3cx grey cab 4x4 turbo been bitten I think

[AndyK]

Hello everyone, newby jcb owner here, so please be gentle. I have experience with 360's and other plant, but a new venture said the backhoe was the correct machine this time.
its a 1987 4x4 in pretty straight condition , only having done 5000 hrs.

[agrimax]

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum. Very nice,straight machine you have there.
No need to pull the rear axle apart or remove it to work at the brakes. Drain the oil out first and renew it. A super universal 10w30(suitable for wet brakes) should be all that is required and is what I have in mine but some say they still have brake squawk using it and find the recommended JCB oil (at considerably more cost I'd think!) much better. Under neath,you can see the brake housings on top of the axle and removal of a ring of bolts lets the outer cover that contains the brake piston come off.The friction and intermediate plates just slide out for inspection or replacement.
Check the oil in the transmission,which includes the torque converter as one. Make sure it's clean and not milky,or pink if it has the red ATF in it.If it is,it'll need flushed out and the filter changed and keep an eye on the coolant level in case there is a leak from the oil cooler. Hopefully not.
Transmission oil is filled through the dipstick tube near the battery iirc,but if it does need topped up, it needs time to settle before each dip as the stick scrapes oil off the sides of the tube and gives an inaccurate reading. Dip with the engine stopped with that transmission.
If the torque converter is strong,the machine should easily spin the wheels in 1st and 2nd gear when pushing hard against something that won't move.
If it won't spin and just revs hard,then the torque converter and/or torque pump may need attention and likewise the clutch pack plates in the transmission may be worn.

[AndyK]

thank you very much for this quick reply,

[gecko.cx]

3K hours - I think you've had a win!

Have you downloaded the manual from the download section of this site?

(bottom of Page 2 might be right for you)
app.php/dl_ext/?cat=5&sort_by=0&order=ASC&start=2

[AndyK]

thanks for the link to the manual.
the transmission fluid is clear and at the top of the dip stick mark

[AndyK]

BTW, what's the button for on the end of the forward/ reverse stalk, thanks.

[Jeremy Rowland]

Hi Andy and welcome as you have already found out there are people on here who are both helpful and knowledgeable.

Jeremy

[Slooby]

Welcome Andy, from a fellow 3cx victim!

If you look out some of the threads I've started on here you can hopefully learn from my mistakes, and perhaps alternates sources for some of the various 'JCB' fluids

Vicary Plant will also become your friend as they have just about everything available either genuine or aftermarket new as well as lots of used bits!

[gecko.cx]

BTW, what's the button for on the end of the forward/ reverse stalk, thanks.

Button on the shuttle stork (LHS) should be the horn.
My assumption why it's there is so you can select reverse and beep the truck driver to tell him he's full without reaching for separate controls.

Have you discovered the JCB online parts list yet?
go to: parts.jcb.com/
create a free account and enter your machines serial - it'll show you all the parts available at the time (not restricted to what's on your chassis).

Just checking, but when you say

it also dies on the road in 4th gear on an incline (slips the clutch!!) have to change down.

do you mean the the engine revs stay high, but he road speed slows or the revs bog down with the speed?

[essexpete]

It might pay to have a transmission pressure test carried out before pulling things apart?