Mystery leak!! Any ideas???

rback33 · Jan 16, 2008

That's almost as much fun as people picking on the new hires at Home Depot. This is a second hand story from someone that worked at the Wichita Falls store YEARS ago... One associate would come in pretending to be a customer. They ask the newbie for the pre-dug post holes. New associate is clueless. He has someone else who knows the gig... the send them to the back... poor kid bounces all over the store looking for the pre-dug post holes. I wish I had seen it.

jjmarotz · Jan 19, 2008

Blew more snow tonite and I only found 5-8 spots on the ground. I have looked, smelled, touched (rubbed in fingers), etc. ABSOULUTELY no idea what the he** it is. It seems to be going away the more I use the tractor, and blower. Which makes me lean to the idea it might be the paint rubbing off the blower, auger, skids, cutting blade, etc. Call me braindead if you will or just a worry wort, but this is how I am. If someone else with a 3203, or even a Meteor blower, has had similar experiences, chime in. I still want to know what it is.

Jerrami

ccsial · Jan 19, 2008

If your near a university see it the someone in the science/chemistry department can analyze it.

Tig · Jan 19, 2008

Take a spoon and scrape the spots into a small glass jar. Bring it into the house and after it melts you will see if it floats, dissolves, sinks etc. It's not much but at least you will be able to narrow it down. Oil will float, paint will sink.
How about a picture of the spot to give us a better idea of exactly what they look like.

dirtworksequip · Jan 19, 2008

jj, if you are not wearing ear plugs and tilting your head to one side as you are blowing snow with your tractor..................oh, forget it I don't think brain matter is red anyhow.
Just trying to inject a little humor here.
It must not be anything critical or something would have already broke or someone here on TBN would have come up with some thoughts about the source.
"Run it and watch it" thats what the heavy equipment machanics always tell us out on the job site.

Sincerely, Dirt

biggerten · Jan 19, 2008

kubotafan said:
Could it be your tractor's time of month?

Rapier wit, that's funny.

Captinjack · Jan 19, 2008

Fluid leaks are hard to find the actual source. I pressure wash the suspect area and let it dry real well. Then dust with baby powder and start the engine and/or drive around slowly and inspect often. The powder will show the source of the leak well before it has a chance to run other places and cause a misdiagnosis.

Hope this works for you.

jjmarotz · Jan 19, 2008

It seems as though it is coming from the left rear tire. I monitored all 4 today when blowing and driving extremely slow. I could see red/pink snow on the tire, which would lead me strait to the CC in the tire, right? Well took it in the shop, thawed it out and the tire, rim, concrete, etc. don't show any sign of CC. Checked the pressure and it is the same as the right side. This is what baffles me, if I had a leak in one tire you would think that it would have less pressure than the other, right?
At least I now know which spot on the tractor to monitor more closely. Helps to narrow it down a little further.
As for the pics, I forget until I am done blowing and back in the house warming up. Maybe tomorrow I will remember.

Redbug · Jan 20, 2008

JJ...If you do find out where/what the fluid is, we need to know. My guess...the tires...what color is the fluid in the tires? It would bug the heck out of me to see fluid and not trace where it's coming from.

These forums are a man's answer to daytime soaps...