2006 RTV900 Transmission won’t engage

[KYBluegrass]

New member trying to help out my elderly neighbors that have a 2006 Kubota RTV900. Used just to bring feed and supplies back and forth to their barn down the street. He had a family member change the oil and overfilled the engine by googling and finding the wrong answer. Filled up and started overfilled, ended up seizing the starter and started smoking. I undid battery, replaced starter and engine fired, blew some smoke and now runs ok.

Thought we were done and now the UTV won’t engage the transmission. Can shift to any gear easily and locks into position but given gas it just revs and doesn’t move. I can manually push it into and out of the garage in any gear with brake released. I pulled and checked the gear change mechanism on top of the transmission and forks are aligned, everything moving smooth.

Has anyone encountered this and was able to diagnose and fix without taking the entire hydrostatic and transmission off the engine? Trying to help and save them money plus the local Kubota dealer is a 4 week wait just to get in right now. Appreciate the help.

 

[ruffdog]

First thing to check is the rear axle nuts. If the nut(s) got loose and the splines in the hub were stripped, the axle will just spin in the hub. It is easy to see the axles turning from the back too. That is the easy fix..............

 

[TractorTech]

Welcome to TBN!
Did the family member change the transmission filter/oil? Oil level in transmission correct?

 

[ruffdog]

Welcome to TBN!
Did the family member change the transmission filter/oil? Oil level in transmission correct?

^^^yes! Being that the family member may have filled the engine to the top of the valve cover, we would have to wonder about EVERY possibility imaginable.

 

[KYBluegrass]

Well you guys nailed it. I believed him when he said that nothing else had been touched. Didn’t check the simplest fix

He must have messed with the transmission as well because I pulled a filter and it was empty. So checked fluid and really, really low. Feel dumb now but hope this helps someone in the future. Filters were Amazon special so off to Kubota dealer and bought filters, transmission fluid and rest of filters (fuel/air). Dumped transmission, installed everything and she’ll move now. Going to get the bed back on and drive it around in the morning.

Thanks for the quick replies!

 

[TractorTech]

Great to hear. As a service manager, the dumb question has to be asked as sometimes it is not even suspected!