Bobcat 630 Reclamation

[peebeeaitch]

Tazza, they were $7.16 each. Not cheap, but cheaper than $9.54 for used ones I found on another site.
Here are a couple of comparitive shots (the original bush is the best one I could find on the machine, from under one of the pump mounts):


The big difference is that the new ones don't feel like slightly frozen snot when one picks them up. Another small difference between the two is the thickness of the bolt spacer tube which on the after market one is quite a bit thinner than on the original. I don't think this will matter as I'm not going to be putting a tommy bar on the socket when tightening.

10 Mar 2013
Yesterday I went to the that very inexpensive tool shop to buy some stuff for my Saturday job. While wandering around the lot sale, I picked up a angle grinder (for chain removal) for $8.99 (or something). I also picked up a little arc welder to remove the bolts from my manifold.
Despite my best efforts, Tazza's suggestion of welding a bolt to the stub and striking with a chisel (+ helper) didn't help. What did happen is the the seized stud (ex bolt) would shear a little below the welding's heat affected zone, making the stub progressively shorter. When the stud was so short I couldn't get the rod in to weld it to the bolt, I realised that drilling and tapping was, finally, the only option:

While drilling out the obstinate little things, one of them broke loose. This is not a good thing. The bolt on the left is slightly loose (the one that broke loose), while the retapped right hand one is snug. We'll have to see how this lasts.
The new master links came in. I can confirm that my Bobcat has a heavy series chain. In the photo below one can see the yellow painted link (from Diamond) that was replaced by a previous owner, my new Tsubaki link is to the left:

The packet for a Bobcat 630 master link that works:

My wife, very considerately, when collecting the brass filter, picked up some Bobcat magazines for me. I've been wanting to write about this for a while - so here it is (sensitive folds uninterested in off topic subjects, skip the next paragraph):

So, for fear of being consigned to eternal damnation and law suits, I'd like to apologise for using a common term "Bobcat" to refer to my 'Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D and #60 heavy series chains' (I hope that's complete enough for the Doosan marketing folks). Doosan, if you read this, please copy and paste the section between the single quotes and replace all occurences in this post where I have helped lead to the demise of your treasured name. Please just remember that people are reading this post, 30 years after the machine was made, and the reason you have a brand that is so aggressively copied is precisely because your quality was so high that a machine like mine, with all of its faults and lack of maintenance, WAS STILL WORKING. YOU branched out into all sorts of other yellow hydraulics and so compromised your brand - we adoring Bobcat skid-steer loader folks just continued using a term which YOU FOLKS, by your admision, invented. So save your condescension for the people that are fans of other brands. Imagine telling Hoover customers that they should vaccuum the living room floor with the "Hoover household upright vacuum cleaning time saving machine" - bizarre. Oh yes, and while we're at it, thanks for the English lesson about adjectives. From what I've been taught, proper nouns start with a capital letter. So, in your English lesson, Bobcat is a proper noun preceding an adjective preceding a noun. I could call it a skid-steer loader (adjective-noun) or a Bobcat loader (proper noun-noun). Rant over.
In my manual it speaks of the engine oil filter being located at the back of the engine, easy to access. Mine is not. The oil filter is in the traditional position - inaccessible half way into the engine bay, behind the battery and other knuckle skinning protrusions. I've wanted to get an after market remote oil filter kit, so decided to remove the filter, so that I could remove the housing, to match it. This is what awaited:

Oil does float - this was after a couple of seconds of water had come out. Mmm, looks like there may be some additional repairs to engines ahead...
Here is the oil filter holder:

I'll see if I can fab up so type of remote thingy at work.
For anyone interested in the brake setup of a ''Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D with #60 heavy series chains', please see below:

(Sorry for the photo quality). The bottom shoe goes into the caliper housing at the right. I suspect that the spacer is a service item added later.
I assume this is good wear on the shoe (they all look like this and are all within 0.2mm width of each other):

I lubed up everything and re-installed. In the photos below the covers are in place so that I can finish the cleaning without worrying about getting grime into the chain housing. I also don't want to close the thing up finally until the hydraulics have been fully tested:

I aslo decided to complete the pump assembly to the state it was before this saga:

The next two weeks are business travel, so I'll use the time to get the spares I need.
More at the end of the month.

 

[Zorack]

10 Mar 2013
Yesterday I went to the that very inexpensive tool shop to buy some stuff for my Saturday job. While wandering around the lot sale, I picked up a angle grinder (for chain removal) for $8.99 (or something). I also picked up a little arc welder to remove the bolts from my manifold.
Despite my best efforts, Tazza's suggestion of welding a bolt to the stub and striking with a chisel (+ helper) didn't help. What did happen is the the seized stud (ex bolt) would shear a little below the welding's heat affected zone, making the stub progressively shorter. When the stud was so short I couldn't get the rod in to weld it to the bolt, I realised that drilling and tapping was, finally, the only option:

While drilling out the obstinate little things, one of them broke loose. This is not a good thing. The bolt on the left is slightly loose (the one that broke loose), while the retapped right hand one is snug. We'll have to see how this lasts.
The new master links came in. I can confirm that my Bobcat has a heavy series chain. In the photo below one can see the yellow painted link (from Diamond) that was replaced by a previous owner, my new Tsubaki link is to the left:

The packet for a Bobcat 630 master link that works:

My wife, very considerately, when collecting the brass filter, picked up some Bobcat magazines for me. I've been wanting to write about this for a while - so here it is (sensitive folds uninterested in off topic subjects, skip the next paragraph):

So, for fear of being consigned to eternal damnation and law suits, I'd like to apologise for using a common term "Bobcat" to refer to my 'Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D and #60 heavy series chains' (I hope that's complete enough for the Doosan marketing folks). Doosan, if you read this, please copy and paste the section between the single quotes and replace all occurences in this post where I have helped lead to the demise of your treasured name. Please just remember that people are reading this post, 30 years after the machine was made, and the reason you have a brand that is so aggressively copied is precisely because your quality was so high that a machine like mine, with all of its faults and lack of maintenance, WAS STILL WORKING. YOU branched out into all sorts of other yellow hydraulics and so compromised your brand - we adoring Bobcat skid-steer loader folks just continued using a term which YOU FOLKS, by your admision, invented. So save your condescension for the people that are fans of other brands. Imagine telling Hoover customers that they should vaccuum the living room floor with the "Hoover household upright vacuum cleaning time saving machine" - bizarre. Oh yes, and while we're at it, thanks for the English lesson about adjectives. From what I've been taught, proper nouns start with a capital letter. So, in your English lesson, Bobcat is a proper noun preceding an adjective preceding a noun. I could call it a skid-steer loader (adjective-noun) or a Bobcat loader (proper noun-noun). Rant over.
In my manual it speaks of the engine oil filter being located at the back of the engine, easy to access. Mine is not. The oil filter is in the traditional position - inaccessible half way into the engine bay, behind the battery and other knuckle skinning protrusions. I've wanted to get an after market remote oil filter kit, so decided to remove the filter, so that I could remove the housing, to match it. This is what awaited:


Oil does float - this was after a couple of seconds of water had come out. Mmm, looks like there may be some additional repairs to engines ahead...
Here is the oil filter holder:


I'll see if I can fab up so type of remote thingy at work.
For anyone interested in the brake setup of a ''Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D with #60 heavy series chains', please see below:

(Sorry for the photo quality). The bottom shoe goes into the caliper housing at the right. I suspect that the spacer is a service item added later.
I assume this is good wear on the shoe (they all look like this and are all within 0.2mm width of each other):

I lubed up everything and re-installed. In the photos below the covers are in place so that I can finish the cleaning without worrying about getting grime into the chain housing. I also don't want to close the thing up finally until the hydraulics have been fully tested:


I aslo decided to complete the pump assembly to the state it was before this saga:

The next two weeks are business travel, so I'll use the time to get the spares I need.
More at the end of the month.

Keep up the good work and keep with the pics as well,I enjoy following this thread

 

[craigb93]

10 Mar 2013
Yesterday I went to the that very inexpensive tool shop to buy some stuff for my Saturday job. While wandering around the lot sale, I picked up a angle grinder (for chain removal) for $8.99 (or something). I also picked up a little arc welder to remove the bolts from my manifold.
Despite my best efforts, Tazza's suggestion of welding a bolt to the stub and striking with a chisel (+ helper) didn't help. What did happen is the the seized stud (ex bolt) would shear a little below the welding's heat affected zone, making the stub progressively shorter. When the stud was so short I couldn't get the rod in to weld it to the bolt, I realised that drilling and tapping was, finally, the only option:

While drilling out the obstinate little things, one of them broke loose. This is not a good thing. The bolt on the left is slightly loose (the one that broke loose), while the retapped right hand one is snug. We'll have to see how this lasts.
The new master links came in. I can confirm that my Bobcat has a heavy series chain. In the photo below one can see the yellow painted link (from Diamond) that was replaced by a previous owner, my new Tsubaki link is to the left:

The packet for a Bobcat 630 master link that works:

My wife, very considerately, when collecting the brass filter, picked up some Bobcat magazines for me. I've been wanting to write about this for a while - so here it is (sensitive folds uninterested in off topic subjects, skip the next paragraph):

So, for fear of being consigned to eternal damnation and law suits, I'd like to apologise for using a common term "Bobcat" to refer to my 'Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D and #60 heavy series chains' (I hope that's complete enough for the Doosan marketing folks). Doosan, if you read this, please copy and paste the section between the single quotes and replace all occurences in this post where I have helped lead to the demise of your treasured name. Please just remember that people are reading this post, 30 years after the machine was made, and the reason you have a brand that is so aggressively copied is precisely because your quality was so high that a machine like mine, with all of its faults and lack of maintenance, WAS STILL WORKING. YOU branched out into all sorts of other yellow hydraulics and so compromised your brand - we adoring Bobcat skid-steer loader folks just continued using a term which YOU FOLKS, by your admision, invented. So save your condescension for the people that are fans of other brands. Imagine telling Hoover customers that they should vaccuum the living room floor with the "Hoover household upright vacuum cleaning time saving machine" - bizarre. Oh yes, and while we're at it, thanks for the English lesson about adjectives. From what I've been taught, proper nouns start with a capital letter. So, in your English lesson, Bobcat is a proper noun preceding an adjective preceding a noun. I could call it a skid-steer loader (adjective-noun) or a Bobcat loader (proper noun-noun). Rant over.
In my manual it speaks of the engine oil filter being located at the back of the engine, easy to access. Mine is not. The oil filter is in the traditional position - inaccessible half way into the engine bay, behind the battery and other knuckle skinning protrusions. I've wanted to get an after market remote oil filter kit, so decided to remove the filter, so that I could remove the housing, to match it. This is what awaited:


Oil does float - this was after a couple of seconds of water had come out. Mmm, looks like there may be some additional repairs to engines ahead...
Here is the oil filter holder:


I'll see if I can fab up so type of remote thingy at work.
For anyone interested in the brake setup of a ''Bobcat skidsteer loader, model 630, from 198? with a Wisconsin VH4D with #60 heavy series chains', please see below:

(Sorry for the photo quality). The bottom shoe goes into the caliper housing at the right. I suspect that the spacer is a service item added later.
I assume this is good wear on the shoe (they all look like this and are all within 0.2mm width of each other):

I lubed up everything and re-installed. In the photos below the covers are in place so that I can finish the cleaning without worrying about getting grime into the chain housing. I also don't want to close the thing up finally until the hydraulics have been fully tested:


I aslo decided to complete the pump assembly to the state it was before this saga:

The next two weeks are business travel, so I'll use the time to get the spares I need.
More at the end of the month.

If you are unsure about the quality of the threads in the exhaust manifold now is the time to put in a HeliCoil thread Insert. ~$20.

 

[Tazza]

If you are unsure about the quality of the threads in the exhaust manifold now is the time to put in a HeliCoil thread Insert. ~$20.

Lets hope that the engine water in the oil will be ok. Give it a good run with fresh oil then dump it. Hopefully a few rounds on that will have it all clean again. No sense cracking it open if you don't have to.
Seems like a good price on the mounts, i can't remember what they cost over here, but i thought it was 30-40.....

 

[peebeeaitch]

Lets hope that the engine water in the oil will be ok. Give it a good run with fresh oil then dump it. Hopefully a few rounds on that will have it all clean again. No sense cracking it open if you don't have to.
Seems like a good price on the mounts, i can't remember what they cost over here, but i thought it was 30-40.....

24 March 2013
Rightey. Despite two weeks of no work, I didn't manage to make the remote oil filter adapters, the after-market external voltage regulator/rectifier has not arrived. And it is snowing. Again.
In a previous post I said I'd report back on the spare o-rings and if I found a sopt for them. Tazza pointed out that I needed to replace the motor feed o-rings. Well the spares do not fit in there (only 3 of them and, obviously, there are 4 motor lines). So, I still have 3 large and 2 smaller o-rings spare.
Started off cleaning the area where the pump would go (I still need to clean the bottom of the machine properly, but I ran out of towels):

Notice the little brass "pin" between the wear marks on the left hand side. I assume this is a slide. It is fairly (as in flush with the plate) worn. I can't feel any way to remove and repair it, so I assume I'll just have to live with the cross plate wearing on the chain case.
Tightened up the block with the home-made tool:

I then proceeded to heave the pump back into the machine. Inching it back, I thought to myself that I should be careful not to let the thing rest on my finger as it was likely to crush it. This thought happened milli-seconds before the pump slipped and crushed my finger between the case and the pump. Excrutiating.
Anyway, bumbling on through the swollen pain, I cleaned the lines and re-installed (my little pipe-marker's work was flawless):

I cleaned the lines by dangling them in a bucket of solvent and washing off the external grime. Then ran some solvent through and using my miniscule compressor, blew the lines out internally from both sides. I hope that the sludge in the bottom of the bucket did not get into the lines and if it did, that the compressed air blasted it out.
I forgot to get a new hose for the line between the vane pump and the control block as Tazza had suggested in a previous post. Inspection of the hose:

and:

Just as well this one is going to be replaced. Maddeningly, I cannot find the other line. I really have no idea where it went.
So, if the motor parts are ready next weekend, I reckon it's going to be a test weekend.

 

[Tazza]

24 March 2013
Rightey. Despite two weeks of no work, I didn't manage to make the remote oil filter adapters, the after-market external voltage regulator/rectifier has not arrived. And it is snowing. Again.
In a previous post I said I'd report back on the spare o-rings and if I found a sopt for them. Tazza pointed out that I needed to replace the motor feed o-rings. Well the spares do not fit in there (only 3 of them and, obviously, there are 4 motor lines). So, I still have 3 large and 2 smaller o-rings spare.
Started off cleaning the area where the pump would go (I still need to clean the bottom of the machine properly, but I ran out of towels):

Notice the little brass "pin" between the wear marks on the left hand side. I assume this is a slide. It is fairly (as in flush with the plate) worn. I can't feel any way to remove and repair it, so I assume I'll just have to live with the cross plate wearing on the chain case.
Tightened up the block with the home-made tool:

I then proceeded to heave the pump back into the machine. Inching it back, I thought to myself that I should be careful not to let the thing rest on my finger as it was likely to crush it. This thought happened milli-seconds before the pump slipped and crushed my finger between the case and the pump. Excrutiating.
Anyway, bumbling on through the swollen pain, I cleaned the lines and re-installed (my little pipe-marker's work was flawless):

I cleaned the lines by dangling them in a bucket of solvent and washing off the external grime. Then ran some solvent through and using my miniscule compressor, blew the lines out internally from both sides. I hope that the sludge in the bottom of the bucket did not get into the lines and if it did, that the compressed air blasted it out.
I forgot to get a new hose for the line between the vane pump and the control block as Tazza had suggested in a previous post. Inspection of the hose:

and:

Just as well this one is going to be replaced. Maddeningly, I cannot find the other line. I really have no idea where it went.
So, if the motor parts are ready next weekend, I reckon it's going to be a test weekend.

Nice progress
The brass thingie you noted i believe is the chain case breather. It's there to stay out of the way and hopefully keep water out.

 

[peebeeaitch]

Nice progress
The brass thingie you noted i believe is the chain case breather. It's there to stay out of the way and hopefully keep water out.

30 March 2013
Spent the day shopping for parts for the remote oil filter manifolds. Managed to get the stuff to make one from two shops. Also managed to find the filter Fleetguard LF726, Fram C164 filter.
Off I went to manufacture the remote manifolds and this is what I came up with:

31 March 2013
Started with the wiring in anticipation of the still un-arrived external voltage regulator/rectifier. BTW, the engine grime is almost impossible to remove with a cold water washer. I have sprayer, resprayed, de-greased, washed and tried to clean this so many times. Combined with the freezing weather, I've just given up.
Here are the connections to the original equipment:

The motor went back in. I tried to re-use the bolts that had come out, but they were too short. The new, longer ones I bought were also too short, so I came up with this plan to compress the new rubber bushes a little, enough to get the nut on and tighten up:

Notice the new looped line for the remote oil filter mounting, ready to be cut to length.

Pretty nifty if you ask me.
So here is the motor back home:

I think I am fairly mechanical. One of the ways to send me off the deep end is for me to ask a highly non-mechanical person to help, and then to be offered all sorts of alternative ways of doing a job that I have planned meticulously in my mind. You know the "can I make a suggestion" type of suggestions that take hours for the non-mechanical person to explain, and hours to explain why it will not work. Which then leads to 2 minutes of progress followed by another "Can I make a suggestion?" For this reason, I put the motor in myself. Luckily it is possible to get one's hand around the left side of the motor to align the coupling:

I had been contemplating a location for the remote oil filter. While aligning the coupling, I found an easy to get to location that seemed ideal:

Notice the lack of anything remote about my oil filter. Seems like it's an easy job to change the oil filter if one removes the battery.
I emptied the oil reservoir and I think this will become some of the chain case oil. It looks really clean and I can't imagine that the requirements of the chain case oil are that onerous.

Next weekend I hope to have the electrical stuff sorted enough to be able to fire her back up. Plus of course getting hold of the lines to the control valve that I couldn't get to. Then we have the testing of the pumps (which is why this story started in the first place!)
Larger projects are setting the idle position of the yank-ems, a new fuel tank, and the rest of the electrical system.

 

[Tazza]

30 March 2013
Spent the day shopping for parts for the remote oil filter manifolds. Managed to get the stuff to make one from two shops. Also managed to find the filter Fleetguard LF726, Fram C164 filter.
Off I went to manufacture the remote manifolds and this is what I came up with:

31 March 2013
Started with the wiring in anticipation of the still un-arrived external voltage regulator/rectifier. BTW, the engine grime is almost impossible to remove with a cold water washer. I have sprayer, resprayed, de-greased, washed and tried to clean this so many times. Combined with the freezing weather, I've just given up.
Here are the connections to the original equipment:

The motor went back in. I tried to re-use the bolts that had come out, but they were too short. The new, longer ones I bought were also too short, so I came up with this plan to compress the new rubber bushes a little, enough to get the nut on and tighten up:

Notice the new looped line for the remote oil filter mounting, ready to be cut to length.

Pretty nifty if you ask me.
So here is the motor back home:

I think I am fairly mechanical. One of the ways to send me off the deep end is for me to ask a highly non-mechanical person to help, and then to be offered all sorts of alternative ways of doing a job that I have planned meticulously in my mind. You know the "can I make a suggestion" type of suggestions that take hours for the non-mechanical person to explain, and hours to explain why it will not work. Which then leads to 2 minutes of progress followed by another "Can I make a suggestion?" For this reason, I put the motor in myself. Luckily it is possible to get one's hand around the left side of the motor to align the coupling:

I had been contemplating a location for the remote oil filter. While aligning the coupling, I found an easy to get to location that seemed ideal:

Notice the lack of anything remote about my oil filter. Seems like it's an easy job to change the oil filter if one removes the battery.
I emptied the oil reservoir and I think this will become some of the chain case oil. It looks really clean and I can't imagine that the requirements of the chain case oil are that onerous.

Next weekend I hope to have the electrical stuff sorted enough to be able to fire her back up. Plus of course getting hold of the lines to the control valve that I couldn't get to. Then we have the testing of the pumps (which is why this story started in the first place!)
Larger projects are setting the idle position of the yank-ems, a new fuel tank, and the rest of the electrical system.

I can understand what you mean about the non mechanical minded helper being an issue. When i got my GF to assist with a repair, i gave her the simple job of holding a pry bar, you really can't go wrong with that can you? Thankfully my dad that is generally my un-paid labourer understands what needs to be done and when i explain how i plan on doing it he agrees. That and the rates are right

 

[Mikefromcny]

I can understand what you mean about the non mechanical minded helper being an issue. When i got my GF to assist with a repair, i gave her the simple job of holding a pry bar, you really can't go wrong with that can you? Thankfully my dad that is generally my un-paid labourer understands what needs to be done and when i explain how i plan on doing it he agrees. That and the rates are right

Peebeeaitch, where are you located? Not sure if you are in the US or not. I use "castrol super clean" degreaser for degreasing heavy equipment. Here in the USA anyways its about $8 a gallon and available anywhere, even walmart. I spray it on and let it soak, and then use my 2300 psi pressure washer. Some of the really grungy areas require a few applications but it always comes through. It will turn paint different colors and make your skin slimy when over exposed tot it, its the good stuff! lol.

 

[Tigerhaze]

24 Feb 2013
So I started out trying to remove the flywheel with the "soft hammer". If this is a recurring phrase, it is because it was a recurring effort. I tried hitting the flywheel on the side, on the fins, in the centre, on the shaft (like the manual seems to show), on the casing, everywhere. Then I brought out the solid steel persuader, and tapped in all of the same places. Really, I did not loose my temper and give it a properly solid smack - I contained myself and ping pinged the thing. Nothing worked. So I gave up.
What awaited was worse. The mulch extraction. I have written in a previous post that I am sure that the machine has been a submarine at some point. Geologists make their living (I am told) by looking through the history of the earth through various layers. My geology project is a Bobcat that ended its past life in my garage, before which it was used to load mulch, before which it was used in a forestry operation, before which it was in a river. I know it was a river because of the river stones trapped in the clay layer above the factory paint. Before that it was made. This is all visible in the layers.
The one good thing about the clay under all of the mulch is that it has provided a fantastic corrosion barrier (this paint is still shiny):

I don't own a compressor for spraying anymore otherwise I'd give it a coat.
I also, as said somewhere above, started looking through the wiring and made some interesting discoveries. I think I have spoken a lifetime ago about the oil pressure gauge moving. This is the wiring behind the aftermarket panel:

The orange wire runs to the oil pressure gauge. Next to it, without wire, is the charging voltage gauge. The orange wire, in my harness, leads to the "thingy's" spoken of previously. So, the oil pressure gauge showes charging voltage and the charging voltage gauge showes nothing.
I also found this remnant somewhere in the engine mulch:

Before the fuel storage on my unit was upgraded to a Jerry Can with custom solder outlet and direct carburetor supply, this little critter must have figured in the schematic. I cannot find reference to it in any of the motor blowups in my manual so can only come to the conclusion that it was an after-market addition that was bypassed before the machine came my way.
Now I'm going to start purchasing the various parts that I need to get the machine functional again. I have stripped almost everything I want/need to. The only thing remaining untouched are the wheel bearings, which look and feel great.

I have followed this thread with great interest, as I also have a 630 in a more minor state of disrepair. I can say with some certainty that if I had to go through the efforts you have to get it running again, I would have either gone crazy or the 630 would be someone else's headache. I do thank you for the photos and explanation as it will be very helpful for myself and others that have a 630 that needs repair.
I can offer you one bit of information you didn't al;ready figure out- the "thingy" marked Century that you found in the debris in the engine compartment is a fuel shutoff solenoid. It goes between the fuel tank outlet and the carb inlet. When energized by the ignition it allows flow of fuel- if denergized it shuts off fuel flow. I am in the process of rewiring mine as for some reason it is no longer energized by the ignition switch. They are still available new from Bobcat if you want it and is in the parts manual. You can test it easily to 12V- just touch wires and you can here the click when enegrgized and it would allow fuel flow through.
Also if your muffler gets to a point of rust-through, I can give you the Fleetgard model number so you can try to get it at a cheaper price than the $430 that Bocat wants for it (my loss is your gain).
Thanks again for all of the helpful photos.

 

[peebeeaitch]

I have followed this thread with great interest, as I also have a 630 in a more minor state of disrepair. I can say with some certainty that if I had to go through the efforts you have to get it running again, I would have either gone crazy or the 630 would be someone else's headache. I do thank you for the photos and explanation as it will be very helpful for myself and others that have a 630 that needs repair.
I can offer you one bit of information you didn't al;ready figure out- the "thingy" marked Century that you found in the debris in the engine compartment is a fuel shutoff solenoid. It goes between the fuel tank outlet and the carb inlet. When energized by the ignition it allows flow of fuel- if denergized it shuts off fuel flow. I am in the process of rewiring mine as for some reason it is no longer energized by the ignition switch. They are still available new from Bobcat if you want it and is in the parts manual. You can test it easily to 12V- just touch wires and you can here the click when enegrgized and it would allow fuel flow through.
Also if your muffler gets to a point of rust-through, I can give you the Fleetgard model number so you can try to get it at a cheaper price than the $430 that Bocat wants for it (my loss is your gain).
Thanks again for all of the helpful photos.

Thanks for the information on the breather Tazza.
Yes, the helper story is sometimes a contradiction in terms. One thinks one is being helped, but actually it is unhelping that is going on. Hopefully my son will be able to help out soon. Teach him the appropriate time to swear, how to strip bolts and all the other "fun" things that make up working with one's hands.

 

[peebeeaitch]

Thanks for the information on the breather Tazza.
Yes, the helper story is sometimes a contradiction in terms. One thinks one is being helped, but actually it is unhelping that is going on. Hopefully my son will be able to help out soon. Teach him the appropriate time to swear, how to strip bolts and all the other "fun" things that make up working with one's hands.

Mikefromcny, yes I am in the US - central (read rural) Illinois. I will give the Castrol Super Clean a try the next time I'm at Walmart. The "Triple Power" (or something else with a name as awe-inspiring) was not up to the task, so maybe the more restrained named products deserve a chance in the ring.

 

[peebeeaitch]

Mikefromcny, yes I am in the US - central (read rural) Illinois. I will give the Castrol Super Clean a try the next time I'm at Walmart. The "Triple Power" (or something else with a name as awe-inspiring) was not up to the task, so maybe the more restrained named products deserve a chance in the ring.

Tigerhaze - the most distressing part of this story has been that the machine "worked", but had a slight force to the left wheels problem. A couple of months of Sundays later I don't even know if the repairs are correct. We'll have to see.
When my machine was working, shutting off the coil power killed it immediately. Is your experience that one should have the cut-out wired to prevent over-running?
Thanks for the muffler head's up, I'll remember it.

 

[peebeeaitch]

Tigerhaze - the most distressing part of this story has been that the machine "worked", but had a slight force to the left wheels problem. A couple of months of Sundays later I don't even know if the repairs are correct. We'll have to see.
When my machine was working, shutting off the coil power killed it immediately. Is your experience that one should have the cut-out wired to prevent over-running?
Thanks for the muffler head's up, I'll remember it.

Two questions:
1. How are the fuel tank and oil reservoir mounted to the firewall? My manual seems to show them wrapped in foam which is wedged between the firewall and the seat back? Is this how it is done? Is this sane? There are a whole host of square cut-outs in the firewall, following the shape of the oil reservoir, which are begging for square shoulder bolts with some kind of bracket...
2. Anyone have a photo of the fuel tank and oil reservoir in place? I have just ordered a replacement tank ($45) (to take the place of the Jerry Can with custom soldered connector) and want to make sure that the mounting position is correct.
Thanks
PBH

 

[Tigerhaze]

Two questions:
1. How are the fuel tank and oil reservoir mounted to the firewall? My manual seems to show them wrapped in foam which is wedged between the firewall and the seat back? Is this how it is done? Is this sane? There are a whole host of square cut-outs in the firewall, following the shape of the oil reservoir, which are begging for square shoulder bolts with some kind of bracket...
2. Anyone have a photo of the fuel tank and oil reservoir in place? I have just ordered a replacement tank ($45) (to take the place of the Jerry Can with custom soldered connector) and want to make sure that the mounting position is correct.
Thanks
PBH

My undertsanding of the fuel cutoff solenoid is that it is more of a safety issue than anything else- it certainly will work without it. I am actually contemplating rewiring it to a fused plunger switch next to my seat rather than through the key, so if the the thing rolls I can simply hit the plunger to kill the engine. That's also a stealthy little security feature to someone that has a key and tries to start it.
The oil and gas tanks are still installed on my 630 and could get a picture this weekend- hwoever may be hard to see what you need to see fully installed with the ROPS in the way. Were you wanting to see it completely installed?

 

[ancomcabs]

Two questions:
1. How are the fuel tank and oil reservoir mounted to the firewall? My manual seems to show them wrapped in foam which is wedged between the firewall and the seat back? Is this how it is done? Is this sane? There are a whole host of square cut-outs in the firewall, following the shape of the oil reservoir, which are begging for square shoulder bolts with some kind of bracket...
2. Anyone have a photo of the fuel tank and oil reservoir in place? I have just ordered a replacement tank ($45) (to take the place of the Jerry Can with custom soldered connector) and want to make sure that the mounting position is correct.
Thanks
PBH

PBH
You are correct about the oil/fuel tank just being wedged in there. That is how my 630 was when I tackled it. I tried to order new insulation from Bobcat but it turned out it was no longer available. What I did was cut 1/2" homasote to the proper size and fit it in there and it worked pretty well, looked good too. My 630 is gone so sorry I can't post/send any pictures

 

[peebeeaitch]

PBH
You are correct about the oil/fuel tank just being wedged in there. That is how my 630 was when I tackled it. I tried to order new insulation from Bobcat but it turned out it was no longer available. What I did was cut 1/2" homasote to the proper size and fit it in there and it worked pretty well, looked good too. My 630 is gone so sorry I can't post/send any pictures

Hello Tigerhaze. Thanks for the idea on the anti-waste-rel device...
Don't stress about this picture. I should have the new tank this weekend and as yours is behind the "firewall" (or back warmer, depending on one's being a manufacturer or consumer), I'll wing it.
If I come up with a epiphany I'll take a photo. Thanks for offering to help.
PBH

 

[peebeeaitch]

Hello Tigerhaze. Thanks for the idea on the anti-waste-rel device...
Don't stress about this picture. I should have the new tank this weekend and as yours is behind the "firewall" (or back warmer, depending on one's being a manufacturer or consumer), I'll wing it.
If I come up with a epiphany I'll take a photo. Thanks for offering to help.
PBH

Thanks for the feedback ancomcabs. My immediate reaction is: there must be a better solution to Bobcat's' - something more "professional". However, my oil tank is still fine, so after 30 years, maybe it is a really good solution.
I can't help but think that the original designers were over-ruled by people with numbers on their minds because of the square punch outs, which shadow the oil tank, though...

 

[peebeeaitch]

Thanks for the feedback ancomcabs. My immediate reaction is: there must be a better solution to Bobcat's' - something more "professional". However, my oil tank is still fine, so after 30 years, maybe it is a really good solution.
I can't help but think that the original designers were over-ruled by people with numbers on their minds because of the square punch outs, which shadow the oil tank, though...

7 April 2013
I was planning to start an all-out onslaught on getting the machine running today, perhaps with the help of some leave in the next week.
However, yesterday we won a competition that is going to keep me busy on weekends until the end of April. Sweet/sour.
Before I needed to go off to work on the competition machine, I managed to get this right:

Notice the $45 new fuel tank.
Then I was called away.
14 April 2013
Just speaking to the Queen Bee (she who rules the hive) about how different it is now when preparing to go travelling - when I first went overseas I was packed 1 week in advance. A couple of airline's frequent flier Platinum cards later, I thought that perhaps I could at least see if the Force could be sent to the motors and if they would turn, all while having 2 hours free before going overseas for 2 weeks (overconfidence is the feeling just before catastrophic failure
Anyhow, despite blowing in quite a bit of Quick-Start, presurinsing the lines and all sorts of other stuff, it did not start. But at least I have spark.
So now I'm gone till the end of the month. Need to get a new line from the front pump to right motor, as it is weaping (at least the QuickStart helped identify this), and think of all of the ways to check the carb. I'm leaning to a stuck needle.
I'll write more when there is more to report.

 

[Tazza]

7 April 2013
I was planning to start an all-out onslaught on getting the machine running today, perhaps with the help of some leave in the next week.
However, yesterday we won a competition that is going to keep me busy on weekends until the end of April. Sweet/sour.
Before I needed to go off to work on the competition machine, I managed to get this right:

Notice the $45 new fuel tank.
Then I was called away.
14 April 2013
Just speaking to the Queen Bee (she who rules the hive) about how different it is now when preparing to go travelling - when I first went overseas I was packed 1 week in advance. A couple of airline's frequent flier Platinum cards later, I thought that perhaps I could at least see if the Force could be sent to the motors and if they would turn, all while having 2 hours free before going overseas for 2 weeks (overconfidence is the feeling just before catastrophic failure
Anyhow, despite blowing in quite a bit of Quick-Start, presurinsing the lines and all sorts of other stuff, it did not start. But at least I have spark.
So now I'm gone till the end of the month. Need to get a new line from the front pump to right motor, as it is weaping (at least the QuickStart helped identify this), and think of all of the ways to check the carb. I'm leaning to a stuck needle.
I'll write more when there is more to report.

I hope you have a nice trip.
Hopefully it is something simple. A spark is a good start, a little fuel in the carb should tell you if things are going in the right direction. Not the best advise, but on hard to start engines, i pour in a little fuel in from the air cleaner to the carb, just not too much to flood it. If it's going to start it will at least pop without the use of engine starting fluid.