Kent
Bronze Member
Background info...my Robin EH72 wouldn't start and was popping flames out of the carb. After I ruled out all the usual problems I broke down and called the local Robin repair shop, which after an initial diagnosis of either a timing or valve problem, dragged the thing onto their trailer and took it off the shop. (After reading all the posts and trying various things I still can't find how to use the "tow valve" on my 2011 model, so it was a "man against 1200 lbs of dead weight" battle winching it up the trailer ramp).
It turns out the problem was a blown stator assembly...and due to the lack of clearance he couldn't remove the shroud or make the repair without pulling the engine. Not having worked on PTs before and me not knowing any better, he also felt he couldn't get the engine out without taking both pumps with it, so it was a big job that took 4.5 hours total. The bill was $409. (I have subsequently learned on this forum that it may be possible to just remove the engine.)
Before committing to removing the engine he was tempted to take a torch to the back of the tub and cut it off, replacing it with 1" bars on three sides and tapping bolt holes. Had the back of the tub been removable, the stator job would have taken him under an hour.
He also mentioned that the blower housing was clogged with grass (not visible from the outside) and perhaps that contributed to the failure. And when I asked how I could keep it clean, he could only come up with "pull the engine".
And of course having removed all the hydraulic hoses, the tractor came back with what I hope is just lots of air in the system, which I will bleed this afternoon. Right now the engine works great but there is almost zero power to the wheels, no reverse to speak of.
So his suggestion is to cut off the back of the tub and make it a bolt-on access hatch, which would make it easier to work on the tractor, and in his opinion, not sacrifice its strength.
Thoughts?
It turns out the problem was a blown stator assembly...and due to the lack of clearance he couldn't remove the shroud or make the repair without pulling the engine. Not having worked on PTs before and me not knowing any better, he also felt he couldn't get the engine out without taking both pumps with it, so it was a big job that took 4.5 hours total. The bill was $409. (I have subsequently learned on this forum that it may be possible to just remove the engine.)
Before committing to removing the engine he was tempted to take a torch to the back of the tub and cut it off, replacing it with 1" bars on three sides and tapping bolt holes. Had the back of the tub been removable, the stator job would have taken him under an hour.
He also mentioned that the blower housing was clogged with grass (not visible from the outside) and perhaps that contributed to the failure. And when I asked how I could keep it clean, he could only come up with "pull the engine".
And of course having removed all the hydraulic hoses, the tractor came back with what I hope is just lots of air in the system, which I will bleed this afternoon. Right now the engine works great but there is almost zero power to the wheels, no reverse to speak of.
So his suggestion is to cut off the back of the tub and make it a bolt-on access hatch, which would make it easier to work on the tractor, and in his opinion, not sacrifice its strength.
Thoughts?