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Thread: Caterpillar excavator

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326

    Caterpillar excavator

    Well lets see..... I have an older friend (actually he went to high school w/my dad) and i basically have known him forever (he worked in dirt his whole life) he retired 10yrs ago and he is realizing he has to start letting things go. When my older son (AJ) was 5yrs old this man said/promised he'd own this machine someday, my son used to ride in the cab w/him while running this very machine for hours.
    Anyway its now ours/his it wasn't free but lets just say it was "very" affordable. This Cat hasn't moved (trax) in over 6yrs but he started it once a yr ran the hydrolics but hasn't touched it in 2yrs.
    So i figure charge up the batteries first they still had charge but only 9v each (bats were almost new when parked) but i hope to bring them back to life (trickle charge) a few days (new bats are very expensive!) The machine's previous owner say's why bother just jump in an she'll fire right up... Me being anal about things i want to give it all a cleaning (mouse crap/nests) and give it a good inspection first and lube.
    My son aj has all the required licenses to run larger equipment (at work) but has little to not much experience doing it. This machine will give him as many hours as he wishes (digging in the family land outback)
    I will update this as things progress- if anyone's interested.

    shep
    I believe this CAT to be a 215B LC 85 or 86yr but could be wrong

    oh ya and these batteries are friggan heavy!!!




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    Last edited by Shep1970; 06-26-2022 at 12:50 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Mexico
    --
    9,003
    Cool machine and even cooler backstory, keep the posts coming buddy!
    It sucks to get old

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    new england
    --
    1,391
    Keep us in loop

    I use mine to take out the garbage at times

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Central Mississippi
    --
    14
    That’s a lot of machine. The older machines tend to take sitting up better than the new ones. I would give the fuel tank a good look before starting it. Diesel tends to grow algae when sitting over time. It would be way easier to drain the tank and start with fresh fuel than to have to clean/repair the entire system due to dirty fuel.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    indiana
    --
    891
    Nice, and yes, the diesel will grow some gnarly stuff. Drain it, and get some cheapish filters incase she plugs up. Hydraulic hoses can cost a small fortune and be a pita to change. Good luck and enjoy!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326
    Quote Originally Posted by 90nut View Post
    Nice, and yes, the diesel will grow some gnarly stuff. Drain it, and get some cheapish filters incase she plugs up. Hydraulic hoses can cost a small fortune and be a pita to change. Good luck and enjoy!
    Thanks, luckily there's only about 5 gallons in the tank(bonfire time) The hour meter reads 7,700 hours and i have no idea if thats considered alot or not. , Click image for larger version. 

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    shep
    Last edited by Shep1970; 06-28-2022 at 10:21 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    indiana
    --
    891
    If it's the original hour meter, that's low. I'm running some 10 year old stuff with 10k hours on it. But, the iron fires up at 6:30 am and doesn't shut off wed quoting time some days. Maintenance is a key factor. Grease is cheap, pins bushings and line boring aint!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326
    So the interior is actually not bad except for a tear in the seat the seat foam is intact of coarse thats where mice left some dark rice- the machine is definitely sun faded with light surface rust in areas but i think a power wash is next in/out.
    The engine oil looks good a bit dirty but good, radiator coolant looks great but (needs a cap) fell apart into 3pieces when removed but works for now.
    The boom has had a couple re-enforcing plates welded on and looks like a couple factory welds re-done. No bees nests "yet"
    Machine has definitely sat outside its whole life.












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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    somerset uk
    --
    44
    That’s a great old girl, those old Cats are built well very strong! that interior is very tidy for its age, I would say the hours look to be genuine and they are very low for its age. Hope it fires into life


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  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    The Open Road
    --
    4,729
    That's badass

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    --
    3,001
    Definitely watching this thread! The sprockets look good too! Did he throw in the manual by chance? I'd hit this thing hard with PB Blaster or Kroil on anything rusty that may need to move at some time...especially hinges and latches. Is there an exhaust flapper on it...hard to see in the pictures.
    Last edited by coolpool; 07-09-2022 at 11:22 AM.
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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326
    Quote Originally Posted by coolpool View Post
    Definitely watching this thread! The sprockets look good too! Did he throw in the manual by chance? I'd hit this thing hard with PB Blaster or Kroil on anything rusty that may need to move at some time...especially hinges and latches. Is there an exhaust flapper on it...hard to see in the pictures.
    Yes theres an exhaust flapper, we drained about 2-quarts of oil engine last week to be sure theres no water in there, of coarse most of that ended up all over me. Still working on trying to get the batteries back to life, one of them is good the other charges up to 12.55volts but overnight drops down to 10.5v. (batts out of machine still) Had to pick up another charger, our old one died.
    Actually the old owner called me a couple nights ago said he found the Manual and we are picking it up tomorrow. Been Hot and muggy so haven't done much else. Planning for a "try to start" next weekend- Still gotta check the air filter for critters/nests/dirt.
    Have to go to CAT this week to get a radiator cap and my son wants to purchase a new seat cushion/cover if available.
    shep
    Last edited by Shep1970; 07-09-2022 at 12:40 PM.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326
    Not much to add it's been way to hot/muggy. But we do have new batteries/couple fuel filters, rad cap and manuals.
    Heading to PA for a few days, i've never been to hershey park and it's supposed to be around 90* the day we are going........yuck
    Hopefully the weather will break at home next wk but i swear u could cook an egg on that excavator during the day if need be.

    shep




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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Northeast
    --
    17,438
    I know all too well the PAIN of buying batteries for these dinosaurs. One time I bought them at NAPA, they lasted about 18 months and told me there was no warranty!! I've almost never trickle charged them over a length of time because I always start the machine at least once a month and use it, even in the cold, otherwise I'd trickle charge them. I wasn't too happy about the NAPA ordeal, could not make sense of it, although they tend to have better products than these typical auto parts stores. When they wouldn't help me I went straight to John Deere and paid 600$ for 2 new 6V batteries wired in series for 12V, I think that was about 7 years ago or so now and they still work fine. I just make an effort to constantly start and run the BHL, in your case you'll have to trickle charge them if you don't use the machine often enough. I later learned you can possibly use a welder to de-sulfate the plates on an old battery, I wish I had tried that before I brought those old ones back to NAPA because that was a big loss... I bet that thing will start up and run perfect, just change the fuel filter first, use fresh diesel, and it wouldn't hurt to change the engine oil and HYD filters. You may have to knock out some pins to get grease in them again (or a torch on the area works sometimes), but you don't have as many as a typical BHL does. If you need any help I'll be happy to pick up a hazmat suit and dive under/in there with ya. Have fun in PA! This summer was awesome up until a week ago, not fun ATM...
    All our government does is distract us while they steal from us, misspend our tax $ and ruin our country

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326

    Caterpillar excavator

    It runs.....I missed recording the initial start up by a few seconds but it purred to life with 2 turns of the key.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt9wMmvFs3c

    video may not work, i'll try to load a video later but heres a pic of it out of the 12 foot high brush-a bit of track adjustment to do next.


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    Last edited by Shep1970; 08-14-2022 at 04:50 PM.

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