newbie advice if you have any

   / newbie advice if you have any #1  

rsmith02184

Silver Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Messages
114
Tractor
JD 4100
hi

new to the country life. bought a 2000 JD 4100 with FEL with 320 hours. have put on about 150 hours since i bought it.

i use it to mow, move driveway gravel. this summer i put in an inground pool and used it for backfilling and other moving projects.

since i am new to tractors, i have no "base" to decide if my tractor is running well. i am beginning to think it is running "rough".

it spits black smoke when it starts and sometimes i see that black smoke when it is under a load.

i wanted to move some dirt from a pile that had sat exposed for a few months and when i drove into it and attempted to lift, the engine bogged down. i had to move out of the pile and lift less dirt, in order for the engine to keep running.

i have change the oil regulary and i did the normal pre-500 hour maintenance when i bought it.

i have had only 2 problems with the tractor. one: i noticed hydraulic fluid coming out of the quick connects on the FEL. i don't know how to fix this problem so i have done nothing.

and two: i dropped a small plastic cap from my diesel stabilizer fluid into the fuel tank and i couldn't get it out. i used the tractor many times after that and everytime the cap moved over the fuel pick-up, it shut the engine off. I finally got the cap out and it runs fine. I just don't know if I might have thrown off the timing or messed up the injectors.

so, here is my question: i love my tractor and paid more money than i thought i was going to. i want it to last a long time.

do you have any advice on how to upkeep the tractor or do you have any concerns about what i said at the beginning of this post?

thanks from indiana
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #2  
I am no expert, but...

1. Some black smoke on startup and a little when under a heavy load is normal. Now, if it is billowing out clouds continuously, then you have a problem.

2. After dirt has set for a while, it settles. This will make it hard to break out a bucket-full. Many on here have a method of lifting and curling the FEL as you dig into a pil to get a good bucket load. The engine will bog down if it can't break it loose. Like when you try to curl the bucket past the cylinders maximum travel.

3. The quick connects leaking.... I don't have experiance here, but inside they probably have little O-rings that might need replacing, or maybe the quick connects are loose and need to be tighened?

4. The stabilizer cap. I figure it didn't hurt anything.

Diesels sound and feel a little "rough." That is normal. I am not saying you don't have problems, but I imo, you probably have nothing to worry about.

Just my $.02
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #3  
I agree with JAYDAVIS. Enjoy your tractor and keep an eye on your Hydraulic fluid until you get those leaks squared away.

Jeff
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #4  
I'm not familiar with that particular model, but I've owned a NH TN65 and now a MF 1455v. A little smoke on startup isn't unusual. Note that I said a little.
What gear/range are you approaching that hard dirtpile with? You go in at high range chances are good you'll lug the engine. Try changing to low range, and check out your different gear selections there and see if it does better driving the bucket. If you have 4wd, get into 4wd for better traction. Seems to me that if I've got a hard pile sometimes it helps to drive the bucket in at ground level and lift/curl. Often I'll just dump the bucket on top of the pile and get another... trying to loosen the pile up some and then it works better. Also helps to have a toothbar.
If you're already working in low range and the engine is stalling sounds like you may have a problem... may be dirty air filters, fuel filters, or other more expensive items.
The easiest way to fix the leaking quick disconnnects is to buy replacements. Then always try to have them covered when not in use, and wipe the fittings with a rag before making a connection to try to keep dust and grit out.
Good luck.
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #5  
I agree wth JayDavis' comments. You probably don't have any problems with the tractor.

Here is a tip about diging out a pile.
When you first start digging a pile you drive up to a pile and start with the bucket low and drive in about a bucket's worth and then start to roll back the bucket back to fill the bucket to its capacity. At the same time you start lifting the bucket so you can clear the pile--all the while continuing to drive forward to keep the bucket filled.

Well, you can't do all this at the same time. What happens is the hydraulics or motor will stall and you can't lift the bucket out of the pile. This means you don't get a full bucket load and you have to back up and attack it again.

You have to ease up on the forward motion because the tractor push on the pile will exceed the loader capacity. After a while you get the feel of how much to ease up on the power pedal as you penetrate the pile and you roll back and lift a bit sooner to scrape a load off the front of the pile instead of digging it out of the pile.

Some folks here have suggested dumping the curl as you penetrate the pile and then curl back and lift. The idea is the curl dumping separates the dirt from the pile so it can be scooped up. I haven't tried this yet, but, I've used the first approach successfully.
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #6  
It might also be a good idea to have some weight on the back of the tractor. This will help your traction when you get into the pile.
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #7  
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( i noticed hydraulic fluid coming out of the quick connects on the FEL. i don't know how to fix this problem so i have done nothing.
)</font>

Here's a previous thread to try for this part of your situation. Good luck! hydraulic leak thread
 
   / newbie advice if you have any
  • Thread Starter
#8  
thanks everyone. i will try what you suggest.

i eventually got better at breaking up that pile of dirt by using different methods. i only use low gear HST when pulling the dirt out.

next, i will take a look at the hydraulic leak. One question though, what damage could be done if the hydraulic fluid were to leak out completely?

thanks again

happy tractoring!
 
   / newbie advice if you have any #10  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One question though, what damage could be done if the hydraulic fluid were to leak out completely? )</font>

With NO fluid, you could not even drive it, the Tranny shares the same fluid as the loader and 3 point hitch. But Low fluid is bad also, your hydraulic pump could suck air intermittently causing the fluid to get foamy and lead to early pump failure.

Hydraulic fluid is the BLOOD in these machines, take care of it and it will take care of you!

You can get replacement QD's at the JD Dealer for about $18.00, and it will take 5 minutes to change. Get it fixed!
 
 
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