2001 PT425 Kohler CH25 Oil Leak - Pull The Engine

[dbaird323]

Yeah, I've been very pleased with the machine.

I've often wondered how long a similar machine with an automobile 4 cylinder liquid cooled gas engine would last? Probably indefinitely, given the hours.

Perhaps a Chevy 153 from a 60's Chevy II.

For what it's worth, I saw an old PT-445 for sale on facebook marketplace recently. It had an old ford industrial gas engine that looked to be original.

 

[MossRoad]

Welp, it showed up inside of a corrugated cardboard box in a waterproof bag. The plastic box has a cracked hinge. Oh well. Doesn't bother me. All of the fittings are there. Will get on it again as time permits. Spent the weekend working on canna lilies, flower pots, greenhouse, etc. winterizing. Spent Sunday with my wife and some of her family.



Would have been handy to have the PT425 to dig out the lilies in 5 minutes VS 2 hours with the shovel.

 

[Modrob]

Thanks much for this posting. I just happened onto it this morning, after a few hours of tossing and turning sleep, wondering how to proceed with my new, big engine problem. This series of pics and your directions have given me a new energy.

 

[MossRoad]

That's what we're all about here in the PT forum.

 

[m5040]

That's the hydroback. My tram pedal is cable controlled. I do not know what is inside of that cylinder. All I do know is that the cable pulls or pushes it, and the hydroback then operates the direction lever on the tram pump. The bracket that it mounts to has slotted holes, so I'm guessing that's how you adjust it for neutral with all 4 wheels off the ground.

Maybe there's some spring dampening in that cylinder to lessen shock from treadle movement?

Out of necessity I found out what the black cylinder is. It has a push pull set of springs inside to center the tram pedal. Mine is stripped out and will not bring reverse back to center (the cable just comes out of the cylinder when it should be attached {by internal treads onto the cable}. I think I may need to install a Helicoil or ?

 

[MossRoad]

Out of necessity I found out what the black cylinder is. It has a push pull set of springs inside to center the tram pedal. Mine is stripped out and will not bring reverse back to center (the cable just comes out of the cylinder when it should be attached {by internal treads onto the cable}. I think I may need to install a Helicoil or ?

I'm pretty sure PowerTrac will sell you a new one. I just don't know the cost.

I've never opened one up.

I just bumped up a thread about changing it in the PT forums. Hope that helps.

 

[m5040]

Terry thought it was $400. I drilled out the center for 3/8 coarse and then a 3/8 bolt taped for 1/4 fine to thread on the cable. It works so far.

 

[MossRoad]

Nice!

 

[2manyrocks]

$400 seems a lot for that. Are PT replacement parts generally expensive?

 

[MossRoad]

$400 seems a lot for that. Are PT replacement parts generally expensive?

They do have a markup. They also have great service and you usually get your stuff in just a couple days.

 

[ponytug]

@m5040 Nice job on the part!

I have some sympathy for folks trying to stock parts on hand, keep them organized, have the capital tied up in the parts, the labor to keep it running, etc. Folks like Honda gets to make a million parts more or less continuously, at pretty low cost, but not everyone is so fortunate.

I can't say enough about how helpful the folks at Power Trac have been over the years. A+ in my book. I was on a call with them recently and someone trotted out into the warehouse two separate times double checking parts for me.

I was involved in making low volume gizmos and it drove me nuts trying to get our production runs up to the point where we could start to get price breaks on parts, thereby lowering the cost of our gizmos. Larger production runs tied up more capital, making it more expensive for us. I think that it is a definitely a case of "being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea..."

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

 

[m5040]

Tractor and construction equipment parts are astronomically expensive. PT parts, in comparison, are reasonable.

 

[SpringHollow]

I always figure the extra cost on parts is what we pay for the amazing help Terry provides.

Ken

 

[2manyrocks]

Moss Road, did you ever get your engine oil leak repaired?

 

[MossRoad]

Moss Road, did you ever get your engine oil leak repaired?

That there's funny!

 

[MossRoad]

Not yet. Holidays, ill family member, other things, life, etc....

I did get some nice lighting installed over it in the back garage, however.

 

[MossRoad]

And my hydraulic plug/cap kit arrived shortly after I ordered it and I used one cap on a hydraulic hose.

So the engine sits on the garage floor waiting for me.

 

[2manyrocks]

So many other discussions have taken place in this thread that I didn't know what progress had been made on your oil leak. I don't like working on machinery in the cold myself.

 

[MossRoad]

So many other discussions have taken place in this thread that I didn't know what progress had been made on your oil leak. I don't like working on machinery in the cold myself.

Yeah, we're good for the thread drift, that's for sure!

I don't mind working in the cold. It motivates me to procrastinate better.

I did dig out the snow shovel just in case. (gasp!).