Took the plunge and bought an old Clark forklift. Need help with identification and a few questions. Looks like a "Carloader" from comparison to photos saw posted on web. Has side access doors to engine that have two mesh grilles in each and open upward with hinge at top.
Has 4 cylinder flathead? gas engine looks like original paint on engine is medium blue. Seems to run well.
Seller said it was 3500 lb capacity, but don't think they knew anything about forklifts beyond what who they bought it from told them.
I worked as a ASE certified auto tech for a few years back in the 70's and have pretty good mechanical knowledge overhauling engines, transmissions, machinery, electric motors etc., but this is my first forklift.
Questions:
SERIAL NUMBER LOCATION FOR ID
I read somewhere serial number was on frame, someone posted was :"under battery" which looks to be in original carrier on right side inside the access door. Took out battery and took a quick look, did not find anything under the accumulated crud in that area. Before I scrape too much, am I looking in the correct place?
BRAKES
When I got it home, the brake pedal did nothing - went to floorboard with no resistance or braking action. Looked in master cylinder and it was about ½ full of fluid. That was yesterday. Today I went out in garage and pumped the brake pedal a bunch of times, and now it has resistance, firm not spongy near the top of it's travel. Did not have room or time to start it up and move it, but I could hear something moving inside the right front wheel when I pressed on the brake pedal and I put the machine in neutral and rocked it fore and aft a little with a 2x4 and pressing the brake pedal stopped me being able to rock it, so maybe the brakes do work? I'm not one for fixing it if it ain't broke so will add some brake fluid and try things out when I get some time. Any ideas on why no pedal yesterday, OK today?
HYDRAULIC OIL MILKY COLOR
The oil in the hydraulic tank which is in front of the motor, sort of under the front of the seat looks milky. Very pale green tint maybe. Does not seem foamy. Any idea why it is this color? How high in the tank is the level supposed to be, and what oil to use? Can I get the 5 gallon pail of tractor hydraulic fluid/trans fluid and use that? How about automotive automatic transmission fluid? The lift seems to work OK and it has no major leaks, the lift cylinder area especially is dry. The little bit it does leak somewhere leaves a few drips on the floor at right front of the machine, maybe a few inches overnight. The radiator coolant looks clear light green like someone did use an antifreeze mix in it, so there does not appear to be comingling of coolant, though I don't even think these systems are interconnected anywhere.
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
Where is the engine oil dipstick and any idea how much oil goes in the motor and oil filter part numbers?
Thanks for any help.
Showing items 1 - 10 of 10 results.
I think you may have better luck having the pulley welded & having a new keyway cut in. A machine shop should be able to do this for you.
Pulled radiator and got pulley off. Good news is the crank and key appear to be intact. Bad news is the pulley keyway is worn to almost twice the spec width of.250 and the pulley hub is cracked out to about an inch into the inner portion of the pulley.
Any one have a F209K - 313 pulley they want to sell? It is a two belt drive, but if someone has a one belt version with the same hub, I should be able to use it as long as the belt groove lines up with one of the belt grooves on the two belt drive.
This is on a Continental F163 motor of unknown age, it is not original motor in my 1955 or so Clark forklift.
Yep- pulling the rad is a must for access. If you're lucky the key is broken- or the keyway in the pulley is worn- neither one is that terrible. If by chance the crankshaft is worn, creativity may be in order.
New problem - the crankshaft pulley that drives the fan and generator is loose - rotates about 15 degrees to and fro. The big bolt in the center of it is hard to get to, but I managed about 1/4 turn on it, it was looser than a bolt that big should be, still probably looser than spec. Pulley still loose, rotates by hand.
I suspect is keyed and key slot in pulley worn out? Or worse crank keyway bad. Any suggestions? Looks like have to pull radiator to get to this area with any ease.
BTW it was a Clark carloader 4000 lb, 1954 model. Has a Continental F-163 motor, not the original per the spec sheet Clark sent me.
The brake issue may be that they need to be adjusted. They are manual adjusters on this truck. If memory serves me right the bottoms of the shoes is on an eccentric mount and then in the middle of the shoe there's another adjuster. the wheel cylinder is mounted at about 2 o'clock so look for the bottom shoe adjustment at about 7 o'clock.
The milky hyd. oil is moisture in the oil- flush this asap.
Not sure where the serial # is stamped & not sure you need it- nothing is available for these trucks through forklift channels. These trucks were made in the 50's & no one has parts books that old. I have 2 of these I service & parts are a b*****.
Engine is a continental Y112 or F163- depending on model. Good industrial engine- take 4 quarts oil ( I reccomend SAE 30)- should have by-pass canister style oil filter. Unit should have manual trans (where are the trans levers- up through floor or on steering column?), engine dipstick should be on the opposite side of engine from manifolds, down low, right in the middle of the block.
If that is a Carloader, Truckloader, Clipper type of lift your best bet is to take take the engine cover right off to get at the motor.
Has a cap on the right side of the top of the tank, no dipstick, but the pipe inside the neck has a series of holes in the side, maybe level markers? Would post photos, but I don't see where to do that on this forum - new user.
should be on the frame outside,is it possible to take the floor board off,might be able to see if there is another master cylinder on the right side if you can.
Not sure of the spec for the hyd oil,does it have a breather with a dipstick in it?
Thanks. When you say on the frame, is that on the inside or the outside, and by frame, I am guessing the big slab side 1/2 plate on each side?
How much total hydraulic oil in the whole system?
I think the master cylinder on the left that I checked is the only one, it connected by link to the brake pedal, the only one I saw during brief check out.
Can't get to the other side of machine, parked against stuff now, will check out when get time.
There might be a serial number on the side of the frame either on the right side or left might have to scrape some to find it but should be there.
This might have two master cylinders on it,one on the right side for the brakes and another on the left for the inching system.Sounds like the system needs bleed of air if you pump it and it builds pressure,or the master cylinder is bleeding off and needs replaced.
The milky hyd. fluid sounds like it has alot of water/moisture in it,would recommend changing it and the filter.
This might have the flat head continetal engine in it,the oil dipstick should be down on the block on the right or left side not positive off the top of my head,thinking right side,does this have a spin on filter or a paper cartridge filter that goes in a housing?
Forkliftaction.com accepts no responsibility for forum content and requires forum participants to adhere to the rules. Click here for more information.