JCB 3d

[Matchless?58]

IMG_20200519_110945.jpg

Hi all
Just to start off I am going to try and put some pictures up at the end of this post and as my computer skills are at the level of a 3 year old don't expect too much .
Couple of questions .
1/ If I can post the pictures is it possible that someone could identify the machine for me . I'm pretty sure it's a 3d only from looking at other photos . I cannot find a plate on the machine with serial number and believe me I've been over it with a fine tooth comb . Guess it's been lost over the years and this obviously doesn't help when trying to order new parts .
2/ I have just started to use the machine properly and gave it a bit of work for about an hour the other day . The problem is when it and the hydraulic oil get hot it pours out of what I assume to be the hydraulic breather . ( Little pipe sticking up in front of where the cab should be .) The oil looks really clean .
Before I collected the machine the previous owner said he had topped up the oil he didn't have a clue so could it be he has simply overfilled it ? I can't see the level as the sight tube is so discoloured with age it's impossible to see through it . Are these available as replacement parts ? .
My other thought is that the main filter could be blocked and is making the oil back up and push out of the breather . Is this likely ? I will probably change the filter as a matter of course but I always work my machine's a bit first to identify any problems and to see if they can earn their corn before spending any money on them . I also need to correctly identify first so I can get the right parts .
Any other thoughts suggestions or ideas gratefully received .
Quick bit of background on this machine .
Previous owners grandfather was a bit of a hoarder and collector particularly of old cars or anything old for that matter . It was the granddad who bought this machine some 15years ago unfortunately the grandad had a habit of buying something starting a restoration project then leaving it half done and moving on to the next purchase . At the time of his passing away he had over 200 vehicles of various types in his yard mostly half restored or stripped down waiting to be finished . The JCB was among these and the grandson inherited it along with the other vehicles . He had sold nearly all the cars when I went to look at the JCB and he knew the history of the machine . It had done some work for a contractor then passed onto a builders merchants who used the front loader only for loading aggregate in their yard . With the introduction of bagged material it was parked up in their yard and left until grandad spotted it and bought it to restore .
This would seem to be true as the backhoe seems to have very little wear and is tight for an old machine .
Cab has been removed and is very tatty but I have it and I think I can do something with it . Even just temporary it will keep off the rain . Machine had been under cover of an old lorry curtain side so rusty but savable .
Anyway have a look at the pictures . ( For you Tilly wolves )
Cheers Chris

[Matchless?58]

God just looked at the pictures it's not as bad as it looks mainly just surface rust .
Lick of paint and it will be fine sir . Trust me

[MrF]

There's a operators handbook for the 3c/3d in the jcb downloads section (along with service manuals etc, lots of great stuff app.php/dl_ext/?cat=5 ) and in that it says the 3d/4d had a automatic mechanism to keep the loading shovel position the same with arm movements. That's not the case with my 3c for sure and I have to do co-ordinated movements between the craw and lift controls to keep my bucket level during a lift. It also identifies different dimensions for the loader and dipper arms for the 3d vs 3c. I remember someone saying the rear arm is much heavier in general also and there's mention of a moveable main pivot on the 3d dipper.
For identifying the exact model, on mine the chassis plate is located near the loader arm lift ram on the left hand side, so it can be non obvious until you lift the arm and go looking for it. Though your machine looks like someone has cut the jcb motifs off various places, and also removed the steel badges from the wheelarch which would say 3c or 3d along with the series number. If they were undertaking a resto that might make sense because the badges rust between them and the mudguard etc. Still annoying though.
I don't know if the oil sight tube is available as a part, I cleaned mine up so its just a bit opaque and use a torch shone on it, there's a position you have to have buckets in front and rear to check the level in correctly, its in the manuals you can download and I have it printed and laminated and keep in the cab. One day I'm going to just cut it off and replace it with a new clear bit of pipe, but the hydraulics are all pressurised in use including the fill cap spout and sight tube so it will have to be crimped on correctly and hot oil sprayed in the cab...
Oil out the breather could just be the person before couldn't see the mark so just kept adding oil until its so full that when it expands when working it is forced out the top. In which case, bonus with the price of oil , drain it off into a clean container and use it to top off with if its clean. I had a blocked main filter and didn't experience venting out the breather, just a general feeling of sluggish weak hydraulics which was transformed with a clean out/new filter.
If you ask a admin they might move you into the backhoes section where you will get more replies...

Finally, its easy to be embarrassed about rust and general poor condition with some of the superb machines on here, but my philosophy has been over the years that if its getting better under my ownership than the state it arrived in, its the right direction. My 3c looks like frankenstein worked on it in places with the amount of sew on weld patches etc and occasionally it surprises me in new and awful ways (this week I found the track rod end was welded to the upright, when the weld broke and it was flopping about, bizarrely it tightened up ok and didnt need weld to work)

[Matchless?58]

Thanks for the reply mr f .
I'm hoping that the machine has been overfilled but I already got a new filter which I will change as a matter of course . I understand that I will loose about a gallon of oil doing that so that may bring the level down enough . The oil looks clean so I hope that the suction strainer isn't blocked and I have to drain it all off although I have a massive clean container ( plastic water tank ) and it will go back in if that's the case . The machine seems to work well and at the moment it's just that issue so fingers crossed . Thanks for the tip about the site tube and I'm going to try and give mine a good clean see if I can see anything . Could be that it's so full all im looking at is oil !
I did find the manuel in the download section and I'm working my way through it . Good bedtime reading lol .
Think the I'd plate is definitely missing as I've searched absolutely everywhere for it .
I will let you know how I get on .
Cheers Chris

[FOWLER MAN]

Hi Chris,
To check the hydraulic oil level you must first fully extend all the rams, including the legs, to get the maximum amount of oil into them. Then check the level in the sight tube.

Fred

[Matchless?58]

Thanks Fred
Will do .
I will let you know how it goes .
Cheers Chris