Got That Everlovin' Rascal!

Drained the oil out of her for the fourth time last night and let it drip throughout the night. Then, started puttin' the wrenches to 'er at 5am this morning and went pretty much nonstop all day.

Overhauled everything I could get my hands on, threw it all back together, backed her out of the shop and just got back from climin' the 3-mile long hill (bit breezy out there this time of night). :>)

That ol' hydro pulls now! Yipee! :>)

Allan

• Nix Auction

Congrats on getting that old girl fixed! I can see where $5000 would be an incentive. Taking her to the dealership would have been a gamble unless they had a man who was truly an expert on Hydros. You might have wound up with the bill and the problem still not fixed.

John

Boy, I really hate to say this out loud, but it would be awfully easy to sell a guy a new or rebuilt tranny when his tractor is down and he doesn't know anything about these things.

I'm not saying the big boys do this, but it would sure be easy to do.

If the tractor isn't moving right, you're bummed out, it isn't worth a plug nickel the way it is and a guy would just be tempted to bite the bullet to get 'er goin' again.

Plus the fact that one's mind is all the while telling you that the hydro is like an automatic transmission and is prone to failure. It isn't. It is a competely different type of bird.

The thing that gets me is that if you talk to these guys that have owned these rascals, you couldn't get that hydro away from 'em with a crowbar. They just simply swear by 'em.

Allan

Back in Dec, I had a problem with an engine not throttling up. After moving the injector pump throttle shaft it would throttle down and shut off like it was supposed to, but not throttle back up. Since it was a cable operated shaft, and pulled the cable to throttle down I deducted that it must be either the sheath of the cable was slipping in the clamp (this literally happened overnight) or the sheath of the cable was broken.

I fought that thing for over two hours out in the cold, called three locals (including a pro) that should have been able to help me out, but all they could tell me was that it probably wasn’t the cable, rather the mechanical linkage on the foot pedals somewhere that was causing this. Finally frustrated I threw in the towel and took it to the “pros” because I couldn’t figure out which bolt to take out next so that I could get to the end of the cable.

Turned out that the “pros” thought they had it fixed when they bent a cotter pin on the mechanical linkage. They called with the good news that I didn’t need a new cable ($175) after all. I went down to get it only to find out that it still wouldn’t throttle up. (ERRRRR RRRR). Well, after two guys worked on it 3 hours with the part time help of a third guy they finally got the new cable in. (You guessed it, it’s a real stinker!) The sheath on the old one was broken, just like I suspected in the first place.

I’m glad I took it in cause it is such a pain to put in and I didn’t have the manpower to do it. Still frustrating that the “pros” didn’t check to make sure that what they had done fixed it before I was told the “good news” and to come and get it. :>(

Good luck with that, I’m gonna bet you’re going to like it now that it’s working the way it’s supposed to! =:>)

Just like anything else in this life, it is the unknown that is so darned scary.

I couldn't find a "theory of operation" or an oil flow diagram anywhere. Plenty of books that told of "Part A bolts to part B", but that doesn't help much when you're trying to diagnose a problem.

And, it is very discouraging and frustrating because I’ve heard all the horror stories just like everyone else has.

Then, I got a call from a fellow in Pennsylvania who very calmly told me I was silly for taking it to the pros and that, "The hydros are just not that complicated".

Glad I listened to him, ‘cause I sure wouldn’t hesitate to tie into another after being thru this “maiden voyage”.

Nice part was that other than my time involved, my own self-induced worry and hand wringin’, this big, bad “boogie-man” repair didn’t cost me one thin dime. :>)

Allan

Look foward to more pictures.

You're a good man. Thanks for sharing all your challenges and solutions (with photos) along the way. It's almost like being there with you.

Now that you have that one done, I have a 560D that could use a tender touch.....

I am glad that it was such a small thing, those Hydros certainly seem nice, but they scare me for all the reasons that you have been posting about her.

Rob

This thing absolutely terrified me!

Didn't know a darned thing about 'em. The day I discovered the "problem", I just about lost my cookies. Felt just like a kick in the gut.

Then, I got to talking to people. Come to find out, the only folks who cuss 'em are the ones who don't own 'em.

So anyway, I start tearin' into the old sow and got an education in the process.

I'm tellin' ya, they are pretty darned simple; kinda like two Chevy 6-cylinder air conditioning compressors tied back to back with two simple little hydraulic cylinders yankin' on the swishplates. Not much to 'em at all.

Waaayyyyy simpler than those automatics I used to overhaul.

Dunno, I kinda like the things now that I understand 'em a little better.

Allan

We know whom to get to save us all 5K....:>) :>)

Way to Allan, was just sitting back waiting for you to really get serious about that hydraulic problem

What are you serving for the Bar bee que?LOL

Keith & Shawn

This one had me doin' a serious "reality check" on my sanity a couple of times there.

Was assured that the tranny was "just fine" going in; never had a clue it wouldn't pull against a load.

But, I was pretty darned sure it needed a motor when I bought it, but that nightmare just turned out to be a totally clogged air filter. So, I just kept pluggin' away at her for the past 3 months and finally she just gave up and let her milk down. :>)

Think I'd better quit buyin' old tractors while I'm ahead tho. :>(

Allan

Sure couldn't have done it without you guys help. Boy, do I ever appreciate it too!

If it wasn't fer you guys, I'd still be fixin' those darned cars. UGH! :>)

Thanks,

Allan

So excited with myself I plumb forgot. :>)

Little o-ring under the creep adjuster on the bleed side of the pump servo was the main bad guy.

Also, there was an o-ring on the motor servo that looked like it had been cut when it was put in last and the piston guide was pretty rough on the weighted side (I rolled it over so that the other side would carry the load).

Allan