Engine oil dipstick for 550 crawler

thom430 · Post by **thom430** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:07 pm

First off, I'm new to the site and I'd like to say thanks to Lavoy and all others for their work who help make this site possible. Just what I've learned so far by searching previous posts has provided invaluable tips and knowledge.

My dad recently acquired a JD550 crawler, 1976 model and the hour meter shows 2020 hours. The machine was owned by the town municipal department where we live, Walker LA. It seems to be in good shape except for some things like hoses and the typical things one might expect to find on a machine where no one person is responsible for upkeep.

The screen filter to the hydraulic pump looked as though it was never removed for cleaning, the hex plugs in the rollers are severely rusted and have probably never been removed, but everything seems to work OK (we have found one bad/loose roller).

Somewhere along the line the dipstick for the engine oil "became missing". We figured that wouldn't be too big of a deal, we could just order one from Deere. Two dipsticks later we still don't have one and the local Deere dealer is out of ideas. They basically have the same parts program as I can get on their internet site.

So here are my questions;
1) Does anyone out there have a JD550 (straight) with a dipstick that is about twenty inches long.? All the ones we got from the dealer were about 3 feet long. The pictures I have seen of the straight 550 show a little door on the engine cover near the bottom. The top of the dipstick tube on our machine is 1 and 1/16 inch in diameter. I made one from a ford engine and with a fresh oil change it wound up being about 19 inches.
2) How close is a service manual for the same year 555 loader to a 550 crawler? Aren't these basically the same machine except for the tracks and the bucket? I've found a reasonably priced parts manual for a 555 loader and maybe there is a part number that we haven't tried.
3) What are the odds that a machine this old has the correct numbers on the hour meter (2020)? It works and doesn't show any signs of being tampered with or disconnected. I has a fairly old "Mastertrax" service sticker on both sides and the undercarriage is in good condition.

If any one out there has a book with a part number for a dipstick, I would be forever grateful for that info.

Thanks,
Thom430

digitup2 · Post by **digitup2** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:35 am

that machine could have the 2020 hours it shows .I bought a municipality owned 450G with 670 hours on it at an equipment auction .No one else would touch it they figured it had a meter change .Your local Deere service shop should have machine service hours on record to match the hour meter .The mastertrax service records should show percentage wear and also show if you have original tracks[You should have original tracks with those hours].I have a 550 parts manual if you need one leave me a pm and I will give you a good deal.The dipstick is an AR69686.If Deere sent you a longer one that fit the tube and sealed properly don't send it back that is the dipstick you work with .So you will have to find another 550 0f that age and take your dip stick and cut to there length also take a center punch and mark there high low marks on your dipstick as well.Remember that Deere had a dipstick change between the s/n 252209 and s/n252210 machines .So find one in your serial number group and measure it .That is probably all you can do and you won't bee the first John Deere dozer operator to do it I even did it on a Ag tractor of mine so this job is not a new one I think most Deere repair men have met this task at one time or an other Digitup.

thom430 · Post by **thom430** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:52 pm

Digitup,

Thanks for the reply. I'm beginning to think I may not have all of the dipstick tube. Could there have been a "two piece" tube at one time?

The serial number on the cab is 240453T and I only suppose it's the original cab. The more I look at the tube, the more it makes me think that it's missing an extension that would allow the dipstick to be pulled from the door on top of the hood. I'll post this picture/link and see if this makes sense to anyone.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... 1849217692

The engine covers have long been removed and unless there was a door on the cover, the dipstick would be really tough to get to with the covers in place. Also the cover on top of the dipstick would be abnormally large. We ordered the dipstick p/n AR69686 and it was too long but I think now it may have been the correct one and what I'm missing is part of the tube. Only problem with this theory is that Deere only shows a one piece tube, not a two piece, but maybe that's just the way they drew it as they only sell both as a unit maybe.

As Digitup says, "If Deere sent you a longer one that fit the tube and sealed properly"...cut it to fit, that's what I would do but none have even come close to fitting over the top of the tube. The one I made is a Ford dipstick but I used the plastic cap from a can of Kroil to cover the top of the tube. It aint purdy but it works for now...

So maybe what I don't know is how the oil dipstick is accessed with the engine covers in place. I think I would like to replace the covers as sooner or later they will prove worth their hassle.

Anybody got any ideas?
Thanks,
Thom430

KenP · Post by **KenP** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:27 am

deleted

digitup2 · Post by **digitup2** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 6:26 am

I looked at it Ken and I don't think John Deere made anything to hang on the side of a 4 cylinder block that looked like it. Digitup.

srs_mn · Post by **srs_mn** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 7:52 am

The dipstick that fits that tube in your picture would have a rubber expanding plug on it that fits the belled end portion of the tube... it would have a tightening handle above the rubber plug.
I had one like that on a 4 wheel drive loader, but I have no idea if that was the type used originally on your 550. A friend of mine had a 550 and it seems that he checked the oil from the top of the hood with a long dipstick... it was 25 years ago though, so I could be wrong.
srs_mn

thom430 · Post by **thom430** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:42 pm

Thanks for all the replies and help. And I found out yesterday that you actually had to be a Facebook member to even view photos. I wasn't sure if that would work. I've since found a Yahoo site (Flickr) that's really easy to use. Maybe this can work.

At this point it looks like I have two choices; buy the complete tube and dipstick assembly from Deere or make my own. Probably about a hundred dollars for the assembly from Deere (just the stick was $29.00) or some time and elbow grease for a homemade unit...hummm.

Any way, here are some more pictures, it would be interesting to know if everyone can see these without having to join Yahoo. I'm sure to have more questions and there's a lot of truth to a picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41145837@N07/3790349840/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41145837@N ... 1822743597

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41145837@N ... otostream/

Hope this works better. Guys, thanks for the help. I know there is more knowledge on this board than I can ever get any where else. Plus I like the idea that a 76 model machine is under the category of "Late Model" equipment.

Thanks,
Thom430

KenP · Post by **KenP** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:46 am

deleted

digitup2 · Post by **digitup2** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:13 am

I think someone Micky Moused a short dipstick to the dozer so they could check oil level from the ground level with no side shields like that .Digitup.

KenP · Post by **KenP** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:38 am

Digitup, you may very well be right. It may have been added as a fix for something... but, it IS painted yellow... MUST be original!

Heck after 30 or more years, who knows?
But, he may be able to fashion a workable dipstick with what's there. Found another Deere product in my garage that has a belled dipstick tube. The tube has an ID of about 1 and 1/8 inches. The dipstick itself has a rubber plug with a raised ring that fits snugly in the hole. There's also a metal cap that goes over everything when its inserted. May work for this application. Just need to get the right length of dipstick rod to fasten on.
I suspect any small mower repair place would have a bunch of these laying around. Its a Kohler K181S engine that was used in LOTS of small machines. This one is my 1969 Deere 110 tractor. Another Deere product that's still working fine after 40 years.

digitup2 · Post by **digitup2** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:24 pm

Actually the perfect dipstick is on an old International truck motor behind my shop those sticks twist seal tight .It is on an old DVM555 motor If you could find one you could shorten it to work but .I would put side screens on that old Deere again as they are needed on a dozer that size and install a proper dipstick that pulls out the top service door of the hood .If it was mine I might not do it tomorrow but that would get done .I have built side shields of 1/16 plate and put a belly out in the plate on the alternator side just far enough for alternator clearance .Digitup.

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Engine oil dipstick for 550 crawler

Engine oil dipstick for 550 crawler

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