marrt
Platinum Member
While mowing, I discovered an oil leak around the right rear wheel motor area. I guess I’m lucky…this is my first oil leak. I thought it was the wheel motor for sure and called Terry. Since I’m not getting any oil around the hub on the outside of the tractor – only inside the tub – Terry said he doubted it was the wheel motor. He said, 98% of the time, wheel motor leaks will show up outside the tractor around the hub. He thought it was likely a small pin hole in one of the hoses. Here’s what I’ve done so far:
- I put the tractor on blocks so I could spin the wheels with the engine while looking in the tub. This is fun because at the best vantage point, there’s a steady stream of diesel exhaust blowing in my ear. And for those who are curious, the right rear and left front wheels would turn, but the others would not. Unless I put the parking brake on. Then they all would try to turn at different times. Anyway, I couldn’t get the oil leak to start.
- I did find a spot on one of the hoses coming from the gear pump that could be a hole. Ah ha! I thought. So I hooked the mower up, while the tractor was still on blocks, and turned the mower on. No leak.
- Hmm. Maybe it is the wheel motor and the motor needs weight on it for the seal to leak. I disconnected the mower, jacked the tractor up, removed the blocks and drove around the yard. No leak.
- Hmmm. Well, maybe it’s PTO hose after all and I just didn’t get the pressure high enough in the garage because the diesel fumes were already making me dizzy. So I hooked the mower up and drove around mowing the yard (yard needs mowing now anyway). I kept the hood up and went slow so I could peer into the tub. Had flashbacks of using a “normal” tractor with a rear finish mower. Almost ran over the telephone green thing that’s sticks out of the ground. Barely missed the underground utilities box. No leak.
- Hmmmm. Maybe the oil has to warm up or I need to put the motor under pressure. I did leave the brake on in the garage while spinning the wheel a few times. But the oil wasn’t hot. So, I mowed more and finally drove up the steepest hill on my property and….an oil mist started to develop in the tub. So it’s leaking now, but from where? Had the wife move the tractor back and forth, narrowly missing my foot several times as I concentrated on peering into the tub and keeping the now hot exhaust out of my ear. Heard a little voice suggesting this approach may not be too safe. No leak.
- I get on and move forward and it leaks but I could not see where. Repeat with wife, no leak. Yell at wife for not being able to cause the leak. Wife goes back in the house without another word. I drive the tractor back to garage.
By the time I got to the garage, 50 feet or so, there was ½” of oil in the front of the tub. I parked on a down slope so it would drain out (hopefully). Going to Wal-mart to buy some stuff to clean the oil out of the tub. I think I’ve read that Simply Green will work unless someone has another suggestion. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: 1) The leak only occurs when the wheel motor is running, 2) the leak only occurs with the oil is hot, 3) the leak will occur if the PTO is on or off and 4) yelling at wife late in the day means no dinner for the night. I’m still thinking it’s the wheel motor.
- I put the tractor on blocks so I could spin the wheels with the engine while looking in the tub. This is fun because at the best vantage point, there’s a steady stream of diesel exhaust blowing in my ear. And for those who are curious, the right rear and left front wheels would turn, but the others would not. Unless I put the parking brake on. Then they all would try to turn at different times. Anyway, I couldn’t get the oil leak to start.
- I did find a spot on one of the hoses coming from the gear pump that could be a hole. Ah ha! I thought. So I hooked the mower up, while the tractor was still on blocks, and turned the mower on. No leak.
- Hmm. Maybe it is the wheel motor and the motor needs weight on it for the seal to leak. I disconnected the mower, jacked the tractor up, removed the blocks and drove around the yard. No leak.
- Hmmm. Well, maybe it’s PTO hose after all and I just didn’t get the pressure high enough in the garage because the diesel fumes were already making me dizzy. So I hooked the mower up and drove around mowing the yard (yard needs mowing now anyway). I kept the hood up and went slow so I could peer into the tub. Had flashbacks of using a “normal” tractor with a rear finish mower. Almost ran over the telephone green thing that’s sticks out of the ground. Barely missed the underground utilities box. No leak.
- Hmmmm. Maybe the oil has to warm up or I need to put the motor under pressure. I did leave the brake on in the garage while spinning the wheel a few times. But the oil wasn’t hot. So, I mowed more and finally drove up the steepest hill on my property and….an oil mist started to develop in the tub. So it’s leaking now, but from where? Had the wife move the tractor back and forth, narrowly missing my foot several times as I concentrated on peering into the tub and keeping the now hot exhaust out of my ear. Heard a little voice suggesting this approach may not be too safe. No leak.
- I get on and move forward and it leaks but I could not see where. Repeat with wife, no leak. Yell at wife for not being able to cause the leak. Wife goes back in the house without another word. I drive the tractor back to garage.
By the time I got to the garage, 50 feet or so, there was ½” of oil in the front of the tub. I parked on a down slope so it would drain out (hopefully). Going to Wal-mart to buy some stuff to clean the oil out of the tub. I think I’ve read that Simply Green will work unless someone has another suggestion. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: 1) The leak only occurs when the wheel motor is running, 2) the leak only occurs with the oil is hot, 3) the leak will occur if the PTO is on or off and 4) yelling at wife late in the day means no dinner for the night. I’m still thinking it’s the wheel motor.
