1973 450B

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Riley99
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 am
Location: macon ga

1973 450B

Post by Riley99 » Wed Jan 20, 2021 2:38 pm

Hey guys, im a new owner of a 1973 450b dozer with a bull blade. When i bought it, the transmission was out of fluid. I added fluid and after running it for a few minutes, checked the fluid and its milky. This machine has never been under cover. Is it common to get water in the transmission?? I really hope its not the oil cooler leaking... thanks in advance, Riley

dtoots1
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 1162
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 8:54 am
Location: akron, ohio

Re: 1973 450B

Post by dtoots1 » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:19 pm

transmission generally is 'condensation'...you can probably try adding sea foam treatment to clear that up...can also add to your hydraulics a well.

they are best kept under cover or tarps.

Jim B
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2080
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:36 am
Location: western Maine

Re: 1973 450B

Post by Jim B » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:38 pm

Yes, they often get water in them from condensation (a common cause as dtoots1 posted) along with infiltration around gaskets and covers. Sometimes when oil is added it is contaminated. Buckets and drums setting outdoors will collect water, even if they are sealed, due to expansion and contraction. When you change the oil, there is a screen in the transmission you should pull out and clean as well as the spin on filter in front to the oil cooler.

The oil cooler on the side of the radiator is air/oil, not coolant/oil, so that's not your problem.

If you don't have manuals I suggest you contact Lavoy (postmaster@jdcrawlers.com) and get a set. You should really get the Operator's Manual (OMT40817) right away. It will give you maintenance and lubrication info as well as the common adjustments, like steering and brakes. There is a copy of the 450B technical manual (TM1033) on line that you can access as well. Here is a link: https://archive.org/details/John_Deere_ ... ual_TM1033 . You can access the john Deere parts catalogs at https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/ . The crawler parts catalog is PC1170. The bulldozer blades during you machine's vintage, were separate parts catalogs from the crawler. You need to identify your blade model to determine which one you have. After the 450 B there should be a letter. C is a 6405 blade (inside mount 6 way hydraulic), D is a 6410 (outside mount hyd. lift, manual angle and tilt), and E is a 6415 (outside mount hyd. lift and tilt no angling).

A note on oil/fluid; where you see 303 called for in a manual, that is way out of date. Do not use the current oils sold as 303. You want John Deere Hy-Gard or an oil meeting John Deere's JDM J20C specification, if you want to use an aftermarket universal transmission hydraulic fluid.

Riley99
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 am
Location: macon ga

Re: 1973 450B

Post by Riley99 » Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:04 am

Thanks, this is really helpful.

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