Ransomes MG5 Crawler

[Seadog]

Can’t see it

Sorry, had it listed as Private not Unlisted.

 

[m_c]

Back on topic

I think the engine sounds like it’s knocking, could it be the oil being too thin? Should I decarbonise the spark plug? Lap the valves? I disassembled and oiled the shift lever, which now works really smoothly. I’m not sure if it was sticking before because of being dirty, or because of the lack of clutch and the gears holding each other in place. I’d have liked to do a lap of the garden to see, but it’s pouring down! Tracks and very wet grass = mud

Engines of that era are never likely to sound perfect by modern standards. As long it runs, and doesn't sound like a big end is trying to bash it's way out the side of the engine, I wouldn't worry.

 

[OJCar]

Sounds like most other Ransomes Crawlers.
Stop over thinking! (meant in a nice way).

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Agreed, sounds fine to me

 

[Dieselman 63]

Ok! That’s put my mind to rest it’s running nicely and it’s stopped raining... I think I might go for a (careful) play!

 

[Dieselman 63]

I noticed a section on the side and wondered what it was for - well, it’s my machine, so I felt quite justified in opening it up to have a look! Inside is the big end and the oil bath. It looks in good nick. No heavy deposits inside.

 

[Dieselman 63]

So here’s a video from six days ago

And here’s a video from today.

I’ve changed the oil to GP50 and I’m much happier with the results. The engine seems to have less of a knocking sound to it.

 

[Dieselman 63]

I jacked up the side of the machine last night and got to work removing the tracks. This is a less-than-simple operation, which requires quite a bit of work. I’m trying to get at the final drives, as I think it’s got a busted oil seal.

Castrol make the correct EP140 oil for the drives, so I’ll try and get some.

 

[Vono]

What an incredibly cool thing

 

[Dieselman 63]

What an incredibly cool thing

Yeah it’s a delight to own. It’s a bit brutal to drive, especially negotiating hills and if the tracks aren’t tight enough they can slip and jump a link which is scary. It’s fun to work on though, they made about 5000 of them in total before they moved onto the MG6

 

[octo0072000]

I jacked up the side of the machine last night and got to work removing the tracks. This is a less-than-simple operation, which requires quite a bit of work. I’m trying to get at the final drives, as I think it’s got a busted oil seal.

Castrol make the correct EP140 oil for the drives, so I’ll try and get some.

are you sure it's a oil seal gone in there to the final drive
because there is a grease nipple above it so maybe just a hub with the final drives separate

 

[Dieselman 63]

are you sure it's a oil seal gone in there to the final drive
because there is a grease nipple above it so maybe just a hub with the final drives separate

It’s an oil nipple, not grease. Only the idler wheels take grease. Quite a common thing restoring machines to find someone’s put grease through an oil nipple.

 

[octo0072000]

are you sure it's a oil seal gone in there to the final drive
because there is a grease nipple above it so maybe just a hub with the final drives separate

looks like it's been greased then instead of oiled
castrol ep120/40 from distant memory smells like cat pee

 

[Dieselman 63]

Scraping the oil-soaked mud off. There was zero oil of note in the drive.

 

[Dieselman 63]

I got the old oil scraped off and the case came free. The gasket was knackered, no surprises there. So is the oil seal, incidentally. I’ll get a new one, a neoprene one with a spring might work better than this brass and rubber thing.

Inside was just so much sludge and sand. It’s really horrible work but must be done.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Then I could pull the final drive gear off. I used three nuts on the studs to pull it. Worked well! It’s pretty fetid in there. The drain plug is on the left, and the fill level plug is on the right. Who knows why the casting prevents full drainage, but they decided to make it that way. Cheers Ransomes. The fill is that oil nipple. At the top of the drive housing is a breather. I want it all sparkly in there before I add new oil.

 

[Dieselman 63]

That’s tidier. Need to do more, but what a chaotic scene has unfolded!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

but what a chaotic scene has unfolded!

Don't know if you get 'Mastermind' out there, but that looks like a case of "I've started, so I'll finish".

 

[octo0072000]

Giant Meccano set

 

[Dieselman 63]

Giant Meccano set

Ive had the meccano out this week, looking for a solution to build a lifting lever for a dozer blade. I also built a submarine!

The stuff is so valuable to learn from. And I’m actually better at than I was as a kid having experience on old machines like this!