Tractor maintenance suggestions

[fredm]

OK my dad bought a new tractor 2 years ago and his older tractor has been neglected. Mowing season is coming up so I dusted it off a few weeks ago to do some miscellaneous stuff on it. I noticed the tire pressure was way down and the oil filter looked quite old.

I purchased some new Rotella oil and a filter and plan to flush the radiator.

Anything else that is quick, easy and a really good idea to do?

Can someone give me the low down and dirty on using regular old anti-freeze? I am guessing it is better than whatever several year old crap is in there right?

I don't want to spend all day on this, but am thinking about a fuel filter swap. I have bad memories as a kid of the tractor not starting after messing with that though.

 

[patrick_g]

Anything else that is quick, easy and a really good idea to do?

Can someone give me the low down and dirty on using regular old anti-freeze? I am guessing it is better than whatever several year old crap is in there right?

There is anti-freeze and then there is ANTI-FREEZE!!! You want the Good Stuff, rated for diesel service, not cavitation prone, probably a 50-50 mix of concentrate and water AFTER flushing the radiator and block. If it has been a long time since the poor old thing has had its cooling system cleaned you might want to consider a chemical flush. Not expensive, quick and easy to do, pretty good results for minimum cost and hassle.

Diesel, right? When changing fuel filters be careful to fill the new filter with fuel before closing everything up and trying to start the engine. Diesels HATE air in their fuel. Hard starting after changing a fuel filter is virtually guaranteed to be air in the fuel lines. IF you get too much air into the fuel lines the engine may not start. You then need to "bleed" the air out of the system. Goes fast with a little help from someone who can crank the engine on demand while you are loosening and tightening the injectors.

A more complete description of the process is available for the asking or Google on "bleeding a diesel fuel system."

Separate comment: Why do retailers sell premixed (50-50) ready to use anti-freeze? Why pay to truck water to the user and send yet another one gallon plastic bottle to the landfill? I'd have thought most users would have access to water and could add their own. A gallon of premix is half a gallon of anti-freeze and half a gallon of water but costs more than 1/2 the price of a gallon of anti-freeze so is a rip-off.

Pat

 

[Egon]

Separate comment: Why do retailers sell premixed (50-50) ready to use anti-freeze? Why pay to truck water to the user and send yet another one gallon plastic bottle to the landfill? I'd have thought most users would have access to water and could add their own. A gallon of premix is half a gallon of anti-freeze and half a gallon of water but costs more than 1/2 the price of a gallon of anti-freeze so is a rip-off.

Hopefully the premixed is using distilled or proper water in the mix. Us home water fellows might not have access to good water just when we need it and get some water in that has unwanted good stuff in it.

 

[Soundguy]

what tractor is it.. that's help some too.

soundguy

 

[patrick_g]

Hopefully the premixed is using distilled or proper water in the mix. Us home water fellows might not have access to good water just when we need it and get some water in that has unwanted good stuff in it.

Plenty of convenience stores, drug stores, and so forth sell distilled water by the gallon. It keeps well and has multiple uses such as steam irons, topping off batteries, and mixing antifreeze. I suppose if it is just way too much to deal with (having some distilled water on the shelf at home) then it is a good thing you can buy premixed ready to use.

What about 2 stroke fuel? Now there is a terrific biz-op for someone, selling all the different ratios of gas to oil premixed and ready to use as it is just way too complicated to DIY.

Pat

 

[timswi]

Separate comment: Why do retailers sell premixed (50-50) ready to use anti-freeze? Why pay to truck water to the user and send yet another one gallon plastic bottle to the landfill? I'd have thought most users would have access to water and could add their own. A gallon of premix is half a gallon of anti-freeze and half a gallon of water but costs more than 1/2 the price of a gallon of anti-freeze so is a rip-off

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I admit that I have overpaid for the pre mix..reason is that I wanted the green stuff for equipment "top off" and didn't need 2 gallons of anti-freeze laying around. Everything else I own run Dexcool...I do mix that myself.

 

[patrick_g]

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I admit that I have overpaid for the pre mix..reason is that I wanted the green stuff for equipment "top off" and didn't need 2 gallons of anti-freeze laying around. Everything else I own run Dexcool...I do mix that myself.

You don't have to mix the whole gallon of concentrate immediately. The concentrate has a very long shelf life.

Of course if you were living in say a miniature tear drop camper pulled by a motorcycle then the storage issue might be paramount.

Pat (Too frugal by far)

 

[RobertBrown]

"Anything else that is quick, easy and a really good idea to do?"

You might want to get busy with the grease gun. If that thing is like any other tractor it has grease zerks everywhere,

 

[fredm]

Is diesel rated anti freeze available at walmart or do I need to go to auto parts/tractor supply?

Grease is a given, the mower alone has a ton of zerks.

 

[Soundguy]

at least in my area you can get fleet 'pre charged' coolant. look for mention of anti cavitation or electrolysis addatives.. or . etc.

soundguy