L3301 HST Leak

[Topesrule]

Hi all, I guess i'm looking for any insights you may be able to provide.

I have a 2015 L3301 with 60 hours on it. It sits in a garage and is well taken care of and is used mostly for blowing snow. The other day i noticed a toonie sized spot on the floor under it. When i went under to check it out the seal between the mid transmission case and the rear transmission case, where the two cases of the transmission bolted together, was wet along the bottom. I took a rag and wiped the oil off and have used the tractor twice since then and the seal has stayed dry. The tractors very clean and i felt around to make sure it wasn't running down from somewhere else.

Anything besides not being sealed well that could cause this? I would think if that seal wasn't good from the factory it should leak all the time.

Some pics

 

[teg]

All I got is to suggest to post a few photos of the area... I've been amazed at what some TBN'ers can spot from photos.

 

[Fallon]

That the clutch housing or further back? I'm assuming further back... Any oil in the clutch housing would be very bad for the clutch & probably a leaking shaft seal. Would require splitting to fix. If that is further back I believe the HST & transmission are a common sump. So I'd assume it would be a bad seal or gasket between them. Would likely require a split to fix.

If it were me & under warranty the dealer would be fixing it. If it were out of warranty I'd just live with it unless or until it was pushing a cup a week or so.

 

[sandyc]

Could be hydro fluid from connecting fittings for blower or loader. Just a thought.

 

[s219]

What are we looking at in the third photo? Is that a crack or a scratch?

 

[ClaySlayer]

What are we looking at in the third photo? Is that a crack or a scratch?

I can't tell if it's a hair or bristle or something and if that's a shadow under the left side where it turns up vertical or what...

 

[desh]

Can't tell much from the pics...Clean it and continue to watch. If it's a leak, it will reappear and probably get worse over time.

 

[Topesrule]

What are we looking at in the third photo? Is that a crack or a scratch?

That's a dog hair. The photo's aren't much help, the HST fluid is clear so it can't really be seen. The seal was wet with it at the time though.

 

[teg]

Is it under warranty? I would talk to the dealer... That doesn't look like a factory seal!

When my dealer replaced my jerky 3ph valve, the gasket looks like what you have. I wonder if the tractor has been split before? I'm not near my tractor, can anyone else confirm they have the same "gasket" as we see in the photo?

 

[Topesrule]

I think it is from the factory, the sealant that's been pushed out between the two parts is painted grey along with everything else. if it had been split and resealed I would think it would not be the same color grey as the rest of the undercarriage?