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Bobcat 642-B ??
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Belray
Posted 1/29/2013 14:06 (#2858709)
Subject: Bobcat 642-B ??


East Central Iowa
What are the weak points of a Bobcat 642B? I don't need a diesel motor or a more expensive skidloader. It's just for occasional use, no livestock. I would be replacing an old 600 bobcat that is tired.
It looks like a clean machine that hasn't been abused and I know some of the history of the machine, whic is a plus.
Any info about common problems with that model would be helpful. If there is any.
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dairy33
Posted 1/29/2013 18:41 (#2859239 - in reply to #2858709)
Subject: RE: Bobcat 642-B ??


Good little machines, had a 642B then a 742B , the B stands for the mitubishi motar which was a lot better then the ford before it. They start well in the winter but you have to deal with the plugs and points once in a while.
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KMech
Posted 1/29/2013 18:44 (#2859248 - in reply to #2858709)
Subject: RE: Bobcat 642-B ??


Missouri
Had one for almost two decades. Had it all the way apart, twice.

Once was a broken chain in the chain case. Had to pull the hydrostat/hydraulic pump assembly out to get to that. A drive chain broke because the nuts holding the hydrostat motor to the outside of the chaincase loosed over time, and dad ran it for a long time like that. I would say this is probably an uncommon problem.

Also at the same time, had to pull the engine out to put a new ring gear on the flywheel. If the starter begins to grind on flywheel engagement, service the starter immediately. Don't continue to drive it like that for years.

FWIW, the engine was not hard to pull out. Only takes about two hours and it's out. Disconnect coolant lines, fuel line, air cleaner tube, muffler, throttle & choke linkages, unhook about a half dozen electrical plugs, take loose the four bolts at the bottom, chain it to a cherry picker, lift it 2 inches, and roll the picker out. Easiest engine I ever pulled.

There is a little (approx 6 inches long) driveshaft from the flywheel to the pump assembly. It has two u-joints, and a slide coupler onto the splined shaft of the pump. There are three grease zerks on it, and they call for grease on the 100 hour interval. If you run it for 2000 hours without greasing them, you will find the ujoints ruined when you pull out the motor. They are damned hard to find if you haven't seen them, and you cannot see them without first removing the engine or the pump assembly. To grease them, you have to lift the cab/ROPS. If you're not familiar with that process, it's easier than it sounds. Take loose the two bolts at the front, and lift it up. It's hinged on the rear, and if the gas support springs are still good, it will hold itself up. If your gas support springs are bad, replace them. Crushed under the ROPS while working on the machine ranks pretty low on the list of good ways to die. Once you have it up, you have to reach around behind the rear pump mount, in front of the the fan/fan shroud assembly and feel for the grease zerks on the shaft. If you have a small mirror you can hold back there, you may be able to see them first to know what you are reaching for.

A few years later, it began using oil. A vacuum line had rotted on the underneath side, and it was sucking in dirty air for an unknown, long period of time. Pulled the engine again. Tore it down, and the rings were so far gone, after the head was off and the balancer removed from the crankshaft, there was so little tension on the rings I could grab the crank snout by hand and spin the motor with ease. I took the engine, stripped down to the long block, to my mechanic. He measured everything, and said it just needed a honing and rings.

While that was being done, I removed the hydraulic valves assembly and took it to a bobcat dealer to have a leak sealed up. I have absolutely no idea how one could remove that valve block without first removing the engine and transmission. Just no way to get a wrench on every fitting in the middle of that frame! Anyway, I put the valve back in, got the honed/reringed engine back from my mechanic, put it back in there, and it ran great for several more years.

Attached pics show the work on the machine the first time, and the bolt that came loose and jammed up in the sprocket.



(Bobcat, opened up.jpg)



(The bolt that f'd the whole thing up - Copy.jpg)



(Bobcat hole where engine should be.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments Bobcat, opened up.jpg (35KB - 1187 downloads)
Attachments The bolt that f'd the whole thing up - Copy.jpg (32KB - 1154 downloads)
Attachments Bobcat hole where engine should be.jpg (59KB - 1421 downloads)
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KMech
Posted 1/29/2013 19:05 (#2859309 - in reply to #2858709)
Subject: RE: Bobcat 642-B ??


Missouri
Don't let me tale of pulling the guts out of it twice scare you away. They are both explainable situations.

The first time when the hydro motor mount stud fell into the chain case, it was driven too long ignoring the disturbing noise it was making. The bolt on the bottom of the chaincase would periodically jam up between the steel of the case and the driven sprocket. We didn't realize what was happening at the time, but the left side would intermittently lock up. Dad just reversed direction momentarily (which dislodged/unwedged the loose bolt that was rolling around in the chaincase) and went back to work. It was poor judgement.

The flywheel ring gear replacement was just the result of having a starter that grinded some of the time, and not dealing with it properly by replacing the starter. This problem was exacerbated by continually cranking it hard to start it, when it was really in need of a carburetor overhaul. (Dad's a stubborn old man, and for years insisted "she's just cold natured", until one time while he was gone on vacation I overhauled the carburetor. Prior to carburetor service, it wouldn't run with any power in the heat of July unless the choke was all the way out.

The driveshaft ujoints was a maintenance oversight.

The vacuum leak was freak happenstance/maintenance oversight. I thought those hoses looked a little crummy the first time I gutted the machine. I should have replaced them with new.

The leaky valve cannot be explained away. That as far as I know was just the machine letting me down. It was a minor leak, and we would have never fixed it, just avoided parking on the good concrete, except that the engine was out the second time, it made sense to do it while it was easy to get to.

When the points are in adjustment, and the carburetor in good tune, that thing would start in single digit temperature by pulling the choke out, stroking the throttle twice, and turning the key. When the carburetor was wonky, it was hard to start in 60 degree temps. When the points were out, it was hard starting, lacked power, and popped and backfired all the time.

Also replaced one muffler over the life of the machine.

If that's not too much information for you, and there's anything else you care to ask, shoot. I've been into everything on that machine except the hydraulic/hydrostat assembly (Thank God!!!)

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Belray
Posted 1/29/2013 22:07 (#2859936 - in reply to #2859309)
Subject: Re: Bobcat 642-B ??


East Central Iowa
That's alot of info, thanks alot. I bought it. Now I have a few things I can check out when I get it home. Thanks for everyones help.
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