There was a slight twist to my recent post about the problem with my TC21D before I traded it in for the TC24DA... <font color="blue">Fuel knock and white smoke... <font color="black">and I did not mention it for a few reasons. I would have posted a link to the original thread, but I'm not really sure how to. Anyway, now I have changed my mind and would like to know what you guys would have done.
I was prepared to spend about $1K for the dealer to replace the injector pump...as this is what I felt was the problem of hard starting. As it turns out, the SM told me that the problem was the fuel shut off solenoid and the bill would be about $250. In addition, I asked them to adjust the relief valve for the 3ph, since you could hear it operate when the arms were fully raised. Since I was in a jam and needed the tractor ASAP to finish a big project, they loaned me a 2120 no charge.
Well... when I got the tractor back, the driver wouldn't back up my steep driveway, so he unloaded it down on the lower level. So it was already running when he turned it over to me. It sat for about 5 mins...long enough for me to install the MMM...and upon restart, it still had somewhat of an extended crank time. Not real long, but enough to make me notice it. I only had 1/2 my yard to mow and it took about an hour. Then I shut it down, refueled and restarted it. NOTE...the engine is warm, so no glow plugs needed. Guess what...
YEP!!, as it turns out...same deal as before...extended crank time!! I wasn't a happy camper and just parked it for the night. Next AM...even worse...enough crank time before starting, that it almost drained the battery. Plus, I noticed the 3ph relief valve was still noisy with the arms raised. Now, for the best part...when I went to pay the bill a few days later, the bill was $614 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I almost had a stroke!! The solenoid was $54 and the rest labor (& tax). I had to make a quick decision and I did. I paid it and said nothing. Boy did I get hosed!!!!! $500 labor for what???????
Now some of you might wonder why I didn't speak up. but one consideration was... I was trading it in. Since the repair was to be my dime, and I expected to pay $1K, I just blew it off. If I had spoke up and requested they fix it, I'm sure the pump would have been replaced and then I would have had to spend the G note. Instead, I blew $600, had a 2120 to use for a week(guess it wasn't free), and would not have to deal with it anymore after I got the TC24DA. Which is exactly what happened.
However, what really shocked me was this....I didn't have enough time to remove my Gator blades from the MMM before the swap happened. So I told the driver to tell my sales guy that I wanted them back. Seeing how the tractor had to be restarted at the dealer, I knew they would see the hard start condition. This problem was NOT intermintent as it would happen each and every time when started. Even worse when cold!! Yet no one said a word about it. I wonder why??
I got the blades, missing dust plugs, the correct bucket(a 48" was delivered instead of the 54"), and a few other misc items, with no mention of the hard start. My sales guy was as happy as I was. As it turns out, my sales guy is actually the sales manager(there's more to that story), so go figure. So in my mind, I'm thinking they were fully aware that they didn't fix it in the first place. I realize service and parts are 2 different depts, but I'm sure someone knew they pulled a fast one. In fact, a few days before the swap was done , my sales guy mentioned that someone from service(?) asked him when I was going to pay the bill in service. "SAY WHAT?"" I asked...I already paid it. Guess that was a lack of communication. But still, if someone had to ask about the bill, I'm sure someone had to ask about the hard starting. At least someone in service would have, since they would have to prep it for resale and any $$$ spent on this tractor would have to be approved by sales, correct? I would think so!
Sorry about the long winded post guys, I tried to keep it short and only mention the key points.
FWIW...I have no regrets about the deal, but I seriously doubt their service dept will ever see the new tractor in their shop again. So much for my previous boasting of how good the dealer service was. Now I wonder if I'll even go back for parts for this tractor.
I was prepared to spend about $1K for the dealer to replace the injector pump...as this is what I felt was the problem of hard starting. As it turns out, the SM told me that the problem was the fuel shut off solenoid and the bill would be about $250. In addition, I asked them to adjust the relief valve for the 3ph, since you could hear it operate when the arms were fully raised. Since I was in a jam and needed the tractor ASAP to finish a big project, they loaned me a 2120 no charge.
Well... when I got the tractor back, the driver wouldn't back up my steep driveway, so he unloaded it down on the lower level. So it was already running when he turned it over to me. It sat for about 5 mins...long enough for me to install the MMM...and upon restart, it still had somewhat of an extended crank time. Not real long, but enough to make me notice it. I only had 1/2 my yard to mow and it took about an hour. Then I shut it down, refueled and restarted it. NOTE...the engine is warm, so no glow plugs needed. Guess what...
YEP!!, as it turns out...same deal as before...extended crank time!! I wasn't a happy camper and just parked it for the night. Next AM...even worse...enough crank time before starting, that it almost drained the battery. Plus, I noticed the 3ph relief valve was still noisy with the arms raised. Now, for the best part...when I went to pay the bill a few days later, the bill was $614 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I almost had a stroke!! The solenoid was $54 and the rest labor (& tax). I had to make a quick decision and I did. I paid it and said nothing. Boy did I get hosed!!!!! $500 labor for what???????
Now some of you might wonder why I didn't speak up. but one consideration was... I was trading it in. Since the repair was to be my dime, and I expected to pay $1K, I just blew it off. If I had spoke up and requested they fix it, I'm sure the pump would have been replaced and then I would have had to spend the G note. Instead, I blew $600, had a 2120 to use for a week(guess it wasn't free), and would not have to deal with it anymore after I got the TC24DA. Which is exactly what happened.
However, what really shocked me was this....I didn't have enough time to remove my Gator blades from the MMM before the swap happened. So I told the driver to tell my sales guy that I wanted them back. Seeing how the tractor had to be restarted at the dealer, I knew they would see the hard start condition. This problem was NOT intermintent as it would happen each and every time when started. Even worse when cold!! Yet no one said a word about it. I wonder why??
I got the blades, missing dust plugs, the correct bucket(a 48" was delivered instead of the 54"), and a few other misc items, with no mention of the hard start. My sales guy was as happy as I was. As it turns out, my sales guy is actually the sales manager(there's more to that story), so go figure. So in my mind, I'm thinking they were fully aware that they didn't fix it in the first place. I realize service and parts are 2 different depts, but I'm sure someone knew they pulled a fast one. In fact, a few days before the swap was done , my sales guy mentioned that someone from service(?) asked him when I was going to pay the bill in service. "SAY WHAT?"" I asked...I already paid it. Guess that was a lack of communication. But still, if someone had to ask about the bill, I'm sure someone had to ask about the hard starting. At least someone in service would have, since they would have to prep it for resale and any $$$ spent on this tractor would have to be approved by sales, correct? I would think so!
Sorry about the long winded post guys, I tried to keep it short and only mention the key points.
FWIW...I have no regrets about the deal, but I seriously doubt their service dept will ever see the new tractor in their shop again. So much for my previous boasting of how good the dealer service was. Now I wonder if I'll even go back for parts for this tractor.
