Advice needed please

[nomates]

Hi Everyone .....I'm after some advice if you could help I'd be grateful ....So ive never driven a digger before Literally know very little ,however
today I took delivery of a very worn ,grotty ex hire Kubota k008 ...I'm sure its had oil changes etc as the engine runs sweet and the hydraulics all work as they should ....well as far as I can tell (I did take someone with me to look around it ) but it does need some love which I'm sure I can manage ......My question is this ....how much can I jet wash? can I jet wash the engine? its absolutely minging .....ive removed some of the panels and the weights and literally everywhere is full of stones and mud etc .....I want to jet wash the hell out of it ......but equally I dont want to damage it either ....here some pics

 

[Bob]

Steam cleaner best or pressure washer the cleaner the better but don't do to much to the electrics

 

[DaveDCB]

Scrape as much mud out as you can, smother it in Jizer and leave to soak, hot wash but just keep away from any electrical bits best you can.. it looks worse than it is.

 

[Bri963]

Don’t pressure wash round the top of the engine as there’s a few electrics up there, including the electric lift pump. Everything below the slew ring and forward of the king post is fair game, round the fuel tank, and I’d lift the footplates and do under there as well as it’s a real trap. If you ever have a hose go under there you’ll be pleased you did.

 

[diggerjones]

I always leave them running. Don't know if it makes any difference

 

[hiluxman]

Don’t pressure wash round the top of the engine as there’s a few electrics up there, including the electric lift pump. Everything below the slew ring and forward of the king post is fair game, round the fuel tank, and I’d lift the footplates and do under there as well as it’s a real trap. If you ever have a hose go under there you’ll be pleased you did.

Also plates for track motors. They are always full. In fact that reminds me I've not done mine for a while.

 

[nomates]

I have lifted the foot plates ......thats the worse area it literally solid with crud .....got know how I'll get that area clean ....goggles boiler suit and pressure washer ...lol I dont have a steam cleaner ...I do have jizer
....thanks chaps

 

[Furniss]

I always leave them running. Don't know if it makes any difference

Yeah you know straight away if you've fooked something

 

[6feetdown]

I always leave them running. Don't know if it makes any difference

Same just done ours an hour ago

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

I always leave them running. Don't know if it makes any difference

Not the best idea if you have an I’ll fitting air filter, or intake hose! Keep the water away from any electrical.

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

Hi Everyone .....I'm after some advice if you could help I'd be grateful ....So ive never driven a digger before Literally know very little ,however
today I took delivery of a very worn ,grotty ex hire Kubota k008 ...I'm sure its had oil changes etc as the engine runs sweet and the hydraulics all work as they should ....well as far as I can tell (I did take someone with me to look around it ) but it does need some love which I'm sure I can manage ......My question is this ....how much can I jet wash? can I jet wash the engine? its absolutely minging .....ive removed some of the panels and the weights and literally everywhere is full of stones and mud etc .....I want to jet wash the hell out of it ......but equally I dont want to damage it either ....here some pics

You can pressure was most things but keep the jet away from electrical items.

 

[nomates]

Hi everyone , it took 2 attempts .... literally it was blocked solid under the foot plate .....at least 6 inches deep in some places 8 inches approx .....I had to dig it out with screwdrivers ,threaded bar etc I sucked as much as I could out with a Henry hoover ....before jet washing it ! .......I didn't realise it was still blocked with mud and such until was digging it out again later with the same tools as before and I found two slots ....eventually the remaining crud fell through the slots to the floor and I used those and a jet wash to get rid if the rest of it .......the digger still runs fine ......but the coolant is disgusting , and the engine oil very black and runny .....so Ive ordered a service kit and a few other bits ....and this is going to be a small resto
job rather than just maintenance ...lol

 

[hiluxman]

Hi everyone , it took 2 attempts .... literally it was blocked solid under the foot plate .....at least 6 inches deep in some places 8 inches approx .....I had to dig it out with screwdrivers ,threaded bar etc I sucked as much as I could out with a Henry hoover ....before jet washing it ! .......I didn't realise it was still blocked with mud and such until was digging it out again later with the same tools as before and I found two slots ....eventually the remaining crud fell through the slots to the floor and I used those and a jet wash to get rid if the rest of it .......the digger still runs fine ......but the coolant is disgusting , and the engine oil very black and runny .....so Ive ordered a service kit and a few other bits ....and this is going to be a small rest job rather than just maintenance ...lol

Have you cleaned track motors out

 

[Bri963]

With mine I’ve found the engine mucks up the oil in short order. For what bit of oil they hold, I do changes a lot more regularly than the service interval. If you don’t know the maintenance history, start with a double flush. If the coolant is crappy get it drained, run the hose through it and then refill.

Is it a restoration and what do you intend to use it for?

 

[nomates]

Have you cleaned track motors out

thats tomorrows job....thanks for saying but I actually knew about them ......the drives so muddy and wet (and I fell over on some ice and went down like a sack of spuds) ......I though id leave them for tomorrow lol

With mine I’ve found the engine mucks up the oil in short order. For what bit of oil they hold, I do changes a lot more regularly than the service interval. If you don’t know the maintenance history, start with a double flush. If the coolant is crappy get it drained, run the hose through it and then refill.

Is it a restoration and what do you intend to use it for?

Hi I intend to use it on a DIY driveway job .....and few little jobs for a family member (footings ect) ....its needing a really good clean ,a couple pins and bushes ....and really through service ....all fluids replaced , as a minimum .....but I had OCD so its also getting a new pair of tracks , a new seat , a re paint ....and a couple of wiring issues fixed ...I am an engineer of sorts so I have the knowledge and most of the tools to make it like new again

 

[nomates]

To be more specific ......my drive is very long (just a 2 bed bungalow ) I'm not royalty ,,,lol .....the concrete is only 1 inch thick in places and was laid in 1958 ....and it collapsing as it has no foundation .......so I need to dig it out and lay mot type 3 ...and then work out what I'm doing for the finished level

 

[nomates]

another bit of advice if you can .......when I push the levers to track forward .....its like the tracking on a car is slightly out .....one track tracks a tiny bit faster than the other ....can this be adjusted?

 

[modelman093]

Avoid squirting cold water onto really hot components such as turbo and exhaust manifold to avoid cracking or warping.

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

If you lift it up off the ground with bucket and blade do the tracks move equally forward and back? Mark with marker paint!

 

[nomates]

thanks I literally moved it from my car port to the drive ......then cleaned it .....so nothing as hot