A friend of mine has a 2040 Tractor 4wd If memory serves it's and early model in the 80s but I'm not positive. It seems to loose power in reverse not forward, and only on a slope. The tractor has no trouble digging with the bucket going forward and seems to have plently of power, even has plently of power in reverse on level ground but if he tries to back up a slope that he had no problem backing up last year to bushhog the tractor bogs down and looses power till it almost stalls if the clutch isn't pushed in. I thought it could be the clutch at first till he said it works fine forwards and on level ground so I thought some of you guys might have some ideas what it might be?
Loss of Power on Oler Model Tractor
- Thread starter Mike981
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TedLaRue
Gold Member
If the engine almost stalls, then his clutch is working fine.
When he has the problem, is he simply driving in reverse up a slope, or is he digging/back-blading up a slope in reverse? Has he tried digging while going forward up the slope?
If he's cutting dirt while backing up the slope, he's putting quite a load on the engine. When brush-hogging in reverse up the slope, the momentum of the blades will keep them going for a while, so the only real load on the engine is moving the tractor uphill against gravity.
But if he's simply trying to drive in reverse up the slope and the engine bogs down, I'm not sure what the problem is. Does it seem like the engine is lacking power, or does it seem like there's an excessive load on the engine?
When he has the problem, is he simply driving in reverse up a slope, or is he digging/back-blading up a slope in reverse? Has he tried digging while going forward up the slope?
If he's cutting dirt while backing up the slope, he's putting quite a load on the engine. When brush-hogging in reverse up the slope, the momentum of the blades will keep them going for a while, so the only real load on the engine is moving the tractor uphill against gravity.
But if he's simply trying to drive in reverse up the slope and the engine bogs down, I'm not sure what the problem is. Does it seem like the engine is lacking power, or does it seem like there's an excessive load on the engine?
RoyJackson
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This is a guess, so take it for what it's worth...
Drain and clean out the fuel tank. I think his fuel is starving because of a blockage. The logic behind this is the his first gear (forward) is as low or lower (ratio) then reverse. If there was a clutch problem or a mechaical problem (with the engine), then he should notice the same problem in a forward gear.
BTW, what kind of tranny does he have? A straight forward non-synchro gear type tranny? Power reverser?
I looked up the 2040 on www.machinefinder.com. All of the ones I looked at were a straight forward gear tranny. If the clutch was going out, tractor movement may cease or slow (clutch slipping) but wouldn't reduce power to the engine.
Anyway, depending on where the fuel pick up is in the tank, he may be getting minor starvation. Not enough to stall, but enough to reduce power.
He may as well look at the air filter too, although I've no idea how the tractor position or attitude could affect that.
Like I wrote...that's a guess.
Drain and clean out the fuel tank. I think his fuel is starving because of a blockage. The logic behind this is the his first gear (forward) is as low or lower (ratio) then reverse. If there was a clutch problem or a mechaical problem (with the engine), then he should notice the same problem in a forward gear.
BTW, what kind of tranny does he have? A straight forward non-synchro gear type tranny? Power reverser?
I looked up the 2040 on www.machinefinder.com. All of the ones I looked at were a straight forward gear tranny. If the clutch was going out, tractor movement may cease or slow (clutch slipping) but wouldn't reduce power to the engine.
Anyway, depending on where the fuel pick up is in the tank, he may be getting minor starvation. Not enough to stall, but enough to reduce power.
He may as well look at the air filter too, although I've no idea how the tractor position or attitude could affect that.
Like I wrote...that's a guess.
Last edited:
Thanks for the quick replies Ted and Roy I'll try to answer both your questions as best as I can, I went over this morning to see what it was doing.
TEd...When he noticed it he was reversing up the slope with the bushhog engaged but lifted as high as it would lift but, when I tried it today it even looses power without the hog running or even on the tractor.
This morning it seemed to me like there just wasn't any fuel getting to the motor when the machine tilted on the slope not the clutch, I had a tractor that would do the similiar thing a while back and found out it was the offroad disel I was getting it would clog the screen in the line but a bottle of diesl addative solved that problem for me, but he said he already tried that.
Roy.. The tranny is a straight forward gear tranny. I couldn't understand why it only did it in reverse but you can turn around and have no trouble climbing the same slope in low first even low second will pull further up the slope the 1st gear in reverse. I'll tell him to drainand clean the tank, and the air filter was replaced late last year around Sept. I'll tell him to pull it too and make sure it's clean he has done quiet a bit of bushhogging this year with the machine.
Thanks Guys for the help
TEd...When he noticed it he was reversing up the slope with the bushhog engaged but lifted as high as it would lift but, when I tried it today it even looses power without the hog running or even on the tractor.
This morning it seemed to me like there just wasn't any fuel getting to the motor when the machine tilted on the slope not the clutch, I had a tractor that would do the similiar thing a while back and found out it was the offroad disel I was getting it would clog the screen in the line but a bottle of diesl addative solved that problem for me, but he said he already tried that.
Roy.. The tranny is a straight forward gear tranny. I couldn't understand why it only did it in reverse but you can turn around and have no trouble climbing the same slope in low first even low second will pull further up the slope the 1st gear in reverse. I'll tell him to drainand clean the tank, and the air filter was replaced late last year around Sept. I'll tell him to pull it too and make sure it's clean he has done quiet a bit of bushhogging this year with the machine.
Thanks Guys for the help
RoyJackson
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2001
- Messages
- 23,144
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- Bethel, Vermont
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- John Deere 4052R Cab,, Deere 855D UTV, Z920A Zero Turn Mower and assorted implements
Mike981 said:
Since it's a straight forward gear tranny, it's even less likely to be a clutch problem.
Keep us posted on what he finds...even if you end up sending me a PM.