JWR
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2011
- Messages
- 3,784
- Location
- So MD / WV
- Tractor
- MF 2660 LP, 3 Kubota B2150, Kubota BX2200, MH Pacer, Gravely 5660, etc.
Yes, they all show just fine now. Certainly the lap of luxury for snow removal.
Joined the red club!
- Thread starter Whitbread
- Start date
Welllll, everything has been fantastic until the other day. I noticed that I couldn't pick up the blower at idle anymore. Steering and pto clutch operation was totally normal. So onto the diagnostic tests.
Fluid level good, clean (just changed when mid pto kit went on in December), and not foamy.
Pressure gauge showed 1200psi at idle and 1800psi max when stone cold. When hot, only 300psi and 1100psi. That eliminates a suction issue because it would be worse when cold.
Relief valve removed and inspected, nothing found. Relief adjustment bottomed out, no difference in pressure gauge readings.
Next test was a bungee cord pulling a rear remote lever deadheading at 1500rpm. After about 5 minutes, the suction line to the pump was warm and steering discharge line was quite warm. Rear hydraulic discharge line was stone cold coming off the pump. Veryyyy interesting. Seems that the pump is internally bypassing somehow from the main hydraulic side into the steering side.
I tried like hell to contact Shimadzu directly to source a pump seal kit/parts availability, but it was absolutely useless. I called their USA office number and every extension went right to voicemail and all vm boxes were full.
So sadly, I had to call the dealer and order a pump and all the associated seals for $1034 shipped. I asked if i could return the pump in case my diagnosis was incorrect and they said yes as long as i didn't open it. Silly me, I ASSumed the whole tractor was under the 5 year warranty. But that's only the drive train, everything else is only a 2 year as I found out.
I tore into the tractor today (which was a giant pain in the rear) and pulled the pump. Tearing the pump down, it definitely was the issue. The shaft bushings on either side of lower gear on the main chamber were destroyed. The excess clearance between the shaft/bushings were letting hydraulic pressure escape and travel through the hollow lower shaft of the steering side of the pump and into its discharge line. I'm just happy to have actually found the smoking gun.
Pulling the strainer, there was definitely metallic junk stuck to it. So the cavity was cleaned out and a new strainer installed along with a new spin on filter. The 15 hour old oil will get pumped through a 20 micron filter on its way back into the tractor.
Fluid level good, clean (just changed when mid pto kit went on in December), and not foamy.
Pressure gauge showed 1200psi at idle and 1800psi max when stone cold. When hot, only 300psi and 1100psi. That eliminates a suction issue because it would be worse when cold.
Relief valve removed and inspected, nothing found. Relief adjustment bottomed out, no difference in pressure gauge readings.
Next test was a bungee cord pulling a rear remote lever deadheading at 1500rpm. After about 5 minutes, the suction line to the pump was warm and steering discharge line was quite warm. Rear hydraulic discharge line was stone cold coming off the pump. Veryyyy interesting. Seems that the pump is internally bypassing somehow from the main hydraulic side into the steering side.
I tried like hell to contact Shimadzu directly to source a pump seal kit/parts availability, but it was absolutely useless. I called their USA office number and every extension went right to voicemail and all vm boxes were full.
So sadly, I had to call the dealer and order a pump and all the associated seals for $1034 shipped. I asked if i could return the pump in case my diagnosis was incorrect and they said yes as long as i didn't open it. Silly me, I ASSumed the whole tractor was under the 5 year warranty. But that's only the drive train, everything else is only a 2 year as I found out.
I tore into the tractor today (which was a giant pain in the rear) and pulled the pump. Tearing the pump down, it definitely was the issue. The shaft bushings on either side of lower gear on the main chamber were destroyed. The excess clearance between the shaft/bushings were letting hydraulic pressure escape and travel through the hollow lower shaft of the steering side of the pump and into its discharge line. I'm just happy to have actually found the smoking gun.
Pulling the strainer, there was definitely metallic junk stuck to it. So the cavity was cleaned out and a new strainer installed along with a new spin on filter. The 15 hour old oil will get pumped through a 20 micron filter on its way back into the tractor.
Last edited:
tacticalturnip
Elite Member
I imagine being able to do your own work saved you a good bit of money, though it would have been better not to have the headache at all.
Sorry to hear of your problem, but glad you were able to get at it for diagnosis & repair. WAY beyond my pay grade!
Reminds me of a V6 we had in a Plymouth Voyager van... oil pump cavity was cast into the timing cover; when that got worn there was no recourse other than replace the whole piece. Major expense.
Reminds me of a V6 we had in a Plymouth Voyager van... oil pump cavity was cast into the timing cover; when that got worn there was no recourse other than replace the whole piece. Major expense.
thclimer
Platinum Member
Wow, that's very unfortunate. Nice that you have the ability and knowledge to work on it.
Thanks for the descriptive write up and pictures!
How many hours were on your 1740?
Thanks for the descriptive write up and pictures!
How many hours were on your 1740?
It's a blessing and a curse being handy, seems everything likes to break around you haha.
I'm happy it was a relatively straight forward fix too! I purposely bought a used tractor that was still under warranty so I wouldn't have to deal with things like this. Well silly me, I didn't read the fine print close enough that the fully transferrable 5 year warranty is powertrain only. D'oh!
Happy to share now we've moved on from the towing police haha! 930 hours on it now, it was bought with 760 near Oklahoma City last may. That a lot of hours for the previous owners to put on in a short time being it was purchased in December of 19. Drawbar is very heavily worn, 3 pt and loader had almost no wear. So I really think they were pulling a large batwing mower or hay baler allllll day with this thing in 100 degree summer heat causing the oil to get excessively thin.