100 Hour Update

[BobG_in_VA]

I turned 104 hours on my 6000 4WD this weekend. I've had it about one year. Repairs: One FEL hydraulic connedtion required a "tighening", the power steering reservoir was replace under warranty due to a leak at the top of the reservoir (not a bad leak, but annoying-- only had to add a pint of fluid in 70 hours). I check the FEL frame mounts for loose bolts on a weekly basis as I've had 3 bolts (all on the right side) loosen a couple of time. I'm not worried about resale of this machine (as some folks make their purchase of a tractor based on how much they can get for it when it no longer fits them LOL) as its got mo' power/mo'traction/mo' FEL lift capacity than I'll ever need as it stands now.
Changed the oil filter at 22 hours and again at 57 hours

Set up as follows:
6000 4WD Synchro Shuttle shift
FEL Md 264 KMW w/ HD toothbar (bought thru Johnsons Auto)
Fluid filled rears tires (16.9 X 28) set up thru dealer
7ft International Machine Co brush hog bought thru Mahindra dealer)
7ft HD BoxBlade (bought from Corriher)

BobG in VA who is happy as a pig in poop with his Mahindra

 

[jwcinpk]

Mines got right at 75 hrs on it now and it's been worked pretty good. WE have had no trouble except the starter losing it's ground and having to clean around that and tighten it back. Heading into a big hay season so she's not gonna get a break. The only reason I would wonder about trade in would be when I see a Mahindra with a little more horsepower and a cab. Dealer assures me they are coming and he'll do me right if I want to trade. Great tractors at a very competitive price. No matter what they say you can't touch anything comparable to mine by one of the big three for under $30000. Least not round here. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[dduff]

I just had my 250-hour service done on my 6000 4X4 and it‘s just under a year old. I had my dealer do a farm call and take care of it for me. I am pleased to report that all is well and working fine. He did find a loose fitting on the power steering cylinder that was seeping a bit and he changed out the starter solenoid hoping to fix an intermittent starter issue. I use the tractor daily mostly to transport round bales to the cows but it has not been a stranger to the front end loader, box blade or bush hog either. I am getting it ready to start haying this week if the weather holds. Last year I put up 360 round bales using the Mahindra, a Kuhn Rotary Disc Mower and a Vermeer Rebel 5400 round baler. This in my opinion is an awesome combination for haying. I must say that I am impressed. This tractor has done everything I have asked of it and then some. The only thing I dislike about the tractor is the seat. If you are a big boy as some of us are, there is little to no travel left on the seat with the adjustment at its highest setting. I guess it is a reminder to me to slow down some and take it easy. It is still the best bang for the buck out there.

 

[Smithla]

What kind of intermittent starter problems were you having? I have a 4005 Mahindra, and when I go to start it, sometimes it will turn the starter first time, and other times it will click. I then will turn the key several times, up to as many as 15 times, getting the click each time, then it will turn the starter. Makes me think the starter solenoid is the bad guy, and I was wondering if your problem was the same as mine, and did the new solenoid correct it?

Thanks, Les

 

[Clyde]

I have a 4500 4WD and am very, very satisfied with it. I received a phone call from my dealer(210 miles away) to tell that there was a recall in regards to the battery ground strap. From the factory, they grounded it to the front grill cowling. The fix was to either use a $.05 "star" washer or rerun the ground with a suitable cable from the battery to the base housing of the starter. I purchased a 48", 6 awg, copper, stranded cable from the local discount store for $6.99. The dealer reimbursed me for the price of the cable and tossed in an engine oil filter for my efforts. Why can't Mahindra send these notices out to all affected customers? Ford, GM, Dodge addresses the owners along with the dealers. We're not worthy or knowledgeable to handle these recalls? To my way of thinking, a $10.00 ground strap is a heck of a lot cheaper than a replacemnt $300.00 starter I'm assuming that the 4500 and 6000 are similar in design and I hope this helps you. Incidentally, the click, click, click of the solenoid(and eventually engage the starter) was their concern. Mahindra is going to have to understand the American way and that is to directly address the problem to all c oncerned!!!!!!!

 

[Smithla]

Clyde,

So am I to understand that the grounding cable is the cause of the Click, Click when trying to start? I sent an email to the dealer, and he suggested a rebuilt starter, when I described my problem. Since my tractor is a 2000 year model, no warranty, so I try and save money when I can, and its 50 miles to my dealer.

Thanks, Les

 

[jwcinpk]

I have the same click, click, click problem you are talking of. We had it when the bird was new and fixed it by taking everything apart and cleaning it real good and putting it back tight. However over time it is back. Mine should still be under warranty so I'm gonna check to see if mine has a recall on it. I'm also beginning to get a bit of an issue with clutch slippage.

 

[BobG_in_VA]

Clutch Slippage??? How much freeplay do you have on your peddle? I have about an inch or more and try to let it out quickly at lower rpms. Let us know! bobg in va

 

[dduff]

The starter problem still persisted after the solenoid was replaced. The other day I decided to check out the connections from the battery. I found that the negative or ground side of the battery was connected to the grill sheet metal and it was not bond prepped to make a good electrical ground. (Bond prepping is the act of making sure you have a bare metal to metal contact surface that provides no resistance to the electrical current path.) Here is what I did. I removed the grill sheet metal and bond prepped both sides of the bolt hole that the ground wire attaches to. This entails removing the paint down to bare metal in an area the size of a quarter. I used a wire wheel mounted in a hand drill. I also bond prepped the surface of the frame where it comes in contact with the grill sheet metal. I reassembled everything the way it was and so far it is working fine. I would also suspect that the area where the starter is bolted to the engine block most likely has paint on it also that should be bond prepped also but so far so good. If it acts up again I will pursue the bonding issue further. As the starter gets it ground from the engine block and the engine block gets its ground from the frame anywhere they are attached, at least one bolt should be bond prepped for proper electrical grounding. Another way to fix it is to run a new ground cable from the negative side of the battery directly to the case-mounting bolt of the starter. You should also make sure that the attach point for the cable is bond prepped also.

 

[jwcinpk]

The clutch adjusted right out!