3325 winch issue

[slabguy]

I brought home a 450c recently and when I checked winch operation at the seller’s house it would pull out by hand and spool in by moving the spool valve by hand. The linkage wasn’t hooked up and the owner claimed he had never used it. He said the owner before him had put new brake bands on it and gave me the old bands. When I got home I hooked up the linkage and the winch wouldn’t operate. Thinking it just wasn’t moving the valve fully I disconnected the linkage and tried it by hand. Still nothing. The oil was milky so I changed the oil and filter. Nothing. I pulled the left side cover and there was a little oil residue in the housing but nothing major. I cranked the dozer and operated the spool valve with the cover off and nothing is happening. There don’t appear to be any major leaks. The cable will pull out by hand with the lever in any position but not real easy. Am I missing something simple or is it time to pull the valve and disassemble it? Thanks.

[B Town]

I would remove the bottom cover on the right side and clean the small intact screen on the pump. This small screen can easily get slugged with slime and stall the pump. There is a pressure test port on the bottom of the right side. Should have 1,000 psi give or take..

[Jason37756]

Could be the pump or the pick up ( suction) screen clogged on the pump. It should be gear driven and should pump fluid when turned by hand, so the dozer should produce enough flow to see the lines pressurize.

The fact that you can free spool tells me the pump is working enough to release the brake. The winch in is accomplished by putting hydraulic pressure on a clutch pack so maybe the issue rest there.

Have you tried running at a higher rpm? Those s winches gotta have the rpm's to make them work. I like to creep around on my dozer and always forget to throttle up when winching.

Jason

[slabguy]

I tried it at about 3/4 throttle and didn’t make a difference. I’ll check the screen B town mentioned and report back. I have a tech manual but didn’t see that screen in any diagrams

[Jim B]

That small screen is made as part of the oil pick up line for the pump. It shows in the 450E repair manual in the winch remove and disassemble section as being removed as a step prior to pump removal, it should be in that same winch section of your 450C Technical Manual. It is item 18, part number AT25232, if you look in the winch pump and hydraulic lines section of the 450C parts book PC1420 on line. HTH

[slabguy]

Everything is pointing towards clogged pickup screen. I drained fluid and pulled the bottom cover off today. The filter was stopped up solid with a milky goop. The oil has already turned milky as well. It looks like someone sealed the right side cover and the bottom cover with something they shouldn’t have and it is deteriorating and mixing with the oil. I ordered a new gasket for the bottom plate, resealed the right side plate with locktite gasket maker, and ordered a new pickup tube with screen. The existing pickup screen was somewhat collapsed and even after thorough cleaning still has particles in it. Parts should be here tomorrow so we’ll see but this was definitely an issue and hopefully the cause of the winch not working. Thanks for the suggestions and advice. I’ll report back.

[B Town]

Time for some Seafoam to help with the moisture. And a short cycle fluid/filter change.
Best regards, Bruce

[slabguy]

Bruce, I hadn’t thought about sea foam to clean it out. Just dump it in with fluid fill, run for a short period, then change oil and filter?

[B Town]

Yes. The hydraulics that operate the piston or diaphragm is a blind end system , so I would cycle bxt free spool and wind in to fully circulate the Seafoam.

[slabguy]

Just wanted to follow up on this. Installed new pickup screen, flushed with sea foam, new oil and filter and it works great. Thanks for all the help.

[davidblackburn1]

Good Day, I might need to start a new thread, but our 3325 winch has stop disengaging or winching but does still hold. From reading this thread, I believe that we may have a plugged screen.

I want to first check the fluid level and if necessary add Sea foam and Hydraulic fluid to the winch.

I have not removed the style filler cap that it has on it. I am looking for tricks for removing this filler cap first.

I requested a picture account the last time I posted but that request seems to be stuck in the out going box.

I have the manual for the unit (if there is an image of removing that style filler cap in the manual.

[Jim B]

The plug is a barrel bung plug, commonly used in barrels. You need something to catch the tabs to turn the plug. Depending on how tight the plug is set, they can sometimes be removed with opposing screwdrivers or opening pliers and twisting the handles. They make wrenches for this. You can cut a piece of 1/4" thick flat bar to fit and turn with an adjustable or weld a handle on the flat bar. You can find several videos and methods of removing barrel bung plugs on the internet/YouTube.

You should send Lavoy a direct email (postmaster@jdcrawlers.com), rather than depend on the PM system, for parts and such your request for an account on the picture server.

And yes, you should start your own post so as to avoid mixing someone else's problem into yours.