[davedan]

I hate to start nationwide panic but after what Ive discovered this week this applies to all deere combines from 9000 walkers,cts, and STS rigs.
The air to air coolers are of such poor design being furnace brazed with round tubes and channel tanks, do not hold up to the vibration/harmonics of the radiator fan or engine.
I had one out of a 9650 last season and it was leaking out where the tube meets tank at almost every connection on both sides of the core, at only 10 lbs test pressure. I assumed that it was because in this application it was not rubber mounted or isolated properly,,, I was wrong. Last week I removed both coolers from two 9600s which are not mounted at all but have only one bolt in the center bottom of the core that the cooler sits on, then hose connections and thats it, basically free floating in a sense, BOTH were leaking severly out both tanks where tubes meet at 10 lbs test pressure.
Deere has no updates, Ive got friends in service at deere dealerships but have no desire to even try to complain. I cant be the only one who has seen this, there are nearly a million 9600s out there and Im positive that they all leak just the same.
One machine has 2500 hours, my 50 had only 1700 hrs when it was replaced last year.
Soon I will remove the 50 cooler once again to check it out and make a decision on what to do.
My radiator man is confident that adding the appropriate epoxy specifically designed for aluminum coolers will take care of the problem, sure it will seal up the leaks but who knows about the vibration.
A serpentine core would be the way to go in these rigs but they are much more money and once again deere cuts a corner.
Another thing we found is deere uses springs jammed into the tubes from the side to help transfer the heat, and some had come loose and worked their way out, laying in the bottom of the tubes,, what a joke.

 

[nar]

Hmm I never looked that close I had always assumed it was at least sitting on rubber. Mine has more hours than that, but doesn't smoke too much under load. Still better check it sometime I guess. If only I had a shop it fit in..

 

[deerefever]

Well, I don't doubt that you are having issues with aftercoolers, alot of people arenot, after 20 years of being around the 9600 family i've personally only replaced five coolers, not alot considering how many 9600 are in our area.Deere had a issue in the mid 90's with a oil cooler bolt interfering with cooler and rubbing through, the five i've replaced seperated on the sides, the other 35 i've had out was operator error, over filling grain tank and leaking grain into fan on engine which leads to severe fin damage. Far as there mounting goes

??I myself believe it could have been done better on 9600-9610, but 50-60 are way better mounted,basically hope that this don't become a wide spread issue, wish you the best of luck with your coolers.

 

[davedan]

I would rather they be unmounted to lessen the vibrations from machine and engine, which is why I was shocked that the early machines were just as bad.

 

[jd9600guru]

I haven't looked at the parts interchange, but I bet it could be done, but why not just run a liquid intercooler setup like the higher hp 466's did and eliminate the air to air? Would it cool the intake charge enough?

jd

EDIT: yes, they do make an intercooler setup for 6076 engines, go to jdparts online catalog, enter model 6076 and search the intake parts, there are several different setups to choose from but the cooler PN is the same for all. prob cost 2k by the time all is said and done.

jd

 

[davedan]

there were no 466s with intercoolers that had the same horsepower. Tractors are always rated less HP than combines.

 

[jd9600guru]

the 6081's use the exact same setup as 6466 and 6076's so that theory is in the crapper.

jd

 

[davedan]

Re positioning the turbocharger location doesnt make things easier also trying to add an intercooler. 8.1s in the combine has a different looking type of cooler but the are constructed the same and crack also. A copper core aftercooler would be the way to go. Seems to be more forgiving to vibration

 

[Bundy Bear]

We have had 9600's, 10's, 50's 60's and now 70's and never had a cracked aftercooler. None of the combines ran less than 1500 hrs and couple did over 4000.


Quote:I hate to start nationwide panic no problems with that on my end.

 

[tbone95]

Couldn't that just be an rpm thing?

 

[jd9600guru]

Leave the huffer in place and run tubing to the intercooler.

 

[wheatwhacker]

I have seen a couple that have leaked as well. Never have checked our coolers but the guy we cut with has replaced them on both of his 9600's. They were very small leaks but they were there.

 

[davedan]

I have an update on this issue. There is no fix for the oem coolers for they are a terrible design. I had my radiator man cut open one unit and epoxy the tube to tank connections, which is where the leaks were in the beginning and once the job was done most leaks were stopped but he noticed that the springs that were placed inside the cooler tubes for heat dissipation were actually vibrating enough to wear small holes in the actual tubes. Another great idea by BAER/Deere techs.
It would be cost effective to epoxy a cooler if it didnt have all these springs causing other issues however the only viable option is to have custom coolers built that are not a furnace brazed unit but rather copper tube/steel tank versions that Ive seen used in other industries, which are proven in harsh environments and they are lifelong built units, not cheesy cheap built aluminum garbage such as deeres pics for our equipment.