brianNH
New member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2025
- Messages
- 3
Hello to all from NH. I picked up a Cat 246 last fall. It's really bigger than I had in mind (7000 class when I really wanted 5000 pound class, but I got a decent deal on it), but I'll use it this summer and see how it goes. It is awful wide. If it proves to be too big, I'll sell or trade it for a 5000 pound class machine.
I've only used it a few times so far. For starters, I figured out a couple weeks ago that the reason the left side won't move when it's freezing is because someone in its past somehow got the entire left side drive filled with water. Like right to the top. It didn't move too well once that 15 gallons or so of water froze up into a solid block. Found it, torched the ice into water, drained, cleaned, and refilled both sides with fresh oil. My JD mechanic friend and I can't figure out how the water got in there, especially that much water, but it seems good now. Other than the water, everything inside the drive case looked good and well adjusted. And it will be stored indoors from now on.
Other than that, it seems to be a pretty good, clean, well maintained machine, with about 2000 hours.
It starts fine in all but the coldest weather. I don't think the glow plugs work, at least the indicator doesn't. I'm troubleshooting that now. Cat Support was quite helpful by sending me a very cool interactive PDF wiring schematic.
I've only used it a few times so far. For starters, I figured out a couple weeks ago that the reason the left side won't move when it's freezing is because someone in its past somehow got the entire left side drive filled with water. Like right to the top. It didn't move too well once that 15 gallons or so of water froze up into a solid block. Found it, torched the ice into water, drained, cleaned, and refilled both sides with fresh oil. My JD mechanic friend and I can't figure out how the water got in there, especially that much water, but it seems good now. Other than the water, everything inside the drive case looked good and well adjusted. And it will be stored indoors from now on.
Other than that, it seems to be a pretty good, clean, well maintained machine, with about 2000 hours.
It starts fine in all but the coldest weather. I don't think the glow plugs work, at least the indicator doesn't. I'm troubleshooting that now. Cat Support was quite helpful by sending me a very cool interactive PDF wiring schematic.
