Farm Pro 2430 delivered today

blisterbug · Dec 20, 2004

Really excited, drove it with temp outside at 8 degrees,little slow starting, glad I installed heater. Filled fuel up, is leaking out top were fuel gage goes in, so far only problem,changed oil and filter ,hope it warms up. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Matt_A · Dec 21, 2004

Great to hear! It will be a great tractor for you. Have fun. I have with mine. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

billbill1 · Dec 21, 2004

My 284 leaks when full to the top too, I never looked, I thought it must be an overflow. I just started leaving around 3/4 full, it runs forever on a couple gallons of diesel.

Bill

greg_g · Dec 21, 2004

( My 284 leaks when full to the top too, I never looked, I thought it must be an overflow. )
It's just the sending unit gasket. The OE is little more than a paper gasket, portions of which gradually dissolve away. That "full tank" leak will only get worse.

If you have the same cowl as I had, you can fortunately remove the sending unit without removing the cowl. I used a screwdriver bit on a quarter inch drive ratchet, and fuel resistant gasket material from NAPA.
+Disconnect battery.
+Label sending unit wires, then disconnect (from the sending unit).
+Remove machine screws around sending unit. Be careful to use a large screwdriver bit, as the machine screw heads are very very soft.
+Remove sending unit. Because of limited clearance, take particular care not to bent the float assembly
+Carefully scrape old gasket off both surfaces. If you're lucky there might be enough left to use as a template. Even if not, you still don't want any scrapings to fall into the tank.
+Cut new gasket
+Install new gasket on the sending unit, making sure holes line up. Trim as necessary.
+Insert sending unit back into the tank, taking care not to bend anything
+Tighten sending unit screws. Remember the heads are very very soft.
+Reconnect wiring
+Reconnect battery
+Top up tank

//greg//

billbill1 · Dec 21, 2004

Thanks Greg, I hadn't even looked where it was coming from. I wish I'd have known, I had to drain it Friday and clean the screens. I'll get it the next time I'm low on fuel.

bluechip · Dec 21, 2004

The new Jinmas are coming with a rubber gasket (like our KAMAs) the old ones were cork and disenigrated like Greg said. If yours if rubber, maybe you can get away with just tightening. In any event, do not fill up into the filler neck and you should be fine.

BENFARMIN · Dec 22, 2004

I am thinking about buying a JM454 did you buy yours through a dealer. What do yo think about the quality and workmanship of the tractor? are you familar with the KM545? if so how does the KM compare to the JM. Has anyone ordered there tractor directly from China and put it together?

blisterbug · Dec 22, 2004

Bought from dealer, only had it for 5 days , a John Deere its not, more like a deere in the rough but , but I think it will do my work quite well

billbill1 · Dec 26, 2004

Will RTV or silicon hold up to diesel fuel?

greg_g · Dec 26, 2004

( Will RTV or silicon hold up to diesel fuel? )

I've never been a proponent of "gasket in a tube" - when used in place of a proper gasket. Fine sometimes, to help seal a gasket, but never as a gasket substitute.

I've encountered at least two shade tree mechanics - trying to pass themselves off as "Jinma mechanics" - who did the latter. Too cheap to order new gaskets, too lazy to cut new ones I guess. Both times the tractor was returned to me with blue crap smeared everywhere. Among other problems, hydraulics subsequently slowed to a crawl one day. Pulled the suction filter, found it almost completely clogged with with the blue stuff. No filter plate gasket, just blue crap dripping down into the hole. Pulled the hydraulic reservior off, found the cover gasket COMPLETELY GONE - replaced with blue gasket in a tube. I could see the excess running down the inside the differential housing.

Now that I blew off a little steam, I personally recommend you cut your own gasket to seal that sending unit leak. Once you have the unit out of the fuel tank, you've got the gasket template - right in your hands.

Back to your original question though: most of that gasket in a tube stuff will specify on the label whether it's oil/fuel resistant or not. But there's only one person to blame - if you see some of it swirling around in your sediment bowl one day.

//greg//