2320 Leaking

thatguy · Jun 18, 2013

let me add - i took my tractor all apart (dash off, seat off, floorboard off) and found the nut that is leaking on mine as just like yours it has to get hot before it drips.... I could NOT get it to tighten at all, it is at a strange angle and even with knuckle socket it wouldnt budge..

I am keeping an eye on the fluid level but so far I have added less than 2 cups over the past few years..

Brian

incubus2432 · Jun 20, 2013

EdC said:
Good luck! When you do break it apart sure would be nice to see pictures. :dance1:

Of course I'll take plenty of pics! I'll need something to go by to get it back together.

thatguy said:
I have the same 'issue'... But I am just keeping an eye on it because it seems you have to split the tractor to get to it..

.....

I talked with the dealer about it and asked if i just made sure the hydraulic fluid stays full would it hurt anything. The service manager didnt see any cause for alarm with it..

Brian

I read your threads while looking for info before posting my "issue" so......Thanks!

I'm able to get a better look at the situation now that the covers are off. I'll try the thread sealant and copper washers before a complete teardown. My biggest issue is finding the time to do all of this. Oh well.....

incubus2432 · Jul 1, 2013

*****UPDATE*****

So my wife got her work bonus recently and said "just let the dealer take care of it on me". Well that's great but I still don't want her wasting any more $$$$ than necessary so we made a cutoff of around $1k. It went in for an estimate and things got annoying real quick. First the charge for the estimate went from $90 to $125 (pick up/drop off was $50 of that). They spent a full hour cleaning and looking at the drips and determined exactly what I told them. "It's leaking from around here somewhere". Thanks.

Then the estimate for the repair went from $900 to $1220. My favorite part is that they think it is just the gasket but it may be a plate behind the hydro pump. If that plate is the issue then that tacks $900+ to the bill.

I understand that the dealer has to make $$$$ and that sometimes you don't know what a problem is until you get into a project but for some reason the whole situation just bugs me so I'm just getting the tractor dropped off back home, I'll order a manual and take care if it myself in the Fall when there is less tractor need. I have a few ideas for interim fixes and I'll update as I give those a shot.

Nooodles · Jul 1, 2013

Just pull each bolt one at a time and put some ARP thread sealant from summit racing.com on them. That stuff will last as long the tractor

incubus2432 · Jul 1, 2013

Nooodles said:
Just pull each bolt one at a time and put some ARP thread sealant from summit racing.com on them. That stuff will last as long the tractor

That's my plan. I have a service due anyway so I'm gonna drain it and clean the threads the best I can (brake cleaner and gun cleaning brushes) and see if the sealant helps. If it's the gasket it won't but it would be silly not to try.

Waldershrek · Jul 2, 2013

incubus2432 said:
*****UPDATE*****

So my wife got her work bonus recently and said "just let the dealer take care of it on me". Well that's great but I still don't want her wasting any more $$$$ than necessary so we made a cutoff of around $1k. It went in for an estimate and things got annoying real quick. First the charge for the estimate went from $90 to $125 (pick up/drop off was $50 of that). They spent a full hour cleaning and looking at the drips and determined exactly what I told them. "It's leaking from around here somewhere". Thanks.

Then the estimate for the repair went from $900 to $1220. My favorite part is that they think it is just the gasket but it may be a plate behind the hydro pump. If that plate is the issue then that tacks $900+ to the bill.

I understand that the dealer has to make $$$$ and that sometimes you don't know what a problem is until you get into a project but for some reason the whole situation just bugs me so I'm just getting the tractor dropped off back home, I'll order a manual and take care if it myself in the Fall when there is less tractor need. I have a few ideas for interim fixes and I'll update as I give those a shot.

FOOOOOF! That's a kick in the wallet.....So from looking at some other threads this seems to be a 2320 problem? Do the other 2 series tractors have this problem as well?

Nooodles · Jul 4, 2013

Waldershrek said:
FOOOOOF! That's a kick in the wallet.....So from looking at some other threads this seems to be a 2320 problem? Do the other 2 series tractors have this problem as well?

what cutter series do you buy.

Waldershrek · Jul 4, 2013

Nooodles said:
what cutter series do you buy.

I'm confused? I assume you were trying to quote somebody else

incubus2432 · Jul 26, 2013

UPDATE.......

So a few other home issues intervened and I wasn't able to tackle this project until this week. Once the fluid was drained I was able to clean everything up and get thread sealer on 5 lower bolts in about 15 minutes. Only 2 were leaking but I saw no harm in taking care of the fasteners where access was easy. I ran it for about 1/2 an hour cutting the grass and checked for leaks and it was bone dry. At that point I noticed that the fluid needed topped off. I'm sure this was just due to air in the system from the fluid/filter change. So then I finish cutting the property (about 3.5 more hours) and check the underside only to find it soaked with fluid......far worse than before I took anything apart. Ugh. Then I notice that I never put the fill plug back in. :laughing: Big dummy!

Anyway I think that it is fixed but won't know for sure until I clean it up and run it for a few hours again.

As a side project while I had things in pieces I went to lube the hydro driveshaft. I can't believe that this design made it into production. Zero access to the front zerk even with the access panel removed. Getting a grease gun hooked to it or even using a needle adapter simply was not possible. I then had the brilliant idea to remove the drive shaft. I know this is the reason that the tractor needs "split" when removing the hydro unit but I figured, wrongly, that it should just come out once unbolted. After messing with it for some time, unbolting it from the front dampner, I was a tad frustrated. I decided to just press out the rear u-joint to give me clearance. BAM.....15 minutes later the shaft was out, greased and reinstalled. I coulda been done with a 4 hour project in 1/2 an hour.

I was lucky that with 250 hours on my tractor both u-joints were in good shape and not dry. Taking the necessary covers off to get access to the shaft to remove it is a bit of a pain but not that big of a deal to do during future services at 100 hour intervals (about 18 months).