DROTT Questions

[lakechicken]

I am new to this forum, and I'm looking for some help with a DROTT Excavator.

I know it has a Dietroit Diesel V-6 motor, but I don't know where to look to identify
which series it is, so I can get the correct repair manual.

I have some photos, and will be getting more when I have time to remove some of the body panels
to get inside better. Is there anyone on this forum that can help?

thanks,
Brian

 

[sheepfoot]

The drott 50 D/E had the 6v-53N engine along with the case 1280/1280B trackhoe, the other engine used was the case 504 inline 6 cylinder in both the drott and case

 

[lakechicken]

thanks.

 

[lakechicken]

do you have experience with the 6v53?

 

[sheepfoot]

What problems due you have with it, kinda rusty but due have a 6v book and worked on alot of drotts.

 

[lakechicken]

not sure, yet!

It hasn't run in 4 years, and hasn't been maintained well before that.
I just want to dig into a manual, so I can properly troubleshoot as I try to resurrect the beast.

The machine is parked in a remote spot, so I the time I spend out there needs to be productive.
I know it needs some new fuel lines, and a tune up, just to get it running. after that, who knows!

I am relatively new to diesels, but am taking a repair course. It would be nice to read through
the whole manual and completely familiarize myself with this engine.

I will be posting some photos soon too.
thanks
Brian

 

[typ4]

First thing to do, is pull the valve covers and operate the throttle linkage and make sure all the injectors racks move, if not hose them down with penetrating oil, then while it is working turn the engine over by hand, a 1.5 inch socket on the cam gear pulleys will roll it over, oh before that replace fuel filters with new and maybe some diesel treatment, I would gravity feed from a remote can , the fuel tank will likely be nasty.
Make sure the emergency shutdown flap will close, or have a piece of steel or aluminum even plywood to put over the intake to shut it down if it starts to run away.
I have fired up detroits that have sat for 20 years, also my sons gm 6-71 sat for many years and it fired right up.
Good luck.


And while rolling it over by hand look for sticking valves, if you feel any resistance stop and turn it the other way, if it has sticky valves the pistons will touch, but only 4 years is nothing for a diesel.LOL

 

[lakechicken]

type4,

what seals the valve covers?

which way does this engine turn? (so I don't turn it backwards!)
How much effort is required to turn such a large motor?

how do you deal with the return fuel when feeding from a remote container? just send it back to the tank?

are you saying if the valves are sticky, the pistons will touch the cylinder walls?

thanks for the info. I'm looking forward to getting this beast running again!!!!!
Brian

 

[lakechicken]

I found a place to get the repair manual for the 53 series engine....

http://igor.chudov.com/manuals/Detroit-Diesel/Detroit-Diesel-Series-53/

 

[typ4]

type4,

what seals the valve covers
cork gasket

which way does this engine turn? (so I don't turn it backwards!)
likely rh rotation,

How much effort is required to turn such a large motor?
Thats not a large engine, by my standards anyway, they turn pretty easy

how do you deal with the return fuel when feeding from a remote container? just send it back to the tank?
I would , till you get clean fuel , then back to the feed container, after the tank is deemed clean, run with it.

are you saying if the valves are sticky, the pistons will touch the cylinder walls?
no the pistons will hit the valves, but likely they will be fine.

thanks for the info. I'm looking forward to getting this beast running again!!!!!
Brian

I squeezed the answers in between.

 

[Bluetop Man]

which way does this engine turn?

LOL, I think some Detroits will run in either direction. Something you have to watch for on a stallout.

 

[lakechicken]

thanks for the help.
I got a repair manual and (so far) it has answered most of my questions.

I will post some photos next week when I go see the owner and get him to start
buying some filters, and hoses, and clean the tank out.

Brian

 

[lakechicken]

went back out today with the owner, and got a list of filters and such for him to get.
Hopefully I'll get back out there later in the week with fresh batteries, filters, and camera!

Does anyone have experience working on Drott 50?
the owner told me that the drive gears are all messed up. Not sure until I get it running again what the symptoms are.
would a hydraulic leak mess up the drive gears? There is a good sized leak in the main boom and he is trying to get someone
to weld it for him. because of the leak, the hydraulic tank is empty. would a leak, with low oil level affect the drive gears?
I am going to get a manual for this machine.
thanks

 

[Willis Bushogin]

drott 50

went back out today with the owner, and got a list of filters and such for him to get.
Hopefully I'll get back out there later in the week with fresh batteries, filters, and camera!

Does anyone have experience working on Drott 50?
the owner told me that the drive gears are all messed up. Not sure until I get it running again what the symptoms are.
would a hydraulic leak mess up the drive gears? There is a good sized leak in the main boom and he is trying to get someone
to weld it for him. because of the leak, the hydraulic tank is empty. would a leak, with low oil level affect the drive gears?
I am going to get a manual for this machine.
thanks

This is the best advise anyone can give you, stay away from a Drott. I have owned 5 of them in the last 12 years and they were my worst nightmare. If you were an old timer (like me and Willie) You MIGHT could get the engine going and keep the repairs up on it. They are not easy engines to learn how to work on. They will run away in a heartbeat

hydraulic leaks, be prepared to replace all the hoses and cylinders (lots of money)

final drive problems (these systems were not great when they were new. If its the pinon shaft, its not real bad to fix, but still hard to do. If the pillow block is worn out, they are like $900 each, if you can find them and it takes a BIGGGG press to change them)

track rollers, Im sure they are worn out and if you can find them, the bolts will break off, trying to remove them. Then you have to get a torch and blow them out, HUMMMMM

Track adjuster, Im sure the seals are shot and the guides are worn out, ole yea the idler is probrably shot

Sprocket, probrably worn out

Track, pins and bushings HUMMMM

Fuel tank, probrably full of rust

I could go on and on, but If he would give it to you, its about worth $2000 in scrap
If you want someone to give you bad memories, go for it

This is from a ex Drott owner, that was hardheaded and thought I was getting a deal

 

[lakechicken]

this Drott is owned by a buddy of mine. he only bought it so he could clear his building lot and dig his
septic hole. He knows its old and slow and rusty and leaky and probably a pain in the ass.
My interest is to learn about the motor before all the old mechanical diesels are extinct and crushed. I also
want to help a friend make his equipment USABLE, not perfect. I am using HIS purchase as my not-included-in-the-textbook education.
Besides, resurrecting old rusty machines is fun! The only way to learn how to maintain old engines is to roll your sleeves up and
get greasy and nasty and grimy and smelly and frustrated and confused and stumped and educated and enlightened and end up with
a sense of accomplishment that cannot be found in a new shiny electro nightmare of a machine.

I appreciate the advice and warning, and will carry on with the ressurection of the big yellow DROTT.

Brian

 

[oceanobob]

Photos< Please

 

[lakechicken]

I'm waiting until the owner buys some parts, and it's been raining....it's not parked in a nice cozy garage!!!!

 

[Mdrott]

When you have a Picture I probably can copy the literature for you

 

[koalamotorsport]

Speaking of Drott excavators, I just picked this one up to clean out my silt laden pond. I've googled to death and can't find anything like this machine except for a single youtube video of the exact same machine.

It has a 6V Detroit Diesel in it that runs like it's brand new. Not sure if it's a 53, but probably. Hydraulics are weak and I'm trying to identify the model of the excavator in the hopes of finding filters, etc.

I'm too new to the forum to be allowed to post attachments, so here's the link to the youtube video of the one just like mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90E818jcwdg The only difference I see is this one has a thumb and mine doesn't.

Any help identifying the machine and maybe dating it, would be appreciated.

Brett

 

[sheepfoot]

koalamotorsport, I would think it is a 35EC/40EC/50EC Drott by the looks, more to the 40EC. If you go to the case parts online site and bring up search by machine, type in 35 or 40 or 50 and it will bring up the list of machines, then click to see a parts book for each one, could use some better pic's to help you out more later if needed. hope this helps you some.