Oil & Fuel 2320 Hydraulics Question..

[cttractor]

Thanks CTTractor.. I appreciate the help -

I got the floorboard loose enough that I can look under it and theres not much to see there.. everything is dusty so the leak is not coming from there.. so i dont have to take the dash apart to get the floorboard off - IF i had a temp guage i would install it when the dash was to come apart though.. LOL

I've got the tractor running for over 30 minutes and its still not leaking..

I may just have to put it all back together and then mowe next week - and take it back apart then so see if i can see where its leaking..

thanks so much

b

You're very welcome!

One more thing: the overflow vent is under the seat. You can get at it by removing the seat, then removing the plate (seat plate) to which the seat and seat belts mount. Once those are removed, there is one more plate (called the seat base) over the hydraulic motor/rear end. The transmission vent mounts to the underside of that plate and connects to the hydraulic system with a hose to a vent tube. If that is the source of your leak because you had overfilled the hydraulic system, you'd see oil all over the hydraulic motor/rear end assembly under that vent.

 

[thatguy]

CTTractor - I found the overflow vent but it had not had anything blown out.. and im a pro at taking the seat off.. It has been off/on 4 to 6 times now.. At least this time i got smart and didnt put the plastic liner back on so it will be one less thing to have to remove next time.. LOL

I am at a loss right now on where/how its leaking.. I am beginning to wonder if it is the grease..

I switched grease just before this 'leak' started.. when i went to grease for the first time I found a puddle of goldish looking fluid by the grease gun - and the garage had been in the pretty hot.. I switched from 'green grease' to the Advance Auto lithium/moly..

I am pondering that the grease in the u-joint for the mmm pto is slinging grease up on the rear and there it melts and drips back down.. the color would be the same as what I saw under the grease gun.. BUT I know i didnt over-grease that much..

next week i will drive the tractor around until its good and hot and see if it is still leaking.. IF not and it leaks when the MMM is attached I have narrowed my potential areas..

thanks

brian

 

[Gizmo2]

The mower height knob just slides off. If you have difficulty, place a long handled screwdriver with the center shaft of the screwdriver under the knob and gently lift up.

The floorboard is somewhat more involved. It has several 12mm bolts around it that must be removed. You'll also have to remove the forward and reverse pedals, the SCV lever, and the lower shroud of the control panel (the one where the Parking Brake and Cruise Control levers are). That requires that you at least loosen the Control Panel itself.

If you have any other reason to open this stuff up, such as running any wires from the Control Panel to the rear of the tractor, this is a great time to do it while it's opened up.

I would grease that front u-joint while it's open also. I know I am dreading that deal.

 

[cttractor]

CTTractor - I found the overflow vent but it had not had anything blown out.. and im a pro at taking the seat off.. It has been off/on 4 to 6 times now.. At least this time i got smart and didnt put the plastic liner back on so it will be one less thing to have to remove next time.. LOL

I am at a loss right now on where/how its leaking.. I am beginning to wonder if it is the grease..

I switched grease just before this 'leak' started.. when i went to grease for the first time I found a puddle of goldish looking fluid by the grease gun - and the garage had been in the pretty hot.. I switched from 'green grease' to the Advance Auto lithium/moly..

I am pondering that the grease in the u-joint for the mmm pto is slinging grease up on the rear and there it melts and drips back down.. the color would be the same as what I saw under the grease gun.. BUT I know i didnt over-grease that much..

next week i will drive the tractor around until its good and hot and see if it is still leaking.. IF not and it leaks when the MMM is attached I have narrowed my potential areas..

thanks

brian

If whatever is leaking is "golden colored" as you mention, then it's not hydraulic fluid and you need not be concerned about looking there. The hydraulic fluid is red. The only other fluids of any quantity are engine oil, diesel fuel, and coolant. Each has its own characteristic smell that should help you discern what it is.

Gizmo2's comment of greasing the front U-joint when it's open is a good idea if your machine is approaching a service interval needing that done. I try to batch my jobs related to any particular part of the tractor that I need to access so I open things up as rarely as possible.

 

[cttractor]

I meant to add that, if what you've been looking for is actually grease instead of some fluid, then you shouldn't find much of it. A puddle will indicate one of the fluids I mentioned and not grease.

 

[perazzi15]

I have a 2720 and I can not find this dip stick that you can use to check fluid level and was wondering where it is located? I only can find the fill plug in the front by the 4x4 lever.

 

[thatguy]

If whatever is leaking is "golden colored" as you mention, then it's not hydraulic fluid and you need not be concerned about looking there. The hydraulic fluid is red. The only other fluids of any quantity are engine oil, diesel fuel, and coolant. Each has its own characteristic smell that should help you discern what it is.

Gizmo2's comment of greasing the front U-joint when it's open is a good idea if your machine is approaching a service interval needing that done. I try to batch my jobs related to any particular part of the tractor that I need to access so I open things up as rarely as possible.

I am using Amsoil hydraulic fluid and it is clear.. And from what I read even the JD is clear-ish unless you add dye to it (which they do at the factory)..

next week Ill try to catch some to get a better look at it..

b

 

[cttractor]

I am using Amsoil hydraulic fluid and it is clear.. And from what I read even the JD is clear-ish unless you add dye to it (which they do at the factory)..

next week Ill try to catch some to get a better look at it..

b

Actually, Brian, you're correct: hydraulic fluid is clear on the 2000 series. I'm confusing it with my other tractor. Regardless, just try to match your leak to whatever fluids or grease you're using and that should help you to find the source.

 

[cttractor]

I have a 2720 and I can not find this dip stick that you can use to check fluid level and was wondering where it is located? I only can find the fill plug in the front by the 4x4 lever.

On the 2320, there is no dipstick for hydraulic fluid. Instead, there's a site glass at the rear of the tractor beside the PTO shaft. You just add fluid until the level reaches the halfway point on the site glass.

I don't know whether or not it's the same with the 2720, but you should at least look there and see if there is a site glass or not.