D6c oil pressure dropped

Milk

Member
My cat d6c had a small oil leak up by the fan, I checked the oil level of the engine and was between add and full so I wanted to finish my job so I continued on. I monitored the oil pressure gauge, saw the oil pressure dropped, etc engine started sputtering aND stopped. No oil coming up to the gauge when running and engine stops running after a minute or two. Any suggestions?
 
You said you checked the engine oil and it was in the operating range. How is the oil now ? You also said you noticed the oil pressure drop and nothing to the gauge. Those machines usually had a fuel pressure gauge. Is it possible you mistook the fuel pressure for engine oil pressure ? Sounds like a fuel problem. Did the machine start nocking or smoking ? Or just not want to run anymore ?
 
Thanks for the reply
I purchased the machine this past summer, so it is pretty new to me. The machine had no oil leaks noticable .I ran the machine for a good three hours, no problems, then noticed oil coming out from what looked like the front seal.Checked the oil level and was still good, so I wanted to finish my job, ran good for another ten minutes, monitoring the oil pressure gauge, noticed the pressure started to drop rather quickly. Then the engine started sputtering and completely stopped. Now I am dead in the water.
 
Do you know if this machine has a shutdown sensor?If it does, maybe if it is not detecting oil pressure it is keeping it from staying running.
 
Usually with bigger cat equipment the difference between full on the dip stick and add is one gallon. That machine has a dip stick for engine oil which one side is cold and not running. The other side is running and at temp. If it still wants to run oil is good with no knocking ect. that would point to engine damage I would still say fuel issue. How is the fuel pressure when it was running ? At idle it should be higher than when running wide open. Did you change fuel filters when you got it ? Even if the filters were new before you started running it it may have sucked up a bunch of crud from the bottom of the tank. if gauge for oil pressure is still not reading anything I would look into that first. But I can't understand the quick drop in engine oil pressure with no clues something internally going bad long before it quit especially running wide open and working under a load.
 
First thing I noticed was the oil leak up front. Small leak but nonetheless a leak, then 10 minutes more of running and the oil pressure sudden drop. I didn't change the fuel filter, maybe should have. The oil level right now is full cold engine. Do I dare try to start it with no oil pressure? It will run for a couple minutes when you first start it, but will shutdown automatically, no oil pressure showing on the gauge.
 
That dozer is pretty old. Probably 60's . Never came with a sensor for oil pressure. You either checked oil and ran it or you would no it had issues. They were better imho than some of the new engines. Pretty rugged and ran forever. Engine would not shut down on its own just because of oil pressure. It would simply run till it couldn't anymore and blow up. Meaning bearing and internals. I would drain oil and put on new filter. I would also change fuel filters. Oil pressure and fuel are not related on that machine. I would first start with the oil. Since you said it was ok I would do a service and check gauge for accuracy. Could be something plugging the small line to gauge. Everything else you have said points towards fuel. You never said anything about the engine sounding funny or anything so I am guessing you have a fuel delivery issue. I spent quite a few hours on a 6c when I first started operating. 4 way blade with the blade tilt run by your left foot. Is this how yours is set up ?
 
Some of the older Cat injection pumps had a plunger in them that wouldn't let the engine rev up until oil pressure pushed the plunger out of the way. They would idle but not rev up.
 
Yes, it is set up with foot blade controls. It is a 74 year 10k series machine. I just love it. When you said that I might have taken the fuel pressure line off instead of the oil pressure, I did a double take on that one. I think that is what I might have done, at least I am hoping that. I will change fuel filters first, should have done that first thing. I will still have to find the source of the oil leak up front. Might be frountseal out. It looked like it was leaking oil behind the crank pulley. Thanks a bunch for your insight into my problem.
 
Have you ever seen an oil pump go bad?That would explain the oil pressure gauge not detecting oil pressure and the engine shutdown, wouldn't it?
 
I am not sure if the fuel pump needs oil pressure to work. That could be but why did you loose oil pressure that fast without noticing something else happening. If the fuel pump does need oil pressure to operate maybe the leak is at the pump. This would explain the leak and it not running. I doubt any engine damage has been done by what you have said. Sounds like it's not getting fuel. Great dozer. Ran one 20 years ago with balderson semi u blade. That dozer would really push for its size.
 
If the oil pressure drop was sudden it could be the pump gears or shaft shearing.probably not worn bearings of which there would be knocking---if you change the oil filter cut the element open and check for metal particles
 
There is no knocking sound. I am going to try new fuel filters this morning. I put on new oil filters and changed oil when I got it, but not fuel filters. How would you know if fuel pump is leaking? ??I am thinking it is starving for fuel.Fuel tank was full when I got it, but I don't know the condition of the fuel. .
 
I have tried starating the engine several times today after changing fuel filters, can't keep it running. I hope that I didn't damage the engine. It sounds a little rough nown when it turns over.
 
Thanks for all of your input. I found the source of the problem. Called Zeigler caterpillar in mpls.this morning. He said to take belly pan off ,then oil pan,and check the oil pump. Did that and found that a bold holding the gear on had sheared off,all kinds of metal laying in the pan.I will order a new one tomorrow. I only hope and pray that none of the metal got up in the pistons and bearings. Thanks again!
Steve
 

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