Ponytug - Group embarrassment time

[sandman2234]

I had a 55 Custom Deluxe p/u that wouldn't start after a motor rebuild unless you had the clutch all the way to the floor. Figured out one night when I saw sparks coming from the back of the pedal to the floorboard. It wasn't getting a ground without the clutch pedal engaged with the floorboard. A ground strap had fallen behind the engine and gotten missed during reinstall. That little problem wouldn't be possible with todays cars, having carpet or even mats.
David from jax

 

[SpringHollow]

Okay, not PT related but I am curious. I had an old Toyota Supra that was messed up electrically. When you hit the horn, the lights would pop up, wipers turn on, etc. So I paid $200 to the shop to have them find out what was wrong. They said they fixed it but when I tried it in the parking lot, same thing happened. Pissed, I took it home to check it out myself. I thought a bad ground. Checking out the fuse box, I noticed one fuse looked discolored but it still showed continuity. I replaced the blade fuse and everything worked fine! About every year or so, I would have the same problems and replacing the again discolored fuse would solve it. Car worked great otherwise all the time I had it.

Any ideas?

Ken

 

[SpringHollow]

Thanks a lot - you guys jinxed me!!!

I was finishing up all of my work on the tractor and went to fire it up and her a snap and no juice. Thought for sure I had pulled loose a wire on the tractor while I was working on it and that it shorted out. Checked the large fuses and they were good. Circuit breaker on the dash was not thrown. After about 10 minutes I had power again. Strange. Tried lights, etc. and they all worked. Tried the starter and got the same snapping sound and no juice again. This time, power came back in 15 minutes. I thought for sure there was a thermal breaker someplace I did not know about. It did it one more time. I tore everything apart and started tracking grounds and voltages but all the wiring I did was fine. Now I've got 2 hours into this mess. Then I noticed that the voltage on terminal strip connection #1 (battery) is 12 V until I turn the accessory key on then it goes to zero volts. If there was short in the accessory circuit, I should have blown something. Jumpering ground points to a good ground did not help. I decided to check the battery again because it was sounding like I could not get enough current out of the battery. Any current draw made the voltage go to zero. As I was putting the multimeter onto the battery, my arm nudged the ground cable to the battery and all my dash gauges lit up. It was a bad factory crimp on the connector for the battery terminal. Talk about bad grounds! Squishing it in a vise and smashing it made a usable connection until I can replace it. It is really ironic because I was going to replace both cables while I was doing all this work and the auto parts place was all out of ones the correct length.

Ken

 

[ponytug]

Well guys, after putting four hours on the 1445 putzing around doing light chores, I decided to put it to work.

I started pulling tree stumps and leveling an area to make a terrace for the garden. After about an hour, I looked down as I turned, and I saw a wave of oil slosh on to the ground. Since I was on a 15+ degree slope that was to be a vegie garden, I hustled the tractor off the slope up to the parking pad, turned it off and opened up the engine cowl.

Oil coated the pump area of the tractor and was flowing liberally out of the drain holes. After a frantic run for oil pans to get under the holes, and stabilize the mess. I couldn't see where it had leaked from. Surprise.

With the brake on, operating all the hydraulics nothing seemed to leak.

The only fittings that were a little loose (3/4 turn) to a cresent wrench were two lines on tram pump. Is it possible that one or the other could have fairly sudden sprayed a quart or so of oil all over?

If not, any ideas?

What's the best way to clean the spilled oil off of the pumps, lines and engine compartment?

Thanks!

Peter

P.S. The 4N1 did a great job of getting under stumps and prying them or their roots out of the ground.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Oil is under a lot of pressure in this system and if it can find a way out it will. 3/4 of a turn is a lot, and from my experience quite typical of PT's labor force. It is funny how people complain about the workmanship on Chinese tractors, but the mechanics at PT seem to leave a lot to be desired...

I digress.

You can use something as cheap as Dawn dishwashing detergent to something as expensive as engine cleaner, it will all do the job. For me I have to angle the PT just right so all the gunk goes out a wheel well hole... Compressed air is also a good way to get oil off.

Fill your tank back up, tighten those hose up really tight, and start it up... If you don't see any leaks bobs your uncle, but I would keep a watchful eye on it for at least another hour of work...

Carl

 

[ponytug]

Just a quick follow up. It seems that I blew a seal on the motor. It is leaking through the side of the casing, about 2.5" outboard from the hydraulic hose connections.

I noticed a weep on one of the front motors; that is, there is enough oil coming out for dust to accumulate and look wet. Is this normal?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Rip]

Peter,

just had the last of three sets of house guests leave yesterday, and then a forth unscheduled visitor (full grown black bear) showed up for breakfast in our kitchen garbage can at 5:30 this morning! So I just got back on these forums.

Slight "weeping" of various hydraulic componants, fittings and hoses over time is "not abnormal", however loose fittings and blown seals should not be happening (although they unfortunately do).

I bought my used 1845 after the first owner (from this site) had dealt with all the sloppy assembly and other PT-caused bugs, so I have not had much problem since. Does not hurt to keep a close eye and put a wrench or socket on most any fitting or bolt you can see just to tweak them. Sometimes this will prevent a problem and even stop a weep situation, othertimes things will weep or even leak no matter what you try.

You will either get pretty intimate with your PT or your favorite buddy/mechanic will. All you have to do is read most of the other brand boards to hear the littany of woes many have with dealers though, so you have more control of the situation with the enforced DIY aspects of PT ownership. Bear in mind that those with the most problems tend to post a lot, while those whose machines tend to just go-and-go often remain more in the background.

Mean while, sounds like the blown seal issue (and loose fittings) needs to be brought to Terry's attention right away. Sorry such a problem cropped up so soon, but hopefully you machine will settle down after this.

Sounded like quite an experience with the shipping/unloading issues, but glad all turned out well.

Rip

 

[ponytug]

Dear Rip,

Thanks for the thoughts. I think it is fixed now, and yes, I'm getting much more familiar with the mechanics of the PT.

Thought of you today; there is a medium sized fire burning across the valley. No sign of control yet.

All the best,

Peter

Peter,

just had the last of three sets of house guests leave yesterday, and then a forth unscheduled visitor (full grown black bear) showed up for breakfast in our kitchen garbage can at 5:30 this morning! So I just got back on these forums.

Slight "weeping" of various hydraulic componants, fittings and hoses over time is "not abnormal", however loose fittings and blown seals should not be happening (although they unfortunately do).

I bought my used 1845 after the first owner (from this site) had dealt with all the sloppy assembly and other PT-caused bugs, so I have not had much problem since. Does not hurt to keep a close eye and put a wrench or socket on most any fitting or bolt you can see just to tweak them. Sometimes this will prevent a problem and even stop a weep situation, othertimes things will weep or even leak no matter what you try.

You will either get pretty intimate with your PT or your favorite buddy/mechanic will. All you have to do is read most of the other brand boards to hear the littany of woes many have with dealers though, so you have more control of the situation with the enforced DIY aspects of PT ownership. Bear in mind that those with the most problems tend to post a lot, while those whose machines tend to just go-and-go often remain more in the background.

Mean while, sounds like the blown seal issue (and loose fittings) needs to be brought to Terry's attention right away. Sorry such a problem cropped up so soon, but hopefully you machine will settle down after this.

Sounded like quite an experience with the shipping/unloading issues, but glad all turned out well.

Rip

 

[Rip]

Peter,

Sure hope they get a quick handle on that fire and that winds are calm. I've found that wind is the single biggest factor in rate of spread and how quickly it can be brought under control.

Update on our four-legged visitor, it was more probably an adolecent, as that is what came back to the same door this afternoon. Will have to see how determined it becomes to come back for seconds.

We've been lucky this year in terms of wildfires along the front range of Colorado. Best of luck with your situation ! !

Rip

 

[ponytug]

Dear Ken,

Interesting. I have two thoughts, depending upon how the how the horn wiring goes. Some horns are wired so that the switch shorts to ground at the steering wheel, others route 12+V through the switch. In the first case, I would guess that there was a poor ground on the instrument cluster, so pressing the horn caused enough voltage to flow into the cluster, causing the lights, wipers, etc. to turn on. Otherwise, I would have checked for either a short in the connectors or cables (which I think you or the shop would have found), or a poor ground at the horns, which feed back via the headlight solenoids to the instrument panel.

Do you still own the car?

All the best,

Peter

Okay, not PT related but I am curious. I had an old Toyota Supra that was messed up electrically. When you hit the horn, the lights would pop up, wipers turn on, etc. So I paid $200 to the shop to have them find out what was wrong. They said they fixed it but when I tried it in the parking lot, same thing happened. Pissed, I took it home to check it out myself. I thought a bad ground. Checking out the fuse box, I noticed one fuse looked discolored but it still showed continuity. I replaced the blade fuse and everything worked fine! About every year or so, I would have the same problems and replacing the again discolored fuse would solve it. Car worked great otherwise all the time I had it.

Any ideas?

Ken