Caterpillarasphalt paverwindrow elevator

Caterpillar BG-650

Maintenance schedule, common problems & OEM parts breakdown

The Caterpillar BG-650 is a self-propelled windrow elevator, not an asphalt paver: a wheel-mounted, rubber-tired feeder machine that straddles a windrow of asphalt mix, lifts it on an inclined roller-flight chain conveyor, and discharges it into a separate paver's hopper ahead of the paving train. It runs a small Cat 4-cylinder mechanical-injection diesel from the 3054 family (one documented used unit's data plate instead reads "3045," so treat the exact engine designation as hedged and unit-specific rather than a fixed spec); hydrostatic drive handles both propel and elevator/conveyor speed. Operating weight and transport dimensions were never widely published for this model and are not confirmed here. Cat built the BG-650 in the mid-1990s on a single documented serial run (prefix 9EK00001-UP), with no lettered generation split (no BG-650B or BG-650 II). It descends from the Barber-Greene windrow-elevator line Caterpillar absorbed into its paving business in the early 1990s, and only one factory configuration is documented: a wheel-tired chassis with adjustable pickup guide shoes and a hydraulic telescoping hitch that couples to the paver hopper.

Because the BG-650 never went through lettered updates, what "changed" is mostly build-to-build variance rather than a documented generational redesign - the recorded engine-designation discrepancy (3054 vs. 3045) points to inconsistent engine fitment or recordkeeping across the production run rather than a deliberate mid-cycle change. The larger shift came in 2005, when Caterpillar sold its entire asphalt paving product line, including windrow elevators, to Weiler; that lineage continues today as the Weiler E650-series, which is not Cat-badged. That makes the BG-650 the last Cat-branded version of this machine type. In the used and parts market it is a scarce, long-discontinued niche unit: buyers value it mainly as a low-cost bridge feeder for older paving trains, and the parts conversation centers on wear items that take the abuse of hot mix and millings - liner plate, flight edges, and pickup shoes - rather than engine electronics, since this machine predates ECM-based diagnostics entirely.

Below: full specifications, fluids & capacities, the factory service schedule, common service parts, verified fault codes, what owners discuss, attachment guidance, the complete assembly directory, and a serial-number reference. Complete parts lists with full OEM part numbers, exploded diagrams, quantities, and fitment data are available free in Heavy Parts AI.

Caterpillar BG-650 specifications

Engine

Machine type note	BG-650 is a self-propelled windrow elevator (asphalt pick-up/feeder unit) that lifts windrowed mix off the roadbed and conveys it into a separate paver's hopper. It is not itself a paver, so paver-class figures (screed width, paving width) do not apply.
Engine model	Cat 3054-family 4-cylinder diesel. One used-unit listing (serial 9EK00270) records the engine as "3045," which does not match any known Cat engine designation and is most likely a transcription error for 3054 rather than a distinct model. Treat as unconfirmed at the individual-serial level and check the dataplate.
Cylinders	4
Displacement	Not published for this specific model. The 3054 industrial-engine family it appears to belong to displaces approximately 3.9 L; not confirmed against a BG-650 factory spec sheet.
Gross/net power	Not published for this model in available literature. Comparable 3054-family diesels of this era are rated roughly 52-97 kW (70-130 hp) depending on configuration; do not present as a confirmed BG-650 rating.
Emissions tier	Not applicable / not documented. Mid-1990s production predates US EPA Tier emissions regulation for this equipment class.

Weights

Operating weight	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Shipping weight	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Ground pressure	Not published.

Dimensions

Configuration	Wheel-mounted (rubber-tired) self-propelled chassis, per available used-equipment listings; no crawler/track variant found.
Transport length/width/height	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Wheelbase / track gauge	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Ground clearance	Not documented.
Pick-up/discharge conveyor width	Reported as approximately 1.5 m (60 in) in one source and 1.45 m (57 in) in another. Treat as varies by configuration/series rather than a single fixed figure.

Performance

Travel speed	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Elevator/conveyor rate	Not documented in available public sources for this model.
Gradeability	Not published.

Service capacities (summary)

Engine oil (crankcase, with filter)	Not published for this exact model. Comparable Cat small industrial diesels of this family refill in roughly 10-16 L (2.6-4.2 US gal) with filter change; verify against the operator/maintenance manual for the exact serial range. Recommended: Cat DEO, viscosity grade selected by ambient temperature.
Cooling system	Not published for this exact model. Comparable small industrial diesel installations run roughly 10-14 L (2.6-3.7 US gal); verify against the radiator tag or manual. Recommended: Cat ELC or Cat DEAC, 50/50 premix.
Fuel tank	Not documented for this serial range in surviving public literature. Verify with the data plate or dealer. Recommended: No. 2-D diesel (ultra-low-sulfur where required), winter blend in cold ambient.
Hydraulic system	Drives the self-propel/steering and elevator/conveyor functions on this machine. Capacity not published; verify against the manual. Recommended: Cat TDTO or Cat HYDO Advanced, viscosity by ambient temperature.

Values vary by configuration, region, and serial range — confirm against your machine before planning transport or lifts.

BG-650 fluids & capacities

System	Capacity	Recommended fluid
Engine crankcase (with filter) - Cat 3045 4-cylinder diesel	Not published for this unit in available factory literature. Comparable Cat small industrial diesels of this family refill in the 10-16 L (2.6-4.2 US gal) range with filter change. Verify against the OMM refill chart or dealer for the exact serial range.	Cat DEO (Diesel Engine Oil), API CF-4/CG-4 class or later multigrade. Use 15W-40 in warm climates, drop to 10W-30 in cold-weather starts per the standard Cat viscosity-by-ambient-temperature chart.
Cooling system	Not published for this unit in available factory literature. Comparable small industrial diesel installations run roughly 10-14 L (2.6-3.7 US gal) system capacity. Verify against the OMM or radiator tag.	Cat ELC (Extended Life Coolant) or Cat DEAC (Diesel Engine Antifreeze/Coolant), premixed to the standard 50/50 water-glycol ratio, adjusted only for extreme cold ambient per the coolant concentration chart.
Fuel tank	Not documented for this exact serial range (9EK prefix) in surviving public literature. Verify with your dealer or the machine data plate.	No. 2-D diesel fuel (ultra low sulfur where required); No. 1-D or a winter blend in cold ambient per the standard Cat fuel recommendation chart.
Hydraulic system (tank and total system, drives conveyor/elevator and self-propel/steering functions)	Not published for this unit in available factory literature. Verify against the OMM refill chart or dealer for the exact serial range.	Cat TDTO (Transmission/Drive Train Oil) or Cat HYDO Advanced hydraulic oil, viscosity selected by ambient temperature per the standard Cat hydraulic/hydrostatic viscosity chart (lighter grade for cold starts, heavier for sustained high ambient).
Grease (chassis, elevator/conveyor bearings and pivots)	Per standard lubrication interval, not a fill-volume spec.	Cat Multipurpose Grease (Cat MPGM), NLGI 2, general-purpose lithium-complex type. Standard grade covers normal ambient; an arctic-grade grease applies only in sustained sub-freezing service.

Capacities are refill values from factory literature — always fill to the dipstick/sight gauge, not the number.

Caterpillar BG-650 maintenance schedule

Service interval	Tasks
Every 10 h	Check engine oil, coolant, and fuel-water separator before startup; drain any water/sediment from the separator bowl. Walk around and inspect pickup shoes, elevator flights, and floor liner for visible wear, cracking, or debris jam. Check tire condition and inflation on the wheel undercarriage and look for hydraulic leaks at hose fittings. Verify coolant temperature, oil pressure, and charging system warning lamps light at startup and clear once running. Weekly (every 50 hours): grease elevator chain pivots, pickup-shoe linkage, and hitch/tow-linkage pins. Weekly: check air cleaner restriction indicator and clean or replace the element if popped.
Every 250 h	Change engine oil and filter on the mechanical-injection diesel. Check and adjust alternator/fan belt tension. Inspect elevator chain tension and adjust; check flight and liner-plate wear against allowable limits. Inspect wheel bearings and steering linkage for play. Check hydrostatic propel response through the full speed range for creep or hunting once warm.
Every 500 h	Replace fuel filter(s) and re-check fuel-water separator for contamination. Replace hydraulic filter element and pull a hydraulic oil sample from the propel/conveyor circuits. Inspect elevator drive sprockets and chain for stretch; replace worn flight or liner-plate sections before they hole through. Check battery terminals, cables, and charging system output. Inspect the pickup shoe for uneven wear or repair welds and reset shoe spacing to windrow width.
Every 1,000 h	Adjust valve lash on the 3054-family engine per the OMM procedure. Change hydraulic system oil (or extend based on sample results) in the hydrostatic propel and conveyor-drive circuits. Test and top off coolant conditioner, or pull a coolant sample. Re-torque elevator frame, hitch/tow-linkage, and guarding fasteners. If rough idle, white smoke, or hard starting is present, have the mechanical injection pump timing checked by a dealer rather than adjusted by ear.
Every 2,000 h	Flush and refill the cooling system with Cat ELC or DEAC at the standard concentration. Inspect the hydrostatic pump and motor for wear; rebuild if sample trends or performance indicate. Inspect elevator drive coupling and sprockets for wear and replace as needed. Check wheel bearing preload; repack or replace bearings. Inspect frame and pickup-shoe mounting points for cracking from cyclic pickup loads.
Every 4,000 h	Replace the elevating conveyor chain, flights, and liner plate as a matched set rather than patching individual sections. Overhaul the hydrostatic propel pump and motor and inspect the steering circuit. Perform an engine in-frame overhaul (injection pump reseal/retime, liners, bearings) if oil analysis or compression trend supports it. Inspect and rebuild wheel hubs, tie rods, and steering cylinders as a set.

Servicing the BG-650 beyond the schedule

Predictive Maintenance & Fluid Analysis

The BG-650's mechanical-injection 3054-family diesel has no ECM, so scheduled oil sampling is the main early-warning tool for injection-pump wear, bearing condition, and coolant intrusion rather than any fault code. Pull hydraulic samples from the hydrostatic propel and elevator/conveyor-drive circuits at filter changes and watch trend data for contamination from the abrasive millings environment. Track hydrostatic charge pressure and propel response over time; gradual creep or speed drift once warm is the leading indicator of pump or motor wear on this drivetrain.

Corrective & Common Repairs

Recurring issues on this engine family are injection-pump timing drift and O-ring seepage at the pump mounting face, showing up as rough idle, white smoke, or hard starting after fuel-system work; verify timing with the dealer procedure rather than by ear. On the elevator, the floor liner plate and flight wear edges take the abuse of hot mix and millings and need checking before they hole through. The pickup shoe at the windrow intake wears from constant ground contact and often shows repair welds on higher-hour units.

Overhaul & Rebuild Points

Elevator rebuilds on the BG-650 center on replacing the chain, flights, and liner plate together as a set rather than patching sections, since mismatched wear rates cause uneven chain tension. Hydrostatic pump and motor overhaul is driven by oil-sample trends and propel-response testing, not a fixed calendar. Engine rebuild work on the mechanical-injection diesel typically means an in-frame overhaul addressing the injection pump, liners, and bearings. Wheel hubs, tie rods, and steering linkage on the tired undercarriage are the other common higher-hour rebuild group.

Seasonal & Environment Servicing

Paving is seasonal work, so a BG-650 idle over winter needs the fuel-water separator drained and fuel system protected against condensation before storage, plus coolant concentration checked for the expected low temperature. Cold starts on this mechanical diesel can be harder than on electronically governed engines; watch for excess smoke on start-up as a service tell. During paving season, abrasive hot-mix and millings handling wears the elevator conveyor faster than the engine wears, so liner-plate and flight inspection frequency should track tonnage handled, not just hours.

BG-650 fault codes & troubleshooting

Code	Meaning	Likely cause	What to do
Coolant Temperature warning lamp (red, radiator symbol — no CID/FMI digit code on this mechanical-era engine)	Engine coolant temperature has risen above the safe operating range	Low coolant level, plugged radiator core or screen, loose or broken fan belt, stuck thermostat	Stop and idle down, check coolant level and radiator fins/screen for debris, check fan belt tension and thermostat operation
Engine Oil Pressure warning lamp (red, oil-can symbol)	Engine oil pressure has dropped below the safe minimum for the switch-type sender	Low oil level, plugged oil filter, worn oil pump, oil dilution or wrong viscosity	Shut engine down immediately, check oil level and filter condition before restarting
Charging System warning lamp (red, battery symbol)	Alternator is not charging the battery circuit	Loose or broken alternator belt, failed alternator, corroded or loose wiring connection	Check belt tension and condition, test alternator output, inspect battery cables and ground connections
Air Cleaner Restriction indicator (yellow pop-up button on air cleaner housing)	Intake air filter element is restricted beyond the allowed vacuum limit	Element loaded with dust/debris from windrow pickup operation	Service or replace the air filter element and reset the indicator
Hydraulic Filter Bypass indicator (pop-up button on filter head)	Hydraulic return/case filter is restricted and oil is bypassing the element	Contaminated hydraulic oil, overdue filter change, cold-start high viscosity	Replace hydraulic filter element, sample and check oil condition
Low Fuel / Fuel-Water Separator warning (float switch or clear-bowl sight glass, no digital readout)	Water or sediment has collected in the fuel-water separator bowl, or fuel level is low	Water contamination in fuel supply, low tank level	Drain the separator bowl, check fuel level and top off, inspect fuel supply for contamination

Codes and remedies are general guidance for this model family — always confirm with diagnostic tooling and your dealer before major repairs.

BG-650 attachments & work tools

Machine identity

The Cat/Barber-Greene BG-650 is a self-propelled windrow pickup elevator, not an asphalt paver. It lifts windrowed asphalt mix off the roadbed and transfers it into the paver's hopper ahead of the paving train, so its "work tools" are pickup and conveying components rather than screeds or paver attachments.

Pickup / guide shoes

Adjustable guide shoes ride along the outer edges of the windrow and steer material onto the intake apron. Shoe spacing is set to match windrow width and these are a wear/setup item, not a bolt-on optional attachment.

Elevating conveyor / discharge throat

A roller-flight chain conveyor lifts material up an inclined throat into the paver hopper; published throat widths for this class of machine run roughly 145-152 cm (57-60 in), varies by configuration/series. Flights and wear strips on the conveyor bed are the main serviceable components in this area.

Paver hitch / tow linkage

The elevator couples to the front of the paver hopper with a hydraulic telescoping tow linkage so it can hold station ahead of the paver while both machines advance. Adjustable-offset hitching is typical for this class of pickup machine; exact stroke/offset figures are not documented specifically for the BG-650 and should be checked against the OEM operation manual.

Undercarriage

The BG-650 was built as a rubber-tired, self-propelled unit with caster-type steering wheels. A crawler/track variant exists elsewhere in the windrow-elevator product class but is not documented for the BG-650 badge specifically.

Propel and conveyor drive

A Cat 3045 diesel drives a hydrostatic propel system plus separate hydraulic circuits for conveyor lift/tilt angle and chain speed, letting elevator travel speed and discharge rate be matched independently to the paver's pace.

Guarding

Standard guarding covers the elevating chain and conveyor drive line plus the operator walkway and access steps. This is safety guarding rather than an optional work tool; no screed, tamper bar, or other paver-specific attachment applies to this machine.

Lineage / factory configuration note

The BG-650 comes from the Barber-Greene windrow-elevator line that Caterpillar acquired in the early 1990s (serial prefix 9EK). Caterpillar sold this product line to Weiler in 2005, so there is no later Cat-badged windrow-elevator generation to cross-check configuration options against.

All BG-650 assemblies by section

Every catalogued assembly group for the Caterpillar BG-650. Open an assembly to preview the parts inside — full OEM part numbers are available in Heavy Parts AI.

Machine Arrangement

104-7819 Common Ar

10***19

Common Ar

See all parts with full part numbers in Heavy Parts AI →

BG-650 serial number reference

The PIN/serial plate on this class of self-propelled windrow elevator is riveted to the machine frame, typically near the engine compartment or operator platform - check the frame rail close to the engine bay if it is not visible from the platform. Built in the mid-1990s, it carries Caterpillar's older-style 8-character PIN: a 3-character prefix identifying model and plant, followed by a 5-digit sequence number, stamped as PREFIX+00001-UP.

Prefix	Identifies	Notes
9EK	BG-650 self-propelled windrow elevator (wheel-mounted pick-up/feeder unit), single production series 9EK00001-UP	Only documented prefix for this model. Introduced under Caterpillar's Barber-Greene paving line in the mid-1990s (Caterpillar bought Barber-Greene's DeKalb paving-equipment business in 1991). Engine fitted varies by unit: the Cat parts catalog ties this range's fuel-system parts group to the 3054 engine, while at least one confirmed field unit from the later 1990s carries a Cat 3045 diesel instead. Confirm engine identity against the dataplate or build sheet rather than assuming one engine for the whole range. Distinct from the WE-601B and WE-851B windrow elevators, which are separate model lines with their own prefixes, and from the later Weiler-branded E650B/E650C/E650D windrow elevators built after Weiler took over this equipment line from Caterpillar in 2005 - none of those share the 9EK prefix or Cat parts catalog.

Frequently asked questions

What engine does the Caterpillar BG-650 use?

A Cat 4-cylinder mechanical-injection diesel from the 3054 family. One documented used unit's data plate instead shows "3045," so treat the exact engine designation as unit-specific and confirm against your machine's own data plate rather than assuming one engine covers the whole production run.

What is the BG-650's operating weight?

Not published in available factory literature. Unlike many Cat models, this compact wheel-mounted windrow elevator never had a widely circulated spec sheet listing weight or transport dimensions. Check the data plate or ask your dealer for the figure tied to your specific serial.

What replaced the Caterpillar BG-650?

No lettered Cat successor exists (no BG-650B or BG-650 II). Caterpillar sold its entire asphalt paving product line, windrow elevators included, to Weiler in 2005. The direct continuation of this machine type today is Weiler's E650-series windrow elevator, built under the Weiler name rather than Cat's.

What BG-650 owners discuss

How much dealer or operator discussion exists online for the BG-650 specifically?

Very little. This was a lower-volume, short-lived Cat/Barber-Greene product from the mid-1990s that Cat sold off to Weiler in 2005. Owner boards and general equipment forums carry almost no threads that name the BG-650 by number. Most material available on it is parts-book and spec-sheet data rather than operator war stories. Treat any BG-650-specific claim beyond OEM literature and the 9EK serial-prefix parts book with caution, and draw on general self-propelled windrow-elevator experience only where it clearly is not tied to a different, unrelated model.

What engine issues come up on this machine's diesel?

The BG-650 runs a small Cat 4-cylinder diesel from the 3054 family, output varies by configuration (roughly 52-100 kW / 70-134 hp across that family, not a single confirmed figure for this exact unit). Across that engine family the recurring complaints are mechanical injection-pump timing drift and O-ring seepage at the pump mounting face, both showing up as rough idle, white smoke, or hard starting after any fuel-system service. Hard starting is also often traced to air ingested in the fuel lines rather than the pump itself. Because incorrect injection timing affects both emissions and safe operation under load, have your dealer verify pump timing with the correct engine-specific procedure rather than setting it by ear.

What wears out first on the elevating conveyor?

As with any roller-flight elevator handling hot asphalt millings or aggregate, the floor liner plate and the flight wear-edge material take the abuse first. Hardened alloy liner plate and carbide-edged flights are the standard longer-life wear items sold for this class of machine, and replacing them before they hole through the floor is the main preventive job on the elevator itself. The pickup shoe at the front, where the conveyor meets the windrow, also wears from constant ground and material contact and is worth checking each season.

Does the hydrostatic propel system need special attention?

The BG-650 uses a hydrostatic propel drive with a variable elevator chain speed, letting the operator match ground speed and elevator throughput to what the paver ahead can take. No BG-650-specific hydrostatic complaints turned up in available operator material, so treat this as an area where documented history is thin rather than a machine that is trouble-free. General hydrostatic-drive practice still applies: watch for speed drift once the system reaches operating temperature, and keep an eye on charge-pressure behavior if propel response gets sluggish.

Are there known electrical or sensor problems on the BG-650?

Nothing model-specific turned up in available sources. That is an honest gap in public documentation, not a claim that the machine runs trouble-free. If a specific fault or sensor circuit is acting up, work from the machine's own wiring diagram and confirm the fix with your dealer rather than assuming a solution from a different Cat platform carries over.

What should I check before buying a used BG-650?

Confirm the serial prefix reads 9EK and matches the parts book and any manuals included with the sale, since Cat exited this product line in 2005 and paperwork can get mixed up with later Weiler-badged machines. Check remaining life in the floor liner and flight wear edges rather than trusting the hour meter alone, since abrasive millings wear the conveyor faster than the engine wears. Look at the pickup shoe for uneven wear or repair welds. Cold-start the engine yourself and watch for excess smoke or hard starting, a common tell on these small Cat diesels after years of service, and have your dealer verify engine condition before you rely on it. Run the hydrostatic propel through its full speed range and confirm it does not creep or hunt once warm. Finally, ask about parts sourcing before buying, since this exact model is long out of production and some components may only be available through the successor line's continuing parts channel.

Compiled from owner and technician discussions across the industry — experiences vary by serial range and machine history.

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