Dead battery, broken exhaust stud, tow ports, gas tanks, welding, carbs.... YIKES!

[MossRoad]

My 2001 model year PT425 battery died. The metal battery hold down strap wore through the case and that was that. As many of you know, on this iteration of PT425 layout, the muffler has to be removed to get the battery out. Four nuts on four studs.... three came off... one stud snapped very easily. Ouch!

Drive to local tractor store... wanted 4 studs, 4 nuts, 2 gaskets....
They had 2 studs, NO nuts, and gaskets at their other location. They'll bring the gaskets from the other place tomorrow. OK. Walk over to True Value and buy nuts. Go home.

Go to AutoZone for battery..... $149.00 Ouch!

Go back Saturday morning for gaskets. O.K. Only spent $20. OK


3/8 of an inch of stud sticking out. Vice grips didn't work. Drilled into it and tried easy-out. Easy-out snapped in half. Ouch!

Decided to weld a nut onto the broken stud and use a wrench to back it out. But didn't want to weld in the garage and didn't want to weld with a tub full of grass clippings and debris. Can't move machine without opening tow ports.... never had to two mine before. Manual says to open the tow ports and connect the bleeder hose that was supplied with the machine.... the bleeder hose only has one fitting. The other end is just a cut hose. I know where the bleeder port is, but can't locate the fittings for the tow ports that the manual says are on the side of the tram pump. Finally figure out the tow ports are just plugged and there are no fittings installed on them for the bleeder hose to attache to... IF the bleeder hose had fittings on BOTH ends, not just one end.... Ouch!

Decide that I need two 90 degree male-male fittings, two caps, and one female fitting on the end of my bleeder hose. Head to NAPA store.

We can't put an end on your Parker hose. We only to Gates hoses. Also, we don't have and fittings that will work. Hey, Bob, do you want to take a look at this? NO! Says Bob. Go over to our heavy truck location 10 miles away. They can help you.

Drive to heavy truck location. Explain to the guy what I need and who sent me.
Was it that bearded %^&$!!that sent you? He knows we don't stock parts here. I hate that %^&$!!
Well, I'm out a 20 mile round trip...

So the guy that hates the bearded guy calls another heavy truck company across the street, sets me up over there, I go over there, they won't put an end on a Parker hose either, but they have all the fittings I need and make me a new Gates hose....

Two hours, 30 miles and $78.00 later, I have a towable tractor.... Ouch!

I install the fittings, the hose, put a ratchet strap on the FEL arms, lift it up an inch and am able to very easily roll the tractor out of the garage.

I drain the fuel tank and remove it for safety. Leaf blower to the tub. Simple green in a spray bottle. Let is soak an hour. Power washer with Simple green, and I have a nice, clean engine compartment.

Put the oversized nut on the broken stud. Roll out the wire feed welder. BZZ BZZ BZZ BZZZ BZZ the nut is welded to the stud. Backs out easily with a wrench while its still hot. Worked great!

Install battery.
Modify hold down strap.
Install new exhaust stud.
Install muffler.
Remove bleeder hose from tow ports.
Install caps on new 90 degree fittings.
Open top bleeder port and wait for oil to appear.
Close top bleeder port.
Open side bleeder port.
Install bleeder hose.
Put other end in tank.
Pull spark plug wires.
Crank engine a few times until no bubbles as per procedure.
Remove bleeder hose.
Install bleeder cap.
Top off hydraulic tank for good measure.
Install gas tank.
Fuel in tank.
Connect plug wires.
Fire up tractor.
It starts, runs 29 seconds and dies....
With no throttle, when I crank engine, fuel shoots up out of carb and belches fire.....
Ouch!

I need a carb rebuild kit and a fuel pump....

Fuel pump has been disconnected for 3 months, so I've been running by just keeping the tank full, which is good for about an hour and a half of operation.... but since I've done all this other stuff, its time to get a fuel pump.

Price fuel pump on line.... about $150! OUCH!! *%**#$(@($!!!!!!!

Hahahaha :laughing:

 

[California]

Ouch!

 

[MossRoad]

 

[MossRoad]

So now I have a nice bleeder/tow hose, easy tow port access with the capped fittings should I ever need them again, and some knowledge on removing steel studs from aluminum heads without damaging the head. Always a bright side... :thumbsup:

 

[Spanner]

Phew! I thought there was going to be a catastrophic finale to that soap-opera...

So here's a tip for future readers - IF... the stud is so tight in the aluminium (or Steel) head that, when you turn the nut, the stud snaps instead of unscrewing itself with the nut attached - no amount of WD40 (other brands are available) or ezi-out effort is going to budge it. Heat is your 'friend' here.

You could have saved considerable mileage and a couple of paragraphs in the screenplay by applying the heat (welding a nut or oxy-acetylene torch) to the stud remnants and wound it out there and then.

Good work on the rest of the saga - particularly the fire-prevention measures. Stay safe! :thumbsup:

I used to moan at our Parts Dept. when I found they had, say, 3 studs in stock and no nuts. If an assembly takes 4 x studs and spring washers and nuts they need to stock 4 +4 + 4 of each as a minimum stock-level. A full set. If the customer only wants, say, three, then they will be sure to have them in stock and need only re-stock to maintain the desired minimum stock-level.

 

[Wagtail]

I used to moan at our Parts Dept. when I found they had, say, 3 studs in stock and no nuts. If an assembly takes 4 x studs and spring washers and nuts they need to stock 4 +4 + 4 of each as a minimum stock-level. A full set. If the customer only wants, say, three, then they will be sure to have them in stock and need only re-stock to maintain the desired minimum stock-level.

WHAT! Good Lord man, are you mad!?! That's just crazy talk. :confused2:

<I hope that the sarcasm in the above statement is evident... you never know these days.>

 

[Spanner]

Well they looked at me as if I was mad - "Why would we stock something the customer could need? We have one of each on hand and can order more.":banghead:

 

[Ken]

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Sounds like a normal day.
For myself yesterday Bush hogging field and hit a tree stump . Above ground maybe 4 inches.
Broke the FWL frame at the cross bar so wobblie and not useable . drove back to tractor shed to decide what to do . Noticed the bucket also has a crack about 16 long across the back where metal is bent to from the bucket.
Just had tractor repaired so the 2x4 whl. drive will work the shifter shoe falls out of slot to engage or disconnect the front drive. requires splitting tractor and dump hydraulics to get a 3/4th inch shift shoe JD cost 56 bucks and is identical to old Gravely tractor attachment part.
Order parts and wait 4 days drive 35 miles to dealer to pick up. failed to place order. Phone call earlier said parts were in .

as for your bolts why if 6 bolts are #12 wrench size one will be # 13 ? or is this just metric.

enjoy the day only 24 hours out of your life.
ken

 

[woodlandfarms]

I think you have hung out with me and my luck has rubbed off. I always know when one thing fails on my PT the failure only escalates.

Last time I saw my PT, battery was dead. Went and bough a yellow top (Holy $$$$$) and installed, started but was not charging. Pulled the side cover off and found a wire that suffered from vibration fatigue. Then decided to clean all the grounds. You get it... you have been there.

 

[MossRoad]

Turned off my fuel shutoff valve and cranked until it stopped spewing gas and I saw the fuel filter empty. Then let it sit overnight. Today, I opened the fuel shutoff, gave it a shot of starting fluid, and started it up with no choke right away. Ran fine. Mowed the lawn.

Pulled out the brush cutter for a rebuild now.