1998 John Deere 4300 with 420 Loader problems help!!

[gracianoh]

Im new to tractors in general. Picked up 5 acres and figured I need a tractor to maintain it. I went to a local auction and picked up this beauty. 1998 john deere with only 508 hours with the loader and box scraper. Ive had a few issues already and need some help.

1) first issue is when I tested out the tractor at the auction the bucket worked fine. I take it home and use it for about an hour and bam, the bucket is super slow to rise up but drops fast down (gravity) with a load it will not rise up at all. I have to rev the piss out of it for the bucket to rise up empty. doing a complete fluid change today in hope that for some reason it will help. Any ideas of what my issue can be? no leaks anywhere.

2) I drove the tractor on the street for about a mile to go to another piece of land, and I was on high gear and was probably doing id say about 8 mph just cruising along when bam! I hear what I think something braking in the front axle and the front wheels locked up for a split second. I pulled off to the side and inspected and could not see anything out of the ordinary, I babied it (2mph) to the land but theres this weird noise coming from under the engine now while on drive. any ideas what that could have been? it was not on 4wd when I was on the road. 4wd works fine. tested it when I got to the land.

any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[CobyRupert]

:2cents:
Start with the cheap and easy checks:


Fluid and hyd. oil filter change would be a good first step.
Disconnect and reconnect loader hoses.
Is steering good? Hydrostatic drive good?

Can you hear hydraulics going into "relief" when loader refuses to lift?

At some point you might want a hydraulic pressure gauge to know how much hydraulic pressure tractor is producing and/or to know at what pressure system goes into "relief" (a relief valve opens) instead of lifting/stalling/breaking things. You can get a gauge with hydraulic fitting that plug into tractor's hydraulic port(s). Tractor should produce 2500 psi hydraulic presure.
It would be nice if problem was just a misadjusted (or broken) relief valve spring that causes system to bypass loader at too little pressure.
If tractor isn't producing pressure, pump may be the problem.

When you "tested" 4WD, did you only test that it goes "in' 4WD?
With tractor parked, in 4wd, and front wheels lifted off ground, can you hand turn front wheels?

 

[zzvyb6]

Ummmm, what are those extra extensions and tanks near the hydraulic coupler ports on the right side (left side in the picture)? Some type of redneck filters ? That's not normal.

 

[ptsg]

Ummmm, what are those extra extensions and tanks near the hydraulic coupler ports on the right side (left side in the picture)? Some type of redneck filters ? That's not normal.

Those are just the plugs for the quick connect couplers. So dirt and trash don't get in when the loader is off the tractor. If that is what you're talking about.

 

[pmsmechanic]

You need to adjust the part that clips over the front bumper when the loader is attached before the front end loader falls off. In the third picture it looks like it's just about ready to slip off.

 

[Zebrafive]

:2cents:
Start with the cheap and easy checks:


Fluid and hyd. oil filter change would be a good first step.
Disconnect and reconnect loader hoses.
Is steering good? Hydrostatic drive good?

Can you hear hydraulics going into "relief" when loader refuses to lift?

At some point you might want a hydraulic pressure gauge to know how much hydraulic pressure tractor is producing and/or to know at what pressure system goes into "relief" (a relief valve opens) instead of lifting/stalling/breaking things. You can get a gauge with hydraulic fitting that plug into tractor's hydraulic port(s). Tractor should produce 2500 psi hydraulic presure.
It would be nice if problem was just a misadjusted (or broken) relief valve spring that causes system to bypass loader at too little pressure.
If tractor isn't producing pressure, pump may be the problem.

When you "tested" 4WD, did you only test that it goes "in' 4WD?
With tractor parked, in 4wd, and front wheels lifted off ground, can you hand turn front wheels?

I agree, fluids and filter change, since it's a new to you tractor.

Also uncouple and recouple the loader quick couplers and retest the loader.


This tractor does not have hydrostatic drive. One picture shows collar shift sticker.


I agree check the front axle, I think the noise problem (2) in his post is from it.

Im new to tractors in general. Picked up 5 acres and figured I need a tractor to maintain it. I went to a local auction and picked up this beauty. 1998 john deere with only 508 hours with the loader and box scraper. Ive had a few issues already and need some help.

1) first issue is when I tested out the tractor at the auction the bucket worked fine. I take it home and use it for about an hour and bam, the bucket is super slow to rise up but drops fast down (gravity) with a load it will not rise up at all. I have to rev the piss out of it for the bucket to rise up empty. doing a complete fluid change today in hope that for some reason it will help. Any ideas of what my issue can be? no leaks anywhere.

2) I drove the tractor on the street for about a mile to go to another piece of land, and I was on high gear and was probably doing id say about 8 mph just cruising along when bam! I hear what I think something braking in the front axle and the front wheels locked up for a split second. I pulled off to the side and inspected and could not see anything out of the ordinary, I babied it (2mph) to the land but theres this weird noise coming from under the engine now while on drive. any ideas what that could have been? it was not on 4wd when I was on the road. 4wd works fine. tested it when I got to the land.

any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Number 2 sounds like front axle or drive shaft to front axle has something broken internal.

Ummmm, what are those extra extensions and tanks near the hydraulic coupler ports on the right side (left side in the picture)? Some type of redneck filters ? That's not normal.

Which picture?

 

[gracianoh]

Update, I replaced hydraulic fluid, filter and cleaned the screen underneath which was covered in gunk. Also did an engine oil change and filter for peace of mine and replaced the seals on the cylinder. The dog gone thing still doesn’t pick up a small dirt load. I’m confused. Any other things I can try?? It also drops about 3” a minute when the bucket is up high.

 

[Zebrafive]

System pressure check

The 3"/minute drop and lack of lifting force sounds like the valve is leaking back to sump?

 

[gracianoh]

Where is this valve located. Is this the one under the seat area ?

 

[dfkrug]

Where is this valve located. Is this the one under the seat area ?

Yes, the loader valve and AUX are under the seat.

Looks like you got this at the BarNone auction in Sacto. Did you contact Sierra Tractor to get the history on it?

It does have low hours, and a video was in the listing, showing it did work. Did you also test it before bidding?

I see you have the retrofit retainer bracket to keep the FEL mount in front from coming off. PMSMech noticed it
came loose anyway. Prob caused one of the big noises you heard.

 

[gracianoh]

what should I look for when I check for the vale and aux??
and yes I did win this at the barnone auction. I have not contacted sierra tractor. thats a good idea.
hours were about 508 when I bought it, it did have a video of it from the auction and I did test it all out but wasn't sure on what to look for
when buying this being that im new to tractors. I mean all the functions on it worked fine when I tested it at the auction.
and can you show me exactly what your talking about when you talk about the FEL mount? not sure exactly how its suppose to look like. thanks

 

[sd455dan]

Update, I replaced hydraulic fluid, filter and cleaned the screen underneath which was covered in gunk. Also did an engine oil change and filter for peace of mine and replaced the seals on the cylinder. The dog gone thing still doesn稚 pick up a small dirt load. I知 confused. Any other things I can try?? It also drops about 3 a minute when the bucket is up high. View attachment 614678View attachment 614679

Is it the FEL bucket (Curl) dropping while sitting? - that would likely be a leaking (U) seal(s) in the curl cylinders. When the FEL control is centered the relief valve is not in circuit.
BUT- oil can bypass bad seals and fill in behind the piston as the rod extends

If it is the lift cylinders that are moving when parked, That sounds like the control valve is leaking, since even with bad U seals the rod (should) not compress into the cylinder because fluids do not compress.

3 inches a minute is a pretty good leak somewhere

 

[gracianoh]

Found the problem!
One of the lift cylinders was leaking internally. Seals were cracked and pinched. Bucket is able to lift up the tractor front wheels like nothing now and the bucket doesn’t leak down anymore.

 

[sd455dan]

Found the problem!
One of the lift cylinders was leaking internally. Seals were cracked and pinched. Bucket is able to lift up the tractor front wheels like nothing now and the bucket doesn’t leak down anymore.

interesting,

I see how bad seals would cause almost non existent lifting, but surprised it allowed the fel (boom) cylinders to drop over time


Glad it is fixed :thumbsup:
Always happy when it is just seals, about the least expensive FEL repair

 

[gracianoh]

Yep I was worried when going through the hassle of pulling off the cylinder because it showed no signs of outside leakage. But so glad as soon as I opens it up and seals were cracked. But yes very cheap fix!

 

[dfkrug]

and can you show me exactly what your talking about when you talk about the FEL mount? not sure exactly how its suppose to look like.

The front plate hinges downward when you mount/dismount the FEL. A retrofit latch came out in 2000 because they were coming loose at inappropriate times, apparently. Did yours come loose?

BTW, I am off to the BarNone auction tomorrow AM, to post something in the next auction.

 

[gracianoh]

It does have that hinge on my tractor. Does it not look right ?? and oh what are you going to auction off?

 

[pmsmechanic]

It does have that hinge on my tractor. Does it not look right ?? and oh what are you going to auction off?
View attachment 614916

Out of the first four pictures you posted there is a closeup of this assembly in the third picture. The safety that John Deere provided is not readily visible and if you look closely at the left side of the picture the hinge that holds the loader onto the tractor looks like it's about to slip off. Obviously with the safety on it can't but I missed that when I first looked at the picture. In the above picture everything looks fine.

 

[dfkrug]

It does have that hinge on my tractor. Does it not look right ?? and oh what are you going to auction off?

It looks OK in the photo. Your earlier one did not look quite like that.

The bandaid "latch" is not necessary if you put a bolt or 2 thru the holes. I think the idea was to avoid wrenches when you mount/dismount the FEL.

Up for auction will be a Chinese 1-ton mini-X with Briggs & Stratton engine.

 

[gracianoh]

update: I replaced the right side lift hydraulic ram "all seals were cracked or pinched" and everything seemed to function properly. It now picks up the bucket with actual load in it with no problem. it was all fine for a day and than I started noticing the bucket still bleeds off with a load on it. its pretty noticeable, so im going to replace the other side hydraulic lift ram and see if the seals are bad in it. anyone have the diagram of how to get valve and aux under the seat? what to inspect?