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diesel forklift resurection

Mebfab

Diamond
Joined
Jun 7, 2003
Location
Mebane North Carolina USA
Looks like I have a diesel off road forklift coming. Price is right. Been out in the sun for 20 years. Was complete and functional, parked. Owner passed. Been sitting. All the covers on it so at least there is that.

But still 20 years in the elements.

Any thoughts? Plumb a line with fresh diesel, fill with oil as needed and see if it starts?
 
Change any and all fuel filters and run off a temp fuel tank until the stocker is de-bugged and cleaned. Most systems can live after having sat that long but the injection pump and injectors are pretty sensitive..don't want to gunk them up.

Stuart
 
Well 20 years should hopefully mean it wasn’t biodiesel so besides water intrusion, fresh fuel and filters should take care of that. What type of engine? If it is a Detroit, check to make sure the rack isn’t stuck and the shut down flap is operational.
 
My number one fear would be cracks from freezing coolant in cold weather, but maybe in your area that's not an issue.


My forklift sat outside for 8 years before I got it.

Water got into the brake fluid and every component of the brake system had to be replaced (master cylinder, wheel cylinders, inching valve, brake shoes, etc).

Some of the rollers in the mast were frozen. The bottom of the hydraulic tank was full of water.

I had many electrical issues that I slowly sorted out. I even had a minor electrical fire once. I replaced the key switch, connectors at the neutral safety switch, battery (of course), battery cables, and much of the ignition wiring. I replaced the points, but that won't be an issue on a diesel.

I had $0 at the time, so I jumped on it. But, if I had a little money I would have been better off to buy once that had been better taken care of.
 
In addition to the new filter and fresh fuel I make a suitable plywood or whatever works baffle to choke off the air intake ‘just in case’, esp. with a Jimmy.
 
I would only buy it at a price where the assumption is major required work. If it goes sideways no loss and if it works great big win. Check all the fluids for water. Bar the engine over at least two full rotations by hand. I would preemptively change all the fluids and definitely if there is any water. Wouldn't be a bad idea at all to run it off a fresh jug of diesel... For the most part damage done is damage done from sitting. If the air cleaner/intake tract isn't 100% sealed and intact inspect thoroughly for rodent intrusion.
 
Sludge in oil pan

Oil look clean on dipstick ? Most likely because the sludge settled to the bottom of the pan, waiting for oil pump to distribute it to all the bearings !

I have always dropped the pan for a thorough clean out before I even try to bar an engine. And while you are down there, drop the oil pump for cleaning.

An acquaintance bought a Oliver OC 18 ( 33000 lbs ) crawler in Wisconsin, had it trucked to PA . In a hurry to get it running, fired it up without cleaning the pan and pump. Took out all the rod and main bearings. one very expensive lesson !!

Jim C.
 
Nothin special IMHO......my old dragline sat for 17 years ,2000-2017,took I day to get it going,even had stuck plungers in the injector pump,and a bit of water in the exhaust.........worked well enough to clear up 50 tons of scrap.......my Hyster 4 ton fork with a 4 cyl Perkins has sat for 10 years while I was working,brakes dont work ,doesnt worry me..........in fact the worst fault wit a bigger fork is the steering ....if the power steering fails ,they cant be driven.........only problem I ever had was with a Coles crane ........sat for 25 years with the transfer case in bits,took a year to make new gears(at my price).......used for 20 years in my business,now has sat for another 10 years unused.........when I first got it going,didnt change the oil,and the sump strainer blocked with sludge after almost a year of hard work......needed a crank grind and new rod bearings .....fortunately the line bored mains were OK.,and cost was minimal.....around $200.
 
Here a tip for those who like to leave machines laying about unused........run the motor on 1/2 diesel and 1/2 waste hydraulic oil......all my gear runs like this,as I get free ,waste compressor oil by the drumfull.Injector pumps ,and GM unit injectors will never stick if run on oil.....never.......If GM units are stuck,they can sometimes be freed by heating in a domestic oven to 150deg for a couple of hours.....often the plungers will pop out........I think recoed one are pretty cheap now too.
 
The 4166 setting here for 8 (?) years would not quite run.
Many of us have tried to git it going now and aggin, but the pump is out for rebuild right now.
Just couldn't git it to completely bleed.

(It had blown a fuel line previously)

Hopefully you have better luck.


--------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
I got a big Mitsubishi excavator going for a guy I knew......removed the delivery valves ,freed the plungers with brass rod,put it back ,and it started straight away.......only took maybe 1/2 hr,saved them a $4000 pump rebuild (pump shops are ripoffs)......didnt even get a thankyou.......his teen son says ....I could have done that /thats nothin.........Smart a ...will be doing it next time.
 
As little as possible........I know one pump crowd cost a guy nearly $20,000 ,because a blocked filter was overlooked....diesel pump repair has always been a ripoff......when the low sulfur fuel scourge hit here ,the oil companies footed the bill for replacement O rings in pumps,all the pump repairers started to claim there was additional wear and started charging extra on top of what the oil co s accepted....I have endless stories of ripoffs by pumpshops........one in a hundred is honest ,and charge reasonable.
 
My diesel injection guy is great... Bosch Certified, does a fantastic job and there hasn't been a single thing I have sent him he hasn't been able to fix. There is a big difference between making a pump work enough to start the engine and having the pump dialed in. Also its the difference between making a pump work today and getting another 15-20 years out of it.
 
A favorite rip with pumpshops is to get a pump in for test,and return it in a million pieces ,with all the plungers and barrels separated ,so its impossible to reassemble without buying new units and recalibrating and timing.......they are also jumping on the bandwagon of refusing to sell parts "for legal reasons...(environmental laws)".....why sell a $50 seal kit ,when you can hit them for a $1000 pump reseal.
 
fuck pump shops. They are all ripoff artists.

Most pump shops are masters at BS and glass beading parts.

Shitty forklifts are expensive to make good. I did a 1977 Hyster 30 up and it was an undertaking. Cylinders, hoses, seat, paint, mast chains and rollers, seat, wiring, battery. Then you have the engine and tranny to fix up.

A decent, cared for older forklift for $3k-$5k is a pretty sweet deal in comparison.
 
Shitty forklifts are expensive to make good. I did a 1977 Hyster 30 up and it was an undertaking. Cylinders, hoses, seat, paint, mast chains and rollers, seat, wiring, battery. Then you have the engine and tranny to fix up.

With all that work you did I would think you would have done the seat also?
 








 
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