escottpeterson
New member
A newbie to the forum here with a question about my 1978 IH 284 gas tractor.
Earlier this winter I couldn't get it started, but today got it started after finding a bad wire between the coil and points. This meant the tractor sat in a cold shed (northern Minnesota) for a few months. When I started it today and tried to back up it was like the wheels were locked -- it wouldn't move. I tried forward and the same thing. Eventually it budged backwards but sounded like something was really, really tight. For what it is worth it was about 28 degrees when I started it.
I thought maybe there was water in the hy-trans fluid so drained it. The 284 takes about 3.4 gallons and I got pretty near that out. The fluid wasn't that lovely color of new fluid, but it wasn't milky or sludgy either. I didn't see any real noticeable water. I filled it back with new fluid (happened to come straight from the store so warm - if that means anything) and presto: works like a charm. Backed right up and feeling proud I went out ans started plowing the quarter mile drive with the grader attachment. Got most of it done (about 15-20 minutes) when it seemed like there was a loss of power and eventually the tractor stopped and I had the same thing I had experienced earlier. I couldn't go forward, or I would go forward in a jump and start (like a 16 year old driver trying to work a clutch on a car - a bit of a jump and stop). It also seemed at one point that one tire was trying to turn while the other was fixed -- caused the tractor to lurch to the left. For what it is worth it is now about 8 with a wicked wind at this point.
When I let the tractor rest shut off for a few minutes and started it up again I was able to go forward normally for about 50 yards, and then the same thing happened. I let it sit for a few minutes and then was able to get it back to the shed about 150 yards away relatively normally ... though it seemed like there wasn't a lot of power.
There are a few other (maybe not random) things I noticed. One, the brakes suddenly to not be working great. Everything else seems normal. Hydraulics worked fine. It wasn't hard to get the stick shift into gear. I had the rear tires changed (by a shop) before this happened. One rim had rusted through and had to be replaced. I ran the tractor once briefly before it stopped starting, so I don't know if there is any relationship to this most recent problem or not.
I am befuddled. Any ideas?
Thanks
ep
Earlier this winter I couldn't get it started, but today got it started after finding a bad wire between the coil and points. This meant the tractor sat in a cold shed (northern Minnesota) for a few months. When I started it today and tried to back up it was like the wheels were locked -- it wouldn't move. I tried forward and the same thing. Eventually it budged backwards but sounded like something was really, really tight. For what it is worth it was about 28 degrees when I started it.
I thought maybe there was water in the hy-trans fluid so drained it. The 284 takes about 3.4 gallons and I got pretty near that out. The fluid wasn't that lovely color of new fluid, but it wasn't milky or sludgy either. I didn't see any real noticeable water. I filled it back with new fluid (happened to come straight from the store so warm - if that means anything) and presto: works like a charm. Backed right up and feeling proud I went out ans started plowing the quarter mile drive with the grader attachment. Got most of it done (about 15-20 minutes) when it seemed like there was a loss of power and eventually the tractor stopped and I had the same thing I had experienced earlier. I couldn't go forward, or I would go forward in a jump and start (like a 16 year old driver trying to work a clutch on a car - a bit of a jump and stop). It also seemed at one point that one tire was trying to turn while the other was fixed -- caused the tractor to lurch to the left. For what it is worth it is now about 8 with a wicked wind at this point.
When I let the tractor rest shut off for a few minutes and started it up again I was able to go forward normally for about 50 yards, and then the same thing happened. I let it sit for a few minutes and then was able to get it back to the shed about 150 yards away relatively normally ... though it seemed like there wasn't a lot of power.
There are a few other (maybe not random) things I noticed. One, the brakes suddenly to not be working great. Everything else seems normal. Hydraulics worked fine. It wasn't hard to get the stick shift into gear. I had the rear tires changed (by a shop) before this happened. One rim had rusted through and had to be replaced. I ran the tractor once briefly before it stopped starting, so I don't know if there is any relationship to this most recent problem or not.
I am befuddled. Any ideas?
Thanks
ep