~15yo riding mower/tractor tranny likely dying
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̶W̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶l̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶a̶p̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶a̶m̶o̶u̶n̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶r̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶c̶r̶o̶s̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶-̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶f̶a̶r̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶t̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶m̶i̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶-̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶s̶u̶p̶p̶o̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶p̶?̶ ̶M̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶v̶y̶ ̶c̶o̶i̶n̶-̶s̶i̶z̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶a̶g̶n̶e̶t̶ ̶s̶i̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶r̶a̶d̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ̶(̶c̶o̶v̶e̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶y̶u̶c̶k̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶m̶e̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶d̶u̶s̶t̶)̶.̶
̶D̶o̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶p̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶g̶n̶e̶t̶ ̶h̶o̶l̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶?̶ ̶S̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶?̶
Edit: I ordered a transmission seal kit (has new axle and other seals, new filler cap, new vent plug/cap, new filter, plus 5-50W oil that they claim is made special for them right and a tube of gasket maker). The filter goes in the transmission much deeper down than can be reached from the cap.
The price of the oil and the caps I need was more than the entire kit, and I figure with how many hours this has on it already (likely 400-500) and the condition of the goo I drained out of the transmission it would be a good idea to crack the whole thing and do a full clean-out, especially the filter. Unfortunately that means waiting most of a week for this stuff before getting my mower back on line; local shop didn't have anything for this "unserviceable" transmission (it's funny that TuffTorq calls it unserviceable but 1, has a web page on oil changes 2, sells a seal kit 3, sells a complete rebuild kit).
̶D̶o̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶p̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶g̶n̶e̶t̶ ̶h̶o̶l̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶?̶ ̶S̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶e̶r̶?̶
Edit: I ordered a transmission seal kit (has new axle and other seals, new filler cap, new vent plug/cap, new filter, plus 5-50W oil that they claim is made special for them right and a tube of gasket maker). The filter goes in the transmission much deeper down than can be reached from the cap.
The price of the oil and the caps I need was more than the entire kit, and I figure with how many hours this has on it already (likely 400-500) and the condition of the goo I drained out of the transmission it would be a good idea to crack the whole thing and do a full clean-out, especially the filter. Unfortunately that means waiting most of a week for this stuff before getting my mower back on line; local shop didn't have anything for this "unserviceable" transmission (it's funny that TuffTorq calls it unserviceable but 1, has a web page on oil changes 2, sells a seal kit 3, sells a complete rebuild kit).
Last edited:
stevem5215
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As long as your pump and drive motors are still sealing well enough it'll work. Be very very very careful of the swash plate. Take pictures as you dismantle it so when you reassemble it goes back EXACTLY the same. That's where most fail on this job. And then it goes backwards when trying to go forward.
Tinhack
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Watch this video from "Taryl Fixes All". Skip to ~3:00 to get past the needless anticks. He goes into a lot of whys and whatnots.
I pulled everything out, cleaned it really well, replaced the axle seals and the oil & vent caps and the filter... put it all back together with oil, reinstalled on the lawn tractor.
It all works now, goes forward & backward (correctly) with no complaint and less noise than before.
Messy job but easy. $75 for seals/filter/oil kit (the oil is a "specially formulated" 5w-50 synthetic); price it separately and the kit comes out ahead.
In the pics you can see the milky "oil"/mayonnaise. Pretty sure water got in via the cracks on the oil cap, though it couldn't've been a lot because that's under the seat & fuel tank, not really easy for water to get there, but if a drop landed there it could definitely seep in.
It all works now, goes forward & backward (correctly) with no complaint and less noise than before.
Messy job but easy. $75 for seals/filter/oil kit (the oil is a "specially formulated" 5w-50 synthetic); price it separately and the kit comes out ahead.
In the pics you can see the milky "oil"/mayonnaise. Pretty sure water got in via the cracks on the oil cap, though it couldn't've been a lot because that's under the seat & fuel tank, not really easy for water to get there, but if a drop landed there it could definitely seep in.
repete
Veteran Member
Always check to see the drive belt has the proper tension. I was given a JDLX178 that the owner was told by the service center that his hydrostatic transmission was shot and cheaper to buy a new lawn mower.
When I got it home I found the drive belt was loose and I adjusted the idler pulley. Been running well for five or more years. I did change the fluid though.
Here is a description of how a hydrostatic transmission functions one of my sons did a couple years back.
When I got it home I found the drive belt was loose and I adjusted the idler pulley. Been running well for five or more years. I did change the fluid though.
Here is a description of how a hydrostatic transmission functions one of my sons did a couple years back.
I replaced the shot drive belt either last year or the year before. The tension is pretty good; I don't think it's slipping, and the spring tensioner pulley in the drive belt system operates freely.
I'm pretty sure that this transmission wasn't working because of a terribly clogged filter; it was covered in a thick goo, probably from water incursion from the cracked cap. All of the gears looked really good (it pretty much looked brand new inside, I'm impressed); the magnets had a modicum of fines on them but not a ton.
The fact that after the servicing it moves forwards and backwards readily without complaint, when previously it barely moved at all, gives me confidence that the servicing was successful.