PLATE 5S3153 - Caterpillar

Care must be taken to ensure that fluids are contained during performance of inspection, maintenance, testing, adjusting and repair of the product. Be prepared to collect the fluid with suitable containers before opening any compartment or disassembling any component containing fluids.Refer to Special Publication, NENG2500, "Caterpillar Tools and Shop Products Guide" for tools and supplies suitable to collect and contain fluids on Caterpillar products.Dispose of all fluids according to local regulations and mandates.
Illustration 1 g00868284
Location of the Lift CylinderPreparation for Troubleshooting
Park the machine on a smooth, level surface.
Engage the parking brake.
Illustration 2 g00888772
Install the steering frame lock.
Start the engine. Raise the blade and lower the blade at least five times in order to warm the hydraulic oil to normal operating temperatures.Drift Test
Raise the blade approximately 500 mm (20 inch) off the ground. Place the lift control lever into the HOLD position. Turn the engine start switch to the OFF position.
Measure the original extension length of the lift cylinder rod. Record this measurement. Measure the amount of additional extension of the cylinder rod over a set time. Refer to Table 1 for the maximum drift for a set time. The values that are shown in the table are for a new machine.
Table 1
Lift Cylinder Drift    
Oil Temperature    
38 °C (100 °F) to
49 °C (120 °F)    
49 °C (120 °F) to
66 °C (150 °F)     Above
66 °C (150 °F)    
Time Interval in Minutes     5     2.7     1.7    
Maximum Permissible Drift    
13 mm (0.5 inch)    
13 mm (0.5 inch)    
13 mm (0.5 inch)    The following problems may cause excessive amounts of cylinder drift.
Hydraulic oil line connections may be loose. The hoses that are between the control valve and the rod end of the lift cylinder may be damaged.
The piston seals in the lift cylinder are leaking.
The control valve is leaking. This can be caused by a worn section of the valve. This can also be caused if the makeup valve is not seated.
A contaminated spool in the main control valve
Drift with the lift control lever in the HOLD position can be caused by a internal leak in the pilot valve.
A weak return spring in the joystick control
If the machine has excessive drift, then proceed to the Section "Isolation Test" in order to isolate the cause of the drift.Isolation Test
Table 2
Required Tools    
Tool     Part Number     Part Description     Qty    
A     9S-8896     Cap     1    
Start the engine.
Ensure that the blade is level. Ensure that the blade is on the ground.
Turn the engine start switch to the OFF position.
Make sure that the hydraulic oil pressure is relieved from the hydraulic system by completing the procedure that is specified in the Service Manual module Testing and Adjusting, "System Pressure - Release" for the machine that is being serviced.
Illustration 3 g00882175
Typical View of the Lift Cylinder
Remove hose (2) from the tube assembly (1). Hose (2) will be the hose that is connected to the rod end of the lift