Bought this 7 as inop from dealer after customer walked away, and I know why!  I fear the dealer messed it up.  It was in shop only 1mo prior to get a TC installed from American Crane, a trans pump, and a few other fixes.  I guess they found an output shaft bearing on trans that was bad and replaced.  Less than a month later, customer indicated it would not turn.  Tech found clutches were not getting proper pressure.  What does the dealer do?  they take it in a field for hours and beat on it......  Then told the customer it needed about everything.  

Reason I am trying to save it is it is a military low hr machine, almost new UC, engine run with no blowby, has tilt, winch, etc.  

So after months of sitting, I decided to step into it a bit, hoping for the best.  At the very start, the promise of an easy fix is fading.  I pulled the drain for the trans filter housing so I can cut up the filters.  I didn't even get that far.  I removed about a quart of straight coolant from the housing!  As well, I noted the trans oil level (not running) was high.  Not insane, but high.  

I then pulled the trans pump inlet filter.  It's a mess!  What is more confusing is a lot of the crap in it is not metal, it is fiberish material that acts like phenolic or fiber gasket material.  Chunky and hard.  But there is a mess on the magnetic inner filter.  I previously concluded that the inlet filter likely plugged and would no longer send enough oil to clutches.  And if clutch Orings are toast, even worse.  I started and ran for only a few minutes.  Hydraulics work.  But will not go into gear because it's locked out due to no trans pressure.  

So before I dig in, I need to know how bad this could be?  I think that TC was EXPENSIVE and hardly any hours on it, but.......  How did coolant get into trans?  Where is the cooler?  there is no coolant in engine, which further concerns me.  I don't want to waste time/money in the trans if the whole system is bad, and no clue if engine was ever overheated.  

I feel this should have been caught as that trans oil would have changed color.  Right now it is pretty blackish, not gray.  Been sitting a long time though.  The oil is far from fresh and clean.  

Any experienced guidance would be appreciated!!!!  I want to save her but this is not looking good!  I am almost scared to drop the trans oil.  

The trans oil cooler is down along the left side of the engine block and oil pan, probably got hole in it. The fiber material is from the steering clutch friction discs. Also check the oil in the final drives, if they are way over full then the pinion seals are bad.

Just checked. Left side is brand new and at proper level. Right side is sludge, black, but is right on level. I will sort through some repair info but I know one side output bearing was bad, and leaked trans oil into final and oil in final was changed. Why you would go that far and not replace it all I have no idea. I cannot see that sludge as being just used 80/90. It is likely contaminated. It is very viscous. Almost like grease.

From notes I have, "pinion cross shaft bearings and cages were bad" they apparently replaced both bearings and seals, and rebuilt brakes and seals. Customer complained it would only turn one way, and they concluded these seals were leaking by?

As well, customer indicated trans oil go into finals so both finals were drained and refilled!!!! So in a very short amount of time, the right final did this?

If I was guessing, I would say the bearings they installed already failed......again.

I'd love to see what in the world I am working on. I don't know how it is built.

Sounds like a Patsy Cline tractor! "I fall to pieces". Hope they almost gave it to you, If it was mine I would sell it, [parts] or find a reputable mechanic and go through everything from the engine flywheel back and inspect/redo everything. If doing it yourself then get a shop/service manual, but you need special pullers and know how to install the duo-cone seals.

For a "low hour machine" the bearings and cages should not have been bad, unless like most low hour 56 year old machines that sit around and collect condensation and seals get brittle and hard, bearings and gear teeth rust and pit. Sounds like they shoved grease in the final to "get bye".

I am drip draining water off the right final now. So far, the water appears to be just water, or at least not bright green like what was at the trans filter housing.

Yes, I am into the machine less than scrap, but I'd like to see how bad it is even if I go for a hail mary and just try to get trans pressure and see what happens. I was really hoping the dealer totally excused the inlet screen to the pump on the first repair. At first look on the pressure side filters for the trans, there is not too much in them, but I did not pull them yet. I don't see any point just yet.

I do see what I believe to be the trans cooler, but I also see lines going into the engine. Does this also cool engine oil? IE, potential coolant in that too? Trying to figure out where else to do system checks.

The transmission cooler just has engine coolant and the trans oil going through it, the engine oil cooler is separate, behind the water pump.

Rome wrote:

For a "low hour machine" the bearings and cages should not have been bad, unless like most low hour 56 year old machines that sit around and collect condensation and seals get brittle and hard, bearings and gear teeth rust and pit. Sounds like they shoved grease in the final to "get bye".

I said the same thing!  I personally think the dealer should have looked at having to change those bearings as a "something is up" sort of thing.  

When I did the old finger dipstick, I did get some fresh bright oil as well.  They don't seem to be mixed right now.  It is odd to have the slurry on the top though.  Maybe I will do a better sample.  But that seems like small fries at the moment.  Just wanted to see if I could confirm coolant in the final, which would tell me for sure there is leakage.  

There should be trans oil in the cooling system too, after you replace the cooler flush the engine cooling system with water and a non sudsing soap, Bon-Ami. The trans/strg clutch compartments can be cleaned by just adding a "cheap" 30W drivetrain oil and operating it and then let sit overnight and drain off the coolant then run again and change oil and repeat till you have clear not milky oil.