposit . I get garage pricing with out an account because I do have a small business and am a regular customer . I get good pricing , not always the best price . But I do get the best service you could ask for .

[Eugen]

Could you have made gaskets Eugen. Just wondering.

Noel

Yes Noel, I've made my own gaskets in the past, but can't find big enough rubberized cork sheet. Just easier with this goo. You don't think it will hold and seal?

[propane1]

I guess I’m just on the fence about that. And I don’t want to fall of either way and hurt myself.
But , older stuff was built with gaskets. Newer stuff nowadays don’t use gaskets. Steel verses aluminum. ??
Any way. It may well seal it up, but my concern is, that where the gasket maker came out the sides of the cover plate, that you wanted to see, also does the same thing on the inside, where you don’t see. Those inside pieces could break off and get into your gears, bearings, which could cause trouble. Now, I am by no means an expert in this. I’m just going on the little I’ve seen and heard. But, I have seen in engines when they are takin apart pieces of silicone In the water side of the engine and oil side. Which could plug up passage ways. Now, again in my own defence, I am not an expert in this. Maybe if the proper sealant is used it won’t do that. I don’t know any thing about the new engines that don’t use gaskets and just rely on gasket maker products. They must have the proper stuff and there are no worries of the squeezed out gasket maker on the inside of engines and transmissions coming out and causing trouble.
I do know, that the gasket maker stuff that Ford has for there Diesel engines is good stuff. I know mechanic truck shops here buy that product from Ford for their work.

When we put my sons rambler engine together by the book and used what it said to use, we ended up with a leak at the rear crank seal with in a week. Had to remove the engine and repair it. We used the Ford stuff I mentioned to fix it. Never leaked again. That was a number of years ago.

There now, that’s my uneducated ramble on gaskets and gasket maker stuff.


Noel.

[Eugen]

I am not at expert in any of this stuff, you are more expert than me Noel. Which Ford gasket maker specifically are you talking about? It would be good to know which one, for everyone's benefit. If you do a search on the web, people swear by one product or another. There are people who will only use Yamabond, others only Honda bond, you Ford bond, others Victor Reiner bond, others Ultra Grey, others The Right Stuff, others only Loctite, and so on.

I'm with you on the use of gaskets, I would have preferred it. When I looked for gasket material locally I couldn't find large sizes, but now I found it online. Oh well, next time, or if the goo doesn't hold, I'll make gaskets.

Now, how about some of that goo possibly falling in the gearbox? The reason I'm not worried about it here is because this oil doesn't go through any passages. It sits at the bottom of the gearbox and gets lifted on the gears as they turn. There is no pressure of any kind either. As far as I can tell this gasket's main task is to keep out water, dust, dirt, and to keep in the oil that may splash a little at higher speed or when the tractor is on enough of an incline.

But guys, don't do what I do, do things the right way. I'm just fooling around with this broken tractor! Maybe it will even work one day!

[Eugen]

On with the program.

With subzero temps the Ultra Grey recommended wait of one hour before applying spec-ed torque become much longer. The instructions do not specify how long, just that if it's cold, wait longer. LOL nicely done Permatex. Now I have to use THE BRAIN? Fine. Check on it at noon today; the goo is still gooey, but no longer sticky to touch. THE BRAIN said to me go torque the dang bolts. I did. I will leave it in the rain once it's all fixed, and will regularly check the oil for water. If water gets in, no more goo; will make gaskets and wait for Noel to say "told you so"

Found larger size gasket material on amazon, will order it now because it's cheap and don't want to be caught without it every again. Noel, thanks for insisting on this, it made me think about it a little harder.

[propane1]

One thing is for sure Eugen. I would never say, I told you so.
Hehe. I was only suggesting and thinking out loud.
More out loud here. I would use gasket paper. Never was a fan of cork gaskets. For some reason. An automotive parts shop should have gasket paper.

Here are some the gasket and silicone products that ford uses. All seem to have different applications. I have no idea what the differences are. Not up on that stuff.
The one we used on the rambler engine and we have used it on other things too, is the Motorcraft TA 31. First two pictures. All expensive stuff. And the tube is about half the length of a normal caulking tube. It does fit the caulking guns.

More rambling.


Noel

[Eugen]

One thing is for sure Eugen. I would never say, I told you so.
Hehe. I was only suggesting and thinking out loud.
More out loud here. I would use gasket paper. Never was a fan of cork gaskets. For some reason. An automotive parts shop should have gasket paper.

Here are some the gasket and silicone products that ford uses. All seem to have different applications. I have no idea what the differences are. Not up on that stuff.
The one we used on the rambler engine and we have used it on other things too, is the Motorcraft TA 31. First two pictures. All expensive stuff. And the tube is about half the length of a normal caulking tube. It does fit the caulking guns.

More rambling.


Noel

Good ramble, thank you! But, why not a fan of cork gaskets?