Two problems with my new BX25

[OzarksHermit]

Hi All

Two problems "out of the box" with my new BX25. One minor, but an annoyance. The Fuel Gage does not work. Always reads full. Called the Dealer and they ordered a part and will take care of it.

Now the Major Problem. I noticed that the HST seemed to be loud (whine), but I know nothing about HST's. After searching this forum, I decided to check the transmission dipstick. Should not have to - it is a NEW tractor after all.

The dipstick showed about 1/8" fluid, almost empty!!
Apparently the dealer did not do all the prep. I called the dealer, and they are really embarrassed and will fill it when they pick the tractor up to repair the fuel Gage.

Now for a question:

Could I have done irreparable harm to the transmission due to running it basically on empty? ( It only has 8.4 hrs run time) If so, it had better be covered by warranty (due to dealers negligence). However, I wonder if it will only be damaged some, thereby shortening it's life? I plan on demanding a statement from the dealer that it was not prepped correctly, because if it fails a week after the warranty expires I want some sort of recourse.

I really love this machine, and thanks to this forum I have learned a lot. I'm in the process of making some Forks, and probably a Thumb later.

Ken

 

[bp fick]

For your peace of mind.

All are known issues.

1. Low fluid levels. Dealers do not faithfully top things off properly in far too many cases. You checked it, as you should!!!! That's why you checked. Check the front axle too. Dollar to a donut it is low as well. (do your self a favor and drain the udt out of that axle and refill with Gear Lube anyhow).

2. They whine. No, THEY WHINE!!! you didn't hurt it a bit. The sucker holds like 4 gallons and you are only low a quart for shipping purposes. Or, the backhoe and FEL sucked it up.

3. A ton of BXs fuel gauges don't work properly or accurately. Usually a ground situation. Many guys don't even fuss with it after while. You learn how long a half tank lasts and you fill 'er up as needed.
It's all good.

 

[radioman]

bp fick got it right, BX's does whine some. SUDT is somewhat queiter then udt. There has been reports that front axel is low when deleivered to owners, so may that your next check as well.
I really doubt you hurt your HST tranny, afterall you were able to read some oil on the stick. However, its probably too lat enow, but after you were using it, check the oil immedaitely. If it foaming alot, then the pump has been sucking air and oil got too hot. I would check the oil right then. heat and foaming of oil is HST enemy.

Now you are probably scared by the time you read last statement, but 12.5 hours is not alot for a BX, they are very durable machines. I would make a mention to your dealer to see if he can make it right. Making a documented comment about low oil could help you in the future. If not, you always can fill out the satisfaction survey when it comes in.

For now, top off the fluids, and enjoy the BX.

 

[poldies4]

I third the opinions of bp and radioman. I had about the same amount of hours as you, and read a thread on checking fluids. I, like you assumed that my tractor was brand new, so no way were any of mine low. My front axle was almost a quart low. I could stick my finger all the way down and only feel fluid in the bottom 1/4". I got really freaked out, panicked, sad, then angry. It was all good as the nice people on this forum told me. They were right. Unlike you, my dealer insisted they filled the axle, and I'm inclined to believe them. Stuff happens. In the end, I had two issues up front, leaking hydraulic connection, and the low axle fluid. Both were taken care of, and I don't anticipate any problems/damage occured.

My HST whine seemed loud too, but as I learned here it is normal. I will say that now I'm at 31 hrs and it seems to have quieted a little.

Also, I must be lucky, my fuel gauge seems to work just fine....

 

[EE_Bota]

Hi,
I am not sure how different a BX25 is from a BX2200, but I did note the following:
I ran my BX2200 a few months without the ROPS for a special purpose. When I put the ROPS back on, the whine seemed much louder. I listened closely, and determined that the ROPS seems to conduct the sound and broadcast it to the operator.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If your dip stick showed any then you were not very low and I don't think you'll have any problem out of it. The BX's whine, my BX2660 worse than any of the others. Check front axle and top off with SUDT, dealer should give you a qt to top off all locations. I believe the factory ships with enough to operate with no damage then dealers are to top off after settling into all the nooks and crannies during shipping.

 

[wdchyd]

as far as the "Low" reading on dipstick,is it recommended to retract all hyd cyls before checking?....my new B2320 showed below on dipstick when delivered but I collapsed all cyls on FEL & BH and the level shows right at the top.....I admit I didn't read the manual so maybe I did this wrong????:confused2:

 

[rdsaustintx]

1/8" on the dipstick is a LONG way from being "almost empty". No worries.

 

[sw03]

gee they whine, welcome to the BX club..The fuel gauge issue, welcome to 2002 as with the BX22 problems. The BX22, 23 , 24 and 25 are all the same/issues.

 

[ejnichol]

Do not ride around with parking brake on. An occasional newby mistake that causes major surgery to fix brakes. That brake on while moving also causes big whine.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Others would go with brake on but BX2660 and BX25 won't.

 

[OzarksHermit]

Thanks for all the replies.

I checked the front axle, and nothing shows on that dipstick either. I'm beginning to wonder if ANY Dealer Prep was done to my tractor. I guess my first clue should have been when then did not even bother to wipe off all the Bird s**t on the instrument panel and seat.

Ken

 

[poldies4]

Thanks for all the replies.

I checked the front axle, and nothing shows on that dipstick either. I'm beginning to wonder if ANY Dealer Prep was done to my tractor. I guess my first clue should have been when then did not even bother to wipe off all the Bird s**t on the instrument panel and seat.

Ken

Ken,
I feel your frustration. When I bought my tractor I spent about a week thinking I just spent a ton of money, and now I'm having problems. My understanding of the front axle (mine was delivered a quart low) is that they trap air, and it takes some run time to work out the air and for the fluid to fill in the pockets. As I stated in my earlier post, my dealer said they prepped it, my delivery manifest says it was prepped, and I think that it probably was. At the time I was ready to break something I was so frustrated, but luckily cooler heads prevailed. Even though I felt like I spent a fortune, I bought what is probably the most "economical" tractor on the lot. What to me was quite likely the largest tractor purchase ever, was just another small sale to the dealer. That being said, I expected them to react much differently than they did. I was expecting them to be as concerned as I was, the truth is that as JT said, there is plenty of fluid in their, and they didn't have a big reaction because it wasn't a problem. I love having tbn as a resource, and I hope that the tractors we buy are tough. A little low fluid, a small puff of smoke, they are TRACTORS, not race cars. I believe in the toughness of my Kubota, and believe that it will take something much more significant than a low fluid level to do it in. It's frustrating to have problems with a new machine, mine went back to the dealer with a leak 1 week after I took delivery. Seemed like a rocky start, It's all been great from then, hope it is for you too. Good Luck..sorry to ramble on....

Mark

 

[KubotaTech]

Checking and adjusting PTO pressure helps with the BX tractors whining noises. It makes a bigger difference on some as compared to others.A lot of them are too high, by about 75 PSI. I wouldnt drain out the UDT and put gear lube in. We have seen more problems with units that have gear oil in, especially in cold weather. The UDT acutally flows at 0 degrees, the gear oil on the other hand...

 

[poldies4]

Others would go with brake on but BX2660 and BX25 won't.

my 1860 won't budge with the brake on. It seems that it would be difficult to move any with it on?

 

[_RaT_]

Checking and adjusting PTO pressure helps with the BX tractors whining noises. It makes a bigger difference on some as compared to others.A lot of them are too high, by about 75 PSI. I wouldnt drain out the UDT and put gear lube in. We have seen more problems with units that have gear oil in, especially in cold weather. The UDT acutally flows at 0 degrees, the gear oil on the other hand...

I was going to make that comment as well. Leave the front axle UDT in the front axle. Easier to change when needed and easier to replace. Things have changed since the old days when gears required the thick goo of gear oil for all gears.

 

[dodge man]

My front axle was low also, don't worry about it, it didn't hurt a thing, same thing with the HST.

My fuel gauge works, but just sorta. It starts to flutter around at about a half a tank, and as it gets lower, it seems to get closer to an accurate reading. When mine shows a 1/4 tank, it seems pretty accurate.

I've worked on cars quite a bit over the years, but the tractor thing was new for me. Read the owners manual and look at the service pages. In some ways, there are more things to check and fluids to change on a tractor than a car or truck.

 

[shownuff]

I would let the dealer know ,maybe the service manager and if and when you get the survey from kubota kindly fill it out .

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

my 1860 won't budge with the brake on. It seems that it would be difficult to move any with it on?

Up to the 60 series they would drive with the brake engaged and many, including me would drive for awhile before we noticed it. So, since you have one of the series that the brake holds it's hard for you to understand your good fortune and you take it as normal. Is normal now but wasn't before or still isn't on the other series tractors.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I would let the dealer know ,maybe the service manager and if and when you get the survey from kubota kindly fill it out .

My F was assembled and filled yesterday in the shop. Pulled out today and waiting on a seat. Wrong seat arrived with it. After moving out of service bldg and sitting for a day it's low. Told Steve so they can add a bit more and I'll probably have to add a bit more after I drive it for awhile. It's just the nature of the beast guys. Don't make a fedeeral case out of a normal thing. Just fill or top it off after driving it for awhile.:thumbsup: