kubota leaking fluid...

   / kubota leaking fluid... #1  

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I'm new to this. Just bought a B1550 with 600hrs on it. 5 years old kept in the barn all it's life. paint still
very fresh even the undercarriage.

However it piddles hydraulic fluid from the the bottom of the left side of the rear end. In an effort to find
the source of the leak I wiped everything down and "baby powdered it" using corn starch and a turkey baster
(I told you I was a newbie tractor owner). The result was not a single trail of seeping fluid or even several
trails but rather rather a general area-wide dissolving of the powder as if the fluid was not so much leaking, more like
it was being sprayed from an aerosol can. the fluid collects and drips off one of the nylon thread protector plugs
on the bottom of the housing out near the left axle. the other strange thing is it doesn't drip or even soak the
powder untill after it has been parked and sitting for a day or more. looks like it drips about a tablespoon of
fluid over a period of days.

I then noticed a wet stain on the muffler which is on the left side. The whole left side of the tractor while quite
clean looked "greasier" than the right side. Or rather the right side dirt, grass and dust was dry whereas the
leftside dirt was greasy and sticky. I checked the hoses on the FEL and thought I found the culprit. One of the left side
hoses looked fairly chewed up but when I brought to the dealer to make me new one he scoffed and said it
was only the rubber outer coating and refused to take my money for new hose!! I didn't insist rather I put it
back on and wrapped every hose in white toilet paper (remember I'm a newbie) and then went out and bush hogged scotch broom for
3 hours. The only stain on the paper wrapping was the dark oil stain from the dipstick when I checked
the engine oil. I've added about 12oz of fluid in not much more than 4 hours of use over the last month.
So now I am at a loss and baffled as to where this fluid is coming from.
Any ideas, suggestions, hints, where to look or how to find source of this leak would be most appreciated.
I would include a picture here if I knew how...

TIA,
Dave
 

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   / kubota leaking fluid... #2  
The corn starch and turkey baster are an interesting idea, but I think they may be adding to the mystery. Just a guess, but I suspect the corn starch is obsorbing and disipating the fluid as it leaks, rather than shoing a channel of flow.

I'd wash down the whole rear end using a hose and degreaser, then run the tractor for a while, park it, and start looking for leaks. I've found tracing drips back visually with a good light, or just running your finger over a suspected surface then checking for fluid on your finger works pretty well.
 
   / kubota leaking fluid... #3  
hmmm good point. hadn't thought of that. thanks. too bad that hydr fluid is a nice bright color...
 
 
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