Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out

   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out #1  
C

ChrisInKY

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
33
Location
Dry Ridge
Tractor
MF GC1705
Mowed about 7 rows in back yard on hill. Coming up hill I lost all power. Shut blades off and crawled to top of hill (where it was safe). Hopped off to check hydraulic level (I had checked before mowing and it was fine) and low and behold the site glass was missing.

Took my son an hour+ but we found it in the back yard along with trails of hydro fluid all over the grass :-(

Still under warranty - do you guys think operating it like this I've damaged anything? Anyone else lost the sight glass before? Found the part and its just cheap plastic. Little worried about it happening again long term.

For now leaving it parked and will tow to dealer tomorrow....

Photos of missing sight glass and my wonderful hydro trails in the grass (didn't notice as it rained last night and grass was slightly wet).....

Shared album - Chris Storer - Google Photos
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out #2  
Put loctite on it. If it was still moving, it still had some oil pressure. I would not be worried about it. I would fill the transmission back up and run for a few hours. I would then change the transmission fluid paying special attention to the suction screen. If there is an inordinate amount of metal in the screen I would be carrying it to the dealer. Document everything with pictures or video.
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks. At this point with right at 200 hours on it I think I'll roll it on a trailer and have the dealer take a look, will call Massey in the morning see what they can do....
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out #4  
I'd water the heck out of your lawn where the hydro fluid hit or those strips could be dead for a couple years.

Did the sight glass break or it somehow came loose ???? Did any warning lights come on ?
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out #6  
Was the HST whining or growling more than normal? Did power steering still work OK? If noisy or steering wasn't working I would have the dealer come and get it since these would indicate you were running low on oil and cavitating the pump(s) which is a death sentence to pumps.
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Where it broke is so far back I can't water it well (I could if the tractor worked and I could fill the 3pt sprayer with water, buuuuut....)

The sight glass just popped out. It is plastic. It had some of the gray factory paint still attached to it also, no clue why it came out. When I got the tractor I had what I thought was a bad leak. I took it to the dealer, they cleaned it and told me it had been overfilled by the dealer that sold it to me (bought several hours north, and then service closer to home). That was at 50 hours, I'm at 200 now. I watch the hydro fill glass carefully after the initial issue.
I found the site glass (or plastic really) about 1/2 way up my hill on probably my 3rd of 7 passes, so I made 3 or 4 trips back up the hill until I noticed anything.
So, no alarms, no lights no indication anything was wrong. We got rain last night, a big temp drop, and high humidity so there was lots of dew on the grass. As I went up the steepest part of the hill I was losing power, mower was spinning strong, so I thought the tires were spinning. I engaged 4wd, tried again and moved slowly up the hill, I watched the wheels and had no slipping, so I figured something was wrong. I parked it 20ft from where it had trouble on a flat/safe spot, hopped off to check fluids and found the glass was gone. Shut tractor off immediately and had neighbors help me push it to the garage.....
Took a good long while, found the site glass piece, it's black plastic with ridges to press into the spot on the hydrostat. I'm guessing it worked out, I have no clue if it's under pressure or not, but very nervous trusting just "popping" it back in for the long term. Also worried I may have damaged my transaxle/pump for the long term. Plant to call Massey in the morning and see what they want me to do.

I'm mid having an inground pool put in, I really need the tractor for landscaping by the end of the week, and of course the grass need cuts. So for the short term I'll have to pay someone to cut the grass, and figure the rest out as it comes.... Nothing's ever easy....


AxleHub said:
I'd water the heck out of your lawn where the hydro fluid hit or those strips could be dead for a couple years.

Did the sight glass break or it somehow came loose ???? Did any warning lights come on ?
Click to expand...
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out
  • Thread Starter
#8  
oldnslo said:
Was the HST whining or growling more than normal? Did power steering still work OK? If noisy or steering wasn't working I would have the dealer come and get it since these would indicate you were running low on oil and cavitating the pump(s) which is a death sentence to pumps.
Click to expand...

I did not hear the HST whine, however the mower blades were engaged until the end (which I think goes through the HST). Power steer was dead as a doornail, could barely steer it. Thats my fear - think I should push for a pump replacement?
 
   / Help! GC1705 Hydraulics out #9  
i would tell em i want a brand new tractor period. they can deal with what long term problem it will have. keep you in the same payments you are now etc. I would no except anything else. i would have every single little thing documented.
 
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