Oil & Fuel NH 45DA Hydraulic Fluid Leak

[Charles Billings NH-VT]

Need Help to Solve Hydraulic Fluid Leak. For some time now, I have had a slow fluid drip onto the ground/garage floor which lands approximately in the center below my NH TC45 DA. Recently, the leak has increased and leaves a trail where every I drive, which has me much concerned. I am quite sure the leak is hydraulic fluid not engine oil because my oil level dip stick says full while the hydraulic dip stick is now not registering hydraulic fluid. I don’t want to just add more hydraulic fluid without fixing things, and it is time (about 1450 hours) to change all the hydraulic fluid. Laying under the tractor and inspecting things with a flashlight does not tell me much about the origin of the leak. Basically, the underbelly of the center tractor is wet with fluid. I don’t know where to start to diagnose and fix this problem. Can someone please offer advice?


Note: I have been a tractorbynet member since about 2006 but for some reason I could not sign in today under my original username so had to reregister.

 

[dieselscout80]

I have a hydraulic drain line (about 3/8” I-dia) with two hose clamps on the left side below PTO lever. It was dripping until I tightened the clamps, but still leaves a drop or two.

I think when I do the next full service I may replace it.

 

[TO_Bud]

Need Help to Solve Hydraulic Fluid Leak. For some time now, I have had a slow fluid drip onto the ground/garage floor which lands approximately in the center below my NH TC45 DA. Recently, the leak has increased and leaves a trail where every I drive, which has me much concerned. I am quite sure the leak is hydraulic fluid not engine oil because my oil level dip stick says full while the hydraulic dip stick is now not registering hydraulic fluid. I don’t want to just add more hydraulic fluid without fixing things, and it is time (about 1450 hours) to change all the hydraulic fluid. Laying under the tractor and inspecting things with a flashlight does not tell me much about the origin of the leak. Basically, the underbelly of the center tractor is wet with fluid. I don’t know where to start to diagnose and fix this problem. Can someone please offer advice?


Note: I have been a tractorbynet member since about 2006 but for some reason I could not sign in today under my original username so had to reregister.

Any oil leak is hard to find when oil coats a bigger area. When looking for the origin of leaks you will need to do a thorough cleanup first then run the tractor while watching for the leak. Brake Kleen and pressure washer work good for this, then wait for area to dry before starting tractor and observing. Be sure to use safety measures for preventing tractor from moving if you are laying under while running or just shut it off after running for a short time a look for the leak.

 

[Charles Billings NH-VT]

Thanks TO-Bud for the suggestion, the same given to me by an auto mechanic. I have purchased some brake cleaner. I will use that and a pressure washer to clean things and then have a look. Hopefully, after having a clean surface, I will be able to locate the leak's origin.

 

[nyone]

Need Help to Solve Hydraulic Fluid Leak. For some time now, I have had a slow fluid drip onto the ground/garage floor which lands approximately in the center below my NH TC45 DA. Recently, the leak has increased and leaves a trail where every I drive, which has me much concerned. I am quite sure the leak is hydraulic fluid not engine oil because my oil level dip stick says full while the hydraulic dip stick is now not registering hydraulic fluid. I don’t want to just add more hydraulic fluid without fixing things, and it is time (about 1450 hours) to change all the hydraulic fluid. Laying under the tractor and inspecting things with a flashlight does not tell me much about the origin of the leak. Basically, the underbelly of the center tractor is wet with fluid. I don’t know where to start to diagnose and fix this problem. Can someone please offer advice?


Note: I have been a tractorbynet member since about 2006 but for some reason I could not sign in today under my original username so had to reregister.

Start by pressure washing the whole tractor. Drive it for a bit then park it on concrete or where you can crawl under it with a flashlight.

No one can properly diag a leak via the internet.

 

[Charles Billings NH-VT]

Start by pressure washing the whole tractor. Drive it for a bit then park it on concrete or where you can crawl under it with a flashlight.

No one can properly diag a leak via the internet.

Found Source of Hydraulic Fluid Leak.

 

[Charles Billings NH-VT]

Found Source of Hydraulic Fluid Leak. After many brake-fluid flushes and pressure washes I still could not find the source of the fluid leak which was leaving trails of fluid wherever I went and was draining the fluid reservoir below the dip stick. All I could determine after all these cleanings was that it was probably coming from higher up which forced me to bite the bullet and pull off the rubber mat from the driver platform. Getting the mat off was not an easy task. I eventually had to cut the mat in a several places. Even before getting it off, I knew that it was a water sponge and a rust incubator [before putting the mat back I performed rust removal procedures, rust inhibitor paint, and a NH-blue top paint, but that doesn’t solve the long-term problem that the mat causes.] Once the mat was out of the way, I was able to open the rectangular lid on the raised platform between one’s feet. The first photo shows the lid removed, and the second photo shows the two nipples that were supposed to close off the hydraulic fluid. [Does anyone know why those nipples are there?]. You can plainly see that the right nipple was standing out too far, it was so loose that I could rotate it with my fingers. The other was somewhat tighter but still not tight enough to prevent leaks. Both nipples were spewing hydraulic fluid when the tractor was operating, and drips kept coming down when the tractor was parked. After adding new Teflon tape, tightening down the nipples, and putting things back together, there have been no more hydraulic fluid leaks!!! At 78, I am not sure how many more times I can or want to crawl under my beloved NH tractor and fix things.

 

[dieselscout80]

I wonder if those two plugs are the transmission pressure test ports?

 

[tmeric7]

Thanks for posting about the solution!