Low power after 1840 warms up.

[Off Road SHO]

I'm looking at an 1840 of about 1993 vintage and the owner says that after it warms up to operating temperarture, that it lacks power, even to push into a pile of dirt. Is there a way I can attach a high pressure guage to some port on this tractor's pump assembly to watch the pressure as it is coming up to temperature? It would be nice to know if it's the pumps or the motors (or both) that are worn out. He says it leaks oil out the bottom also but I don't know enough about how these old case's pumped oil. Thanks in advance for any knowledge you might be able to share. Tom

 

[Tazza]

I'd suspect pump wear being the issue. As it warms up, the oil thins out and by-passes the pump parts.
You could install pressure gauges, but not sure how you'd plumb them so you could see the readings while in the cab.

 

[Off Road SHO]

I'd suspect pump wear being the issue. As it warms up, the oil thins out and by-passes the pump parts.
You could install pressure gauges, but not sure how you'd plumb them so you could see the readings while in the cab.

I wonder how the dealers determine if it's the pump? There's got to be a test port or something. I am hoping that it's because something is not tightened up all the way between the two main pumps or something. Tom

 

[Hotrod1830]

I wonder how the dealers determine if it's the pump? There's got to be a test port or something. I am hoping that it's because something is not tightened up all the way between the two main pumps or something. Tom

The dealer has test equipment that installs in series on the hydraulic lines. There may very well be a test port, but you would have to look for it. If you have the room, you could make a adapter. All it needs to be is a male/female flare fitting( I assume thats what hose is on it) with a place to tap for a gauge.
Why do you say"something is not tightened up all the way between the two main pumps or something"? Is it making noise? leaking? Is one side stronger than the other? Bucket controls function normal?

 

[Off Road SHO]

The dealer has test equipment that installs in series on the hydraulic lines. There may very well be a test port, but you would have to look for it. If you have the room, you could make a adapter. All it needs to be is a male/female flare fitting( I assume thats what hose is on it) with a place to tap for a gauge.
Why do you say"something is not tightened up all the way between the two main pumps or something"? Is it making noise? leaking? Is one side stronger than the other? Bucket controls function normal?

Well, it's a moot point now, it sold this morning. The seller said it leaked oil on his driveway and in looking at the 1840 manual and how those tandem pumps are bolted together, I thought that there might be an easy fix. Obviously, so did someone else. I have had my 1840 since 1997 when I bought it new. Over the years people have watched me do a tremendous amount of work with it so much so that now they want their own units. One being my daughter. She asked me to find her one just like mine so that she could use all my attachments, right after I found a smoking deal on one for a friend of mine. Sure is hard to find specimens in relatively good condition. Thanks for your help though. It's back to craigslist, ebay and ritchie bros. Tom

 

[Tazza]

Well, it's a moot point now, it sold this morning. The seller said it leaked oil on his driveway and in looking at the 1840 manual and how those tandem pumps are bolted together, I thought that there might be an easy fix. Obviously, so did someone else. I have had my 1840 since 1997 when I bought it new. Over the years people have watched me do a tremendous amount of work with it so much so that now they want their own units. One being my daughter. She asked me to find her one just like mine so that she could use all my attachments, right after I found a smoking deal on one for a friend of mine. Sure is hard to find specimens in relatively good condition. Thanks for your help though. It's back to craigslist, ebay and ritchie bros. Tom

Don't be too hard on yourself, i don't believe it would have been an easy fix.
I have only had this issue once that turned out to be an easy fix, the others were pump wear.
An oil leak could allow air to get in the system, you would get noise and possible power loss at all times, not just when hot.
As for test ports, there will not be a dedicated port. You have 3 pumps in a hydrostatic system, to test it properly you need to tap into all the lines to measure pressure/and flow at operating temperature.
If your machine has a universal attachment plate, you don't need to look at a case, you have many options to get a good deal on.
Good luck with the search.

 

[Off Road SHO]

Don't be too hard on yourself, i don't believe it would have been an easy fix.
I have only had this issue once that turned out to be an easy fix, the others were pump wear.
An oil leak could allow air to get in the system, you would get noise and possible power loss at all times, not just when hot.
As for test ports, there will not be a dedicated port. You have 3 pumps in a hydrostatic system, to test it properly you need to tap into all the lines to measure pressure/and flow at operating temperature.
If your machine has a universal attachment plate, you don't need to look at a case, you have many options to get a good deal on.
Good luck with the search.

Thanks Tazza. Another quick question for you though. I see a lot of newer Case's with what they call joystick control. Is that the same as my old 1840 where forward, rearward motion and bucket control was all done with two hand controls? Or is Joystick control where the right hand controls the bucket movement and the left hand controls the machine movement? Tom

 

[Tazza]

Thanks Tazza. Another quick question for you though. I see a lot of newer Case's with what they call joystick control. Is that the same as my old 1840 where forward, rearward motion and bucket control was all done with two hand controls? Or is Joystick control where the right hand controls the bucket movement and the left hand controls the machine movement? Tom

Sadly i don't know.
I have always avoided machines with hand controls, but some use push pull cables or pilot controls and not electric servos that have had a bad name for failing and being expensive to repair.

 

[Gearclash]

Sadly i don't know.
I have always avoided machines with hand controls, but some use push pull cables or pilot controls and not electric servos that have had a bad name for failing and being expensive to repair.

"Thanks Tazza. Another quick question for you though. I see a lot of newer Case's with what they call joystick control. Is that the same as my old 1840 where forward, rearward motion and bucket control was all done with two hand controls? Or is Joystick control where the right hand controls the bucket movement and the left hand controls the machine movement? Tom" All of the Case machines to the end of the 400 Series 3 use the same basic control pattern as the older 18 series Cases. As far as I know there are no control cables either, just good ole mechanical linkages. The motion of the controls is a little different beginning with the XT series in that the entire lever moves sideways for the loader functions rather that just a handle at the end of the lever. The pattern of motion its the same though. I like the older style control a little better myself.

 

[Tazza]

"Thanks Tazza. Another quick question for you though. I see a lot of newer Case's with what they call joystick control. Is that the same as my old 1840 where forward, rearward motion and bucket control was all done with two hand controls? Or is Joystick control where the right hand controls the bucket movement and the left hand controls the machine movement? Tom" All of the Case machines to the end of the 400 Series 3 use the same basic control pattern as the older 18 series Cases. As far as I know there are no control cables either, just good ole mechanical linkages. The motion of the controls is a little different beginning with the XT series in that the entire lever moves sideways for the loader functions rather that just a handle at the end of the lever. The pattern of motion its the same though. I like the older style control a little better myself.

I would still class those as hand controls.
You have different styles though, some use mechanical linkages, push/pull cables which are pretty well bullet proof.
You then have pilot pressure ones, that use low pressure oil to drive a larger control module, these can work well, but you have more moving parts to possibly go wrong. Pretty sure a few excavators use these controls and they work well.
The other ones that Bobcat have gotten into are fully electronic, switches in the handles and electric servos to push/pull the control block. Great in theory, you have little to no resistanceand you can swap handles and do fancy things, but when they fail, it can be expensive.