Leaking Trans. Fluid, Lost Power

[Trailblazer]

Hoping someone can tell me why transmission fluid is coming out of what looks like an overflow hose on the inlet cap. I lost power on a hill, in a very unfortunate place (see attachment). The left rear wheel was on the edge of a drop-off and went on down when I lost power. Puckering to the max, I got out and noticed fluid steadily leaking from the rear of the machine.

 

[Trailblazer]

The fluid was leaking from this little hose in the inlet cap for the transmission oil. I pulled the dipstick (to the left of the cap) and oil came gushing out of that hole too. I figured it might have to do with the angle of the machine, so I got back in to work it out of that position, but couldn't lift the loader now. So now, no hydraulics. The operator's manual doesn't cover this. I look to the experts on this forum before I call someone here... what caused this? Can I restore power where the tractor sits, or will I have to winch it out of there?

 

[Junkman]

My guess is that the fluid is now all at the rear of the transmission and that is why it came gushing out when you pulled the dip stick. It is also my guess that the pick up screen for the transmission is not fully involved with fluid and the transmission is picking up air. I would try to get someone to winch the tractor out of the precarious position that it is in and back to level ground before panicking about this situation. Once it is on level ground, I believe that you will no longer have problems. I am basing all this on information I gleaned from a similar situation that was posted here a few months back. That owners tractor looked just like yours. Headed up hill, the engine stalled, and it wouldn't move after that. Unfortunately for him, he was down in a ravine and if I remember correctly, it took a bulldozer to extricate him.
From the look of the first picture, it appears that there is an implement on the rear of the tractor. I would not try to remove this, as it might be the only thing that is keeping the tractor from going over on its side. From the picture, it looks severe. I sure would need an underware change if I were on that machine when this happened. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Trailblazer]

Thanks Junkman. Getting off the tractor did a lot to reduce my panic. That's a bushhog on the back, and it's definitely helping brace the tractor. Not sure how I'm going to get it to level ground, but I hope I don't need a dozer. I thought about carrying spare underwear in the toolbox behind the seat, but now I'm thinking diapers. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Another question: To stop the leak, I clamped off the little hose coming out of the inlet cap. Bad idea? Is that fluid now sitting somewhere it shouldn't be?

One more note: the engine runs, there's just no power to the FEL and power to the wheels seems low. I don't know if I can raise/lower the rear implement, because of the position the machine is in.

 

[Junkman]

The tractor is sitting somewhere it shouldn't be.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I don't see any problem clamping the tube. All you are doing is keeping the fluid in. You don't give any indication where you are stuck, so it might be as simple as having a tow truck come to pull it out. You will need a "recovery" vehicle as opposed to a flat bed. Any good tow truck driver should know how to get you back up on flat ground. The tractor isn't that heavy, and it has 4 round wheels, both are a plus. If there are any large trees, he can set up a snatch block pull and increase the pulling capacity of the winch. If my memory serves me well, I believe that a double snatch block will increase this number by 4 times. How far down the hill is the tractor. Most wreckers only carry about 100' of cable on the spool. Larger double boom retrievers that do heavy truck work, carry larger quantities, but also cost larger $$$$$ for the service.

 

[Henro]

Trailblazer,

There was a similar thread a while back...

Smokeymtnman's Saga

Bottom line if I remember right was the slope was too great and the transmission sucked air, like the Junkman said.

After you get your tractor back on flat land, you may want to read the thread linked above. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hope you got the tractor out by the time you read this...

 

[Trailblazer]

Junkman and Henro, thanks for the tips. It's out! On further inspection, I found that my left front wheel was about a centimeter from going over the same dropoff (obscured by brush) that the left rear wheel went down. If it would have dropped, my problems would be medical rather than mechanical. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

When I measured the distance uphill to level ground, it was about 120 yards, which would make recovering it from up there difficult. However, the ravine levels out down below, after a very steep drop (small cliff), and my neighbor was able to get his tractor down there from another angle. That was only 40 yards, but downhill. We attached straps from his 'bota to my FEL to keep the front from slipping over (the one centimeter) and I slowly crawled the left rear wheel up the little ledge. Once I was up on the "regular" slope, power returned to nearly normal in the wheels and I could move the FEL. I drove it up the hill to level ground, checked the trans. fluid and it was a little over a gallon low. Clamping the vent tube on the inlet cap saved me - if any more fluid had drained, I wouldn't have been able to move and wouldn't have been able to add fluid. When I went to buy new fluid, the service guy suggested I overfill slightly to compensate for the hilly terrain. He also recommended Depends undergarments rather than diapers. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Henro, thanks for the link to that great thread! Man, I'm glad my tractor wasn't stuck for 3 months. All the posts demonstrated the quality of this board - a bastion of civilization on the internet.

Thanks again, guys.