Major transmission hydraulic leak

SacandagaBrad · Jun 28, 2014

Hi Jim, I remember chatting with you "back in the day" when we got our 24Ds at about the same time. I just started another thread on the same problem, thought I was alone until I started poking around and found this. Still very disappointing to say the least. Misery loves company! Boggles my mind how such an expensive and supposedly well built machine can have these problems when used as a home-owner's tractor. I bought mine thinking it would be the last.

My 85 year old Dad is still running his 1972 Case 222 without these problems!!! Bought it used from a guy up the road after he mowed 4 acres with it for 5 years. Considered a hydraulic drive, has a 12 hp Kohler motor. In all those years, it has needed 2 valve jobs on that single cylinder engine - that's it! Never a leak or problem with the transmission. In 1972 the industry could build a lawn tractor that has run over 40 years, but in 2003 they build more robust and what should be more durable tractors to last maybe 10 years. Go figure.

Brad

jwstewar · Jun 30, 2014

Leave it up to me to be the "first" of what now looks to be at least 2 and a 3rd suspect. Hopefully after the this they will be good to go for a long time again. I'm now at 35+ hours since the repair and all seems to be well. I bushhogged the part of the yard that wasn't mowed while the tractor was broke down, mowed the entire yard twice, covered 350' of trench that I dug to put electric to our new barn, and then a lot of FEL work digging dirt and hauling it to the barn. I think I put almost 12 hours on the tractor this weekend - most of it Saturday moving dirt. Must have moved 50+ tons. Still need a bit more in the barn, but not a ton more once I get the high spots leveled down to the low spots.

Rich Prap · Jul 26, 2014

Jim,
I also have 2003 TD24C w/front loader. Bought it from a woman who only drove it to church on Sundays 2 1/2 years ago. It has 750 hrs and also the same exact problem. Yours is the first post I have ever found addressing this issue. I am not a mechanical guy. I can maintain and do basics but splitting the tractor scares the heck out of me. I just appreciate yoir sharing your experience. I have ignored the problem for awhile because a friend of mine is a in field mechanic for a large tool rental company and has given me all the hydraulic fluid I need for free but I cannot keep losing hydraulic fluid into the soil of the pastures and it is steadily getting worse. I will share what was wrong in the future but likely I will be paying someone to do it unless I get some real confidence. When I tried mechanical work as a teen I always ended up with parts left over which is not a good track record.

jwstewar · Jul 28, 2014

Good luck with getting it fixed. For something that no one had heard of when mine happened, we sure have had a rash of them all of a sudden. Funny they all seem to be 2003 models as well. I think I'm at 63 hours since I put mine back together, all is still going great. We have really been using it the last couple of years, it sure did suck not having it available for the month it was torn down. It has been great having it back though. Leads me to believe that I need to be buying another tractor to have a back-up.

SPYDERLK · Jul 28, 2014

jwstewar said:
Good luck with getting it fixed. For something that no one had heard of when mine happened, we sure have had a rash of them all of a sudden. Funny they all seem to be 2003 models as well. I think I'm at 63 hours since I put mine back together, all is still going great. We have really been using it the last couple of years, it sure did suck not having it available for the month it was torn down. It has been great having it back though. Leads me to believe that I need to be buying another tractor to have a back-up.

Glad youre up and running w/o leaks.
... Im with you tho. It looks like the count is four tractors of lo to medium hrs. More age than use related. Theres a latent problem somewhere and no evidence that corporate has addressed it. Sorta leaves you guys hanging and hoping. I cant see that as pleasant or satisfying.
larry

davisarc · Jul 28, 2014

jwstewar said:
Good luck with getting it fixed. For something that no one had heard of when mine happened, we sure have had a rash of them all of a sudden. Funny they all seem to be 2003 models as well...."

Good rainy Vermont Morning,

TC24D serial UG30147 sold new 10-15-2002, how close are the numbers?

Sold with a NH 12LA loader, tiller, 5' rear blade, post hole digger, bushhog mower. I've added a rear snowthrower, landscape rake, chains, small garden trailer and an 18' car hauler to take it to Grandma's house.

I finally got all my HST pressure testing accomplished yesterday. An epic adventure to create an adapter for the pressure test ports as the CNH part was not available. The problem was finding a JIS female (similar to BSPT) to NPT adapter or the hose and gauge. I'll post a pic later of the NPT adapter welded onto the top of the port tester. Funny thing, my TC24D sported two port tester bolts when the Service Manual shows common 10M bolts in the holes. Why did mine come with ports AND a pressure relief valve adjusted by washers (Kubota valve?) instead of the NH screw adjuster so clearly shown? Who put those in? The dealer? Why?

Does anyone know if NH receives notice from the dealers when ownership changes? Was my tractor first sold to someone else before my friend? It was sold as new to him and I got the tractor by paying off the loan to CNH for a dying friend who passed (bill of sale) the equipment to me. I registered the change at the service dept but I cannot enter a registration at the NH website. Getting curious.

Next post goes directly back to major transmission.

rsoby · Aug 22, 2017

I have a curious oil leak on a new holland 1630 hydrostatic 1999 vintage. The engine oil is dark needing a change but is full and not requiring additional oil. the leak appeared to be hydraulic as it was coming from the hydrostatic case. The leak appeared to be coming from where the hydro pipe coming from the HST filter is going into the case on the left side of tractor. there is the pipe , an O ring, and the spring bracket for the brake pedal which holds the pipe into the HST pump. Now when I loosened the bracket holding in the pipe - I got a rush of fluid out of the hole the pipe goes through - about 1.3-1.5 gallons - all dark in color. Thought it might be that the HST filter was bad. when I removed the HST filter, the fluid there was crystal clear. When I finally pulled out the pipe - it too had clear fluid in it. So I opened the drain plug a little further back (the one to drain hydro fluid) - and got a flow of clear hydro fluid. So even after draining the hydro fluid - when I poked my finger into the HST Hydro pipe hole - there was more of the darkish fluid. So now the mystery - if the hydro drain is logically the lowest point in the hydro system - where is this fluid coming from? If all the hydro fluid is clear - why is the fluid in the HST case dark? Is there supposed to be fluid in that case?? Any ideas before I'm left with the only alternative is taking it to a new holland dealer (trhere are becoming fewer and fewer of them) for them to open up?