ARRRRRRGH!!!!!!! Broke my tractor.... Engine Block went SNAP...

KrisHansen · Feb 5, 2008

Plowing some snow tonight, went to lift a large pile of snow, and heard a very disconcerting BAM, saw a spark, heard a nasty noise, and dropped the bucket.. Quick inspection showed nothing.. drove it gingerly to the house, where I could take a closer look..

One of the little ears that bolts the block to the case broke off of the block on the right side.

On the left side, there is a crack in the block just fore of the mounting ears that's allowing a very slight oil leak.

I don't even want to know what this is going to cost..

No Pics, not that they would show much..

I'm surprised that the tractor was able to break itself before the hydraulics went to bypass...

greyareo · Feb 5, 2008

Sorry to hear that , had my rear end snap after 90 hrs Felt the same way. only good news was it was covered . hope yours works out as well. Had to plead my case a bit but, it worked out

JC-jetro · Feb 5, 2008

Oh Man

Very sorry to hear that. I don't have a loader but I have reduced all my pop off hyd setting at least by 50 psi below the factory requirements to buy me a more safety factor. I reckon one can consider a new clutch housing, tractor split and putting all back together if the block crack can be dealt with accordingly. what kind of bracing for the loader did you have?

Hope this would not set you back much.

JC,

257NH · Feb 5, 2008

Sorry to hear that,but looking at the hours on the machine it must be covered.I wonder if it was a casting flaw?

schmism · Feb 5, 2008

cold... metal... brittle (with a sprinkle of casting imperfections)

jinman · Feb 6, 2008

Kris, check the sub-frame closely for loose bolts. If the sub-frame is loose, the drivetrain would take all the stress.

Sorry to hear about that. Not only is your tractor broken, but it's still in the middle of snow season.

Egon · Feb 6, 2008

That hurts.

mikim · Feb 6, 2008

OW! !@#$ !@#$%^ !@#$%^ just hearing that hurts! It actually gives me a sick feeling in my belly..... good luck with all that ... hope your snow ends soon for ya. In the meantime -- will you be able to get a loaner or rental?

KrisHansen · Feb 6, 2008

jinman said:
Kris, check the sub-frame closely for loose bolts. If the sub-frame is loose, the drivetrain would take all the stress.

Sorry to hear about that. Not only is your tractor broken, but it's still in the middle of snow season.

Subframe? On the 33D, there is no subframe where it's broken. It's only the engine that supports the ENTIRE front end as far as I can tell.

Less than 300 hrs on this machine.

Also, upon further inspection in daylight, it looks like the right side has been broken for a little while. There's a little rust color inside the wound..

The good news is that it's not broken all the way through. I *MAY* be able to run it with the blower and the loader removed for this storm, though I fear it may finish it off.

It also appears to be broken from the top down, bent like a ^, so if I brace it with straps, it may hold together.

The other good news is, the Asst. Fire Chief has offered to haul it to the dealer. I've been cleaning out the fire house ever since I bought this rig, because it's 300 feet from the end of my driveway, and the way it's situated, a plow just can't remove any snow. It's funny, as I was coming home last night, he was down there trying to plow it, so I stopped in the car to tell him not to bother, I'd do it with my tractor... *sigh*