485DI-This can NOT be good...

[485didriver]

New meat here, so take it easy on me guys!

I bought a Mahindra 485DI a couple years ago. I have had no issues with it, and use it sparingly. Bought with only around 400 hours on it, now has about 450-500 (don't really look that often). I own 9 acres, about half of which is pasture, so the grass gets cut with the zero radius, and the pasture with the tractor if I let 'er go too tall (and I do ).

Last weekend, I got on the tractor, still had the bushhog attached, and went out to hit an area that was a bit too tall for the lawn mower. Engage the PTO, it runs for about 10 minutes, and then just quits. Being in a rush at the time, I didn't look at it, and finally got back to it today. Holy Smokes! What I found was that the PTO was still attached to the implement, but 2 screws were gone and one (the top center) had the head broken off cleanly. The whole thing is just "hanging out there." I can get it to go almost all the way back, but it seems to still be about 1/2" from home.

I kicked myself for not checking everything before starting, but it's too late now. I found one of the screws, believe it or not, lying on the rim of the PTO shield below it, but the other screw is history. Found the gasket after a little looking, too. Obviously this is not my major issue.

So my questions are waaay many. Is this something a casual mechanic can fix, or is it major surgery? Have any of you done such work before? I have many more questions, but on other subjects, and despite my numerous attempts to use my google-fu, I've come up short. Appreciate any help I can get!

 

[Redneck in training]

One picture is worth of thousand words. Pictures are very helpful. Shrink them before posting.

 

[kennyd]

Welcome to TBN 485

A picture would really help-I am unclear just where the screws (Do you mean Bolts?) are missing from.

 

[485didriver]

I got up early this morning to take pics of it. Took the digital camera out to the barn, turned it on-out of battery power. Go figure. I'll try to get some posted by this afternoon.

Looking at a parts diagram I found online, the part that lost the bolts (sorry, wasn't screws) is the PTO oilseal retainer-the roughly triangular part that screws in at 3 points next to the PTO.

Thanks for your help so far, will try to get pics to let you see the ugly truth for yourselves asap!

 

[485didriver]

As promised, pics:

This is approximately how it normally looks:

This is with the PTO oilseal retainer pulled off:

...and if you pull on it slightly:

 

[485didriver]

And when it's pulled all the way out (yep, it does that... ):

Couple shots of what's in the hole:

 

[485didriver]

My (apparently) neglected tractor:

The pasture:

A leak (the top trans. cover gasket?):

So, any thoughts (other than I'm some variation of an idiot)?

 

[flusher]

As promised, pics:

This is approximately how it normally looks:

This is with the PTO oilseal retainer pulled off:

...and if you pull on it slightly:

Check the splines on the forward end of the pto shaft (the end inside the transmission) to be sure none of the teeth are damaged. Check the bearing on the rear end of the pto shaft to be sure it hasn't been damaged. Get a new rear pto seal from your dealer. You got it apart so you should be able to reassemble it. Then fire up the tractor and see if the pto shaft spins.

 

[485didriver]

Looked at it, too:

Doesn't seem to be damaged to me.

BTW, noticed that the fluid level (obviously) is now down to the level of the bottom of the opening. It also looks milky. So, draining this and replacing it, anyone have specifics on what I should put back? Flushing it out first? If so, with what?

 

[kennyd]

Get a new seal and bolts (use Locktite!), change the fluid and start using your machine

 

[485didriver]

Success!!!!

I finally, after much cajoling and muttering (...I am a Christian, I do not curse, I am a Christian, I do not curse...) got it set back into place. Thank goodness for my little "tactical" flashlight, it helped guide me 90% of the way and on the umpteenth try, it worked!

So, now I have more questions! Is the drain that I see at around the area of the gearshift the drain for the whole enchilada (transmission, differential area, etc)? And the plug to the right of the gearshift where I add new fluids? What fluid do I add?

I was looking at the diagrams of the transmission case front cover, and so decided to take a look in there and see if I'd done any damage, as I don't really know how long the fluid levels were critically low during operation. So I got all the bolts loose (including one that was moronically placed right next to a larger bolt that holds the control valve assembly in place on the hydraulics housing. Note that I said I got it loose, not out. It won't come out without removing the larger (previously described) bolt, which is placed in a difficult position to do anything with. Any of you have ideas about how I can get around this latest hurdle?

 

[AchingBack]

Get a new seal and bolts (use Locktite!), change the fluid and start using your machine

When you are done with that, give her/him a thorough wash and wax. You will be amazed at how much more you like your tractor. Happy, safe tractor operating to you.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

You probably didn't lose that much fluid. I would tighten your transmission cover back up, and just change the fluid.
There are probably 2 fluid drain plugs at the lowest point of the rear end housing, one on each side.
You should be back up and running in no time. Good Luck!

 

[485didriver]

What kinda fluid do I use? Sounds silly, but this will be the first time i add any... Mahindra dealer isn't close to me...

 

[485didriver]

When you are done with that, give her/him a thorough wash and wax. You will be amazed at how much more you like your tractor. Happy, safe tractor operating to you.

What is this wash you speak of?

 

[485didriver]

You probably didn't lose that much fluid. I would tighten your transmission cover back up, and just change the fluid.
There are probably 2 fluid drain plugs at the lowest point of the rear end housing, one on each side.
You should be back up and running in no time. Good Luck!

As I looked in through the PTO shaft opening (prior to reinstalling it), I noted that it seemed to be one very large compartment, and that I could actually look past the structures pictured and see the compartment forward of it (which would, I believe, be where the gearshift et al. are located. Am I wrong on that, or could that be the case?

 

[YellCoGin]

I hope I am not raining on your parade, but in your pictures I did not see the shift collar that shifts the PTO in and out of gear. You should have had to pull shift lever back out a little to install the shaft with the collar on it. Hope I,m wrong.
Dave

 

[485didriver]

I hope I am not raining on your parade, but in your pictures I did not see the shift collar that shifts the PTO in and out of gear. You should have had to pull shift lever back out a little to install the shaft with the collar on it. Hope I,m wrong.
Dave

Dave, I think you're right. As I was replacing it, the thought did occur to me that the front end of the PTO shaft was female, and that the male counterpart did not have anything to stabilize the setup once reduced into place. How far could that thing possibly have gone?

 

[Travis_R]

I had my PTO shaft completely out on my 485 also- just to change the shaft seal. But man its been so long I really can't remember how we got it back in there. Seems like I had to use the neighbor's little boy with his small hands/arms to reach in there and get the collar for me. I Don't remember it being a tuff job at all though. Good Luck.

Just to let you know, the CarQuest engine oil filter number for the Mahindra 485 DI is #85775.

Don't make the same mistake I did- KEEP THAT TRACTOR!

Travis R

 

[atgreene]

Yup, no big deal, kinda weird that the bolts loosened up, but like was said before, use locktite.

Good luck, no harm done.