Transmission Fluid not there

[weedsportpete]

Got my first tractor, a BX2200, on Saturday. Had already read the manuals, but asked a lot of questions. Had to wait a couple hours before I could get on, but I finally did and brush hogged for 3 hours. Yesterday I checked the transmission fluid and nothing showed on the dipstick. Checked three times; same. Ran engine for three minutes, then shut off and checked again. I thought I saw a sheen of oil on the stick, but not as easy to see as the engine oil on its dipstick. So I ran it three more hours and checked it again. It was dry. Tried again; still dry. While brush hogging I smelled something like burnt brown sugar.. was that just the weeds burning in the bush hog? Or was it the transmission? Have I damaged the transmission? I parked it on dirt; today I'll park it on concrete to look for leaks. The manual says use Kubota Super UDT oil.. is that required? I'm thinking about calling the dealer and asking them to come out.

Pete

 

[Boondox]

When in doubt on something this important, get that dealer on the phone!!!

Pete

 

[Turfman]

It does not take very much to be off the dip stick. Get some Super UDT and add enough to bring it up to the full line. I would NOT run it with the fluid low.

 

[weedsportpete]

OK.. I'm not going to run it. The salesman is coming out tomorrow anyway to attach the MMM (good thing they couldn't find the part last week..) so he'll take a look at it then. I hope it is just a little low, just enough to be below the dipstick level. I'll have to get some super UDT though, for cases like this.

Thanks!
Pete

 

[TresCrows]

I am not sure I follow, were you expecting spontaneous generation of fluid? If you checked it and it was in fact low--why did you continue to run it and check it over and over--you should have stopped then? The burn't smell could have been the transmission, it is possible.
On the bright side, it takes very little fluid missing to drop off the stick and it is very diffucult to see so maybe it was actually not so bad afterall.
When in doubt, stop and regroup, charging blindly ahead only works in the movies. Goodluck, hope it is not expensive. J

 

[Boondox]

Get in the habit of checking all your fluids regularly; I check the oil daily and the hydro fluid (sightglass) every couple of hours. Ditto with your fasteners, but not so often. Figure out a method that works for you and memorize the checklist. Low cost insurance to prevent catastrophic failure.

I'm a little puzzled. This is a brand new tractor, right? It had all the fluids checked before delivery? Just goes to show you that when it comes to caring for your tractor, never assume the other guy got it right!

Pete

 

[RRiche]

Can there be too much fluid. My level is above the mark, and I asked the dealer. (bought BX2200 2 weeks ago) The dealer said it was because of the FEL and this was normal. What would happen if there is too much?

 

[Dabota]

UDT is very hard to see on the dipstick. I find that laying the end of the dipstick on a small piece of cardboard or paper (I always have some paper towel when I'm checking over and/or greasing) quickly shows where the fluid is on the stick.

 

[weedsportpete]

Good idea.. I'll do that. That should make the difference between 'I think I see it' and 'I just can't see it'..

 

[RobertN]

My understanding is that in general, you do not want to overfill. I've read it in manuals, but can not find one at the moment.

Generally, the fluid has to go somewhere; if the "container" only has room for a quart, then the rest will have to go someplace it wasn't meant to. Figure too, the hotter the liquid, you will have some expansiion, which will cause the level to be high until it cools.

Having the loader should not cause the fluid to be high; the fluid will stay in the loader. Yes, you will have a larger overall capacity when you figure in the volume that is in the hoses and cylinders, but the fluid should stay there.