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J5 newbie

akimp

New member
Just purchased J5 and need to know what fluid to put in the transmission. Is it the same TO-4m Cat oil as the differential? What is recommend in the motor and how much does the old 6 cylinder take. thanks.
 

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pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Very nice looking machine ! Congrats and welcome to the forum !!

I put straight 30 weight in the motor. 5-6 quarts ?

Can't remember the trans oil but it's just whatever they put in transmissions in the '50s and '60s.
 

akimp

New member
Thanks for the info. Change the fluids and hope to haul over several trips 20,000lbs of material into the Alaska bush. Seems like it will the machine to do it.
 

J5 Bombardier

Well-known member
Nice looking J5, probably as close to how they looked in the factory brochure. I run 80w 90 in the transmissions of my J5's,thinking of going to 15w40 in the engines this winter. What type of sled-sleigh will you be towing ?
J5 Bombardier
 

akimp

New member
The machine was reconditioned to factory 3 years ago. I'm pulling a tub trailer and thinking about putting Polaris 6x6 tracks on it. Have not taken the maiden voyage yet. My wife picked the name "Trudy" the track rig. :)
 

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Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
i have belted tracks and a frame off of an old ranger/ otter trailer the thing tows nice if you are traveling over tundra. ditch that ball hitch for a for a swiveling pintle set up. i'm even looking at doing something like that for my quads i won't tell you how many couplers i have screwed up,and real embarrassing when the load passes you up going down hill.
 

akimp

New member
Received new J5 and it immediately would not start do to burn points and dead battery. Alternator was fried and all oils looked like sludge. Finally got it going with little oil pressure and blue smoke:sad::sad::sad: After much debate my Father and I took it to deliver the lumber into the Alaska bush. With very poor steering and stalling motor was very difficult to navigate the woods. With 1.6 miles under our belt the flathead 6 started knocking and then seized a rod bearing. Moral of the story is never trust anyone when they give you there word and fresh paint sells.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
well feel bad for on the plus side you now have a reason to up grade to something like a fuel injected 4 cylinder or diesel. we will see how I've done I bought a Thiokol 2100 site un seen too I hope I have better luck than you did.
 

akimp

New member
Live and learn:yum: I will have to pull the motor in place in the woods get it rebuilt and re-install. Should be a adventure dragging the motor out with my Yamaha Rhino. Anchorage drag bike is going to rebuild it for cheaper then trying to retrofit another motor in it. If I don't sell it i would like to put a cummins 4bt diesel in it.
 

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Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
I know Jeff personally he has done a lot of machine work for me in the past. he Is honest and one of the best engine machinist in the state. Tell him Don up in Nome says hi see if he remembers me I think the last time we talked was in the Fairbanks airport I was on my way back to nome he was heading back to anchorage
 

jeapadrenaline

New member
nice unit, hope you have better luck with it in the future. may the fleas of a thousand camels infest the sellers crotch and may his arms be too short to scratch.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
I know Jeff personally he has done a lot of machine work for me in the past. he Is honest and one of the best engine machinist in the state. Tell him Don up in Nome says hi see if he remembers me I think the last time we talked was in the Fairbanks airport I was on my way back to nome he was heading back to anchorage
going back and looking at this I was shocked that the mistake in names I had made Dave Stacey is the owner not Jeff I don't know where that came from nust have been the result of only 6 hours of sleep the whole week.
 

IMP

Member
Site Supporter
This machine was for sale in Fairbanks all last winter. The price was around 9K. In the spring I saw it on Craig's List for $6800. I went and looked and talked to the guy he told me the same thing about it being totally rebuilt few years back, something about it was familiar. I saw this machine before and did a quick search.
http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=34685

Lyndon is excellent in all things snowcat. I think your guy bought this machine in good condition and HE neglected it, and is responsible for its current bad condition.
I didn't like the condition of the tracks and since I already had a J5 I made no offers. I will say these machines are very much worth the effort to restore them. It took me 2 winters of restoration work to get mine in good working condition. I just used it on a 8 day moose hunt last month for its first real test and it far exceeded my expectations. It hauled out two moose plus people and camp! Never even came close to finding its limits. It was barely even a workout for it! Never spun a track or came close to getting stuck in the muskeg. Awesome machine. Do whatever it takes to get yours working you will be glad you did. If you need manuals for that machine Send me your email and ill give you everything I have.
 

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akimp

New member
Thank You for the reply. So in my panic to get the machine out of the woods I bought another one:wow:Its a older style with thinner walls on the tub. Nice machine if you know of anyone that wants to buy it. I will sell it for 8500 and the tires are all foam filled with good belting and a motor that runs really well. The red one is still my love even though Its blown up in the woods. The oil was like sludge in the differential and motor. The steering arms were about 2 feet from were they needed to be. We did all the maintenance we could (new oils and flush, points, etc.) it still didn't make it the way it should run. I will flush with diesel and ad the recommend Caterpillar oil and will get it rebuilt and keep it. I payed 7,000 with shipping so I will probably have 12,000 into it when I'm done but it should be a nice machine. shoot me a email with the manuals and any advice if so desire. drumj3@yahoo.com. Thanks again.
PS my Father had so much fun breaking my equipment he bought himself a articulating Toyota with a Isuzu diesel and Rockwell 2.5 ton axles for 4,500 in NY (where I'm from originally). Alaska just does not have good deals like that. Towing it up next summer and we will see if it can compete with the J5.
 

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jeapadrenaline

New member
oh man, i see you are getting addicted to the tracked toys lol congrats on the new machine. if i lived up that way (unfortunately i dont) would so be interested.
 

IMP

Member
Site Supporter
Yea you will have a nice machine with the red J5 after the motor rebuild. Sounds like Lyndon put some major time and money into it. I have more than $12k into mine and I paid 3k for it up front. But Fairbanks is an expensive place to do major restoration. It's best to go through everything yourself anyway, then you know the condition and are intimately familiar. That 251 flathead has a tremendous amount of low end torque plus the low gear tranny make it near unstoppable in the bush. The differential is big for the J5 frame so that makes it a pretty bulletproof driveline. So did your differential have water in it? What kind of sludge? With newer break bands it should have steered ok for you. I put the Cat TO4 in my diff and it has great turning response. I like your trailer. Tracks would make it even way more better. These J5's are pulling machines so load the trailer heavy. I stay away from the floaty green muck when crossing wet areas and head for brush and anything brownish. They are heavy and will find the bottom of any sink hole. I just go around questionable places, these machines easily push over trees 3" or less and don't do near the environmental damage a wheel vehicle does. I bet your Dad will sell the Toyota when he sees what a good running J5 will do. I will get those manuals sent by early next week for you. Good luck. TF
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgb1avla500fyry/MOV00011.AVI
 
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IMP

Member
Site Supporter
The video link posted above didn't work for me so here is another attempt.
Going in to load the trailer up with moose quarters

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU0jKDz4Jmc"]J5 bushwack - YouTube[/ame]
 

akimp

New member
I love it and if my camo one doesn't sell I would like to transform the cab like yours. You asked about the steering? The Differential did have a little water in it but the gear oil was as thick as grease and took 6hrs to drain even with a little air to pressurize. Im sure the brake bands are coated with the sludge and a little kerosene then Cat oil will fix the problem. Was the cab something you built? Did you get the new sprockets from Maine Tire? Looks like they have sprockets and solid tires which i would like to put on back wheel. Great video and we will see if the Yotazilla will be able to moose hunt with Trudy the track rig. :biggrin:
 

IMP

Member
Site Supporter
Yea a good flush with diesle would be a good differental flush and won't hurt your break pads. My cab is factory but I did replace several rusted out panels. I made the pipe rack out of aluminum. I replaced one sprocket and bought it from Brad at Minnesota Outdoors Sp. (218) 828-7876. He is a great resource for parts and is a good knoweleable everything snowcat guy. All my tires are foamed and rears are solid. Who needs tire issues 10 mile out in a swamp? Not me. I like the cab. Heater is nice. I use mine in the winter getting firewood. It's fun to drive. Best toy I've ever had.
 

akimp

New member
Trudy the track rig is getting closer to being out of the Alaska Bush. Flathead 6 is pulled and delivered to Anchorage drag bike. Heres a pic of my adventures. I had about 30 hours into the motor pulling project because of wet conditions and the Yamaha Rhino breaking.
 

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akimp

New member
The rear driver side axle keeps breaking. This is the second in two months and I changed the bearings last month before this axle replacement. The CV joint broke next to the wheel last time and the shaft broke off at the differential this time. Not sure what the problem is but fixing the clutch problem will put less torque on the axles hopefully. Fortunately when you break axles and cvs on a regular basis you have enough parts to repair one after three. :yum:
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I bought number rhino 344 in 03 and replaced all but one axle. the o4 model had weak cv joints. 06 joints fit fine but you need a larger axle nut. I also have a few spares.You can or use to get them for $50 complete from people who did a lift on them.
 

akimp

New member
Thanks JimVT I will keep buying ones off of ebay for a 109$ and break them until I have enough parts to build one. You can not beat free shipping to AK.
 

IMP

Member
Site Supporter
How come you didn't use your second J5 recovery rig? It's got no belts n axels that r going to break! Has the shop open up your engine yet to determine its point of failure yet?
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks JimVT I will keep buying ones off of ebay for a 109$ and break them until I have enough parts to build one. You can not beat free shipping to AK.
I built my brake shoes for less than $2. Mine went out every 6 months.
 

akimp

New member
IMP the second J5 is a at a John's consignment in big lake. The purchase was spur of the moment and not the wisest decision. My wife would get pissed if it was sitting in the yard reminding her I spent 20 Grand on track rigs. So its sitting were she can't see it and it can get sold hopefully. The rhino has been a good machine but the constant rain has made the ground so saturated. Once the ground freezes the rhino will have no problem. The engine has not been opened up yet. Next week He will take a look and determine the severity of damage. If its more than 5,000 to rebuild i will drag the tub out with the other J5 and put a 4bt Cummins with Allision auto tranny in it. I have seen some threads on this mod. Seems to be alot of room in the tub. I would like to put the Flathead back in for convenience and its a great motor that lasted 40+ years. Some general maintenance and it should last another 40+
 

mbsieg

awful member
GOLD Site Supporter
If you need track pads for your trailer let me know I have a bunch of the sections I can sell!!
 

akimp

New member
Just picked up the J5 251 ci motor on Friday. Pulled it up to track rig Saturday morning at 5 am with no mishaps other than getting stuck on one hill. The J5 track was frozen in the ice on one side and we have about 30 inches of snow to dig out. With some sweat I finally broke it free of its icy tomb and placed the engine in. My floor beams for the soon to be cabin worked great to support the behemoth motor again.
Last pic is of my Nephew and Father on our last moose hunt. Hopefully when the track rig is running we will have another successful hunt.
 

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IMP

Member
Site Supporter
That J5 will be the best moose hauling machine in the valley! All your struggles will payoff in juicy steaks, roasts and sausages. I just turned some of my moose into these sausages and packaged them today
 

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