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Need more help--New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 9:01 am
by ozark
Hello all. I have looked at this site regularly and now have a problem of my own.
I was mowing with my 154 yesterday and noticed that the cutting power was getting weaker than it already was and it started to jump out of first gear. I stopped to let the tractor roll back down a little to make a turn and when i released the clutch ( I was in second gear) it was as if the trans was locked up. I messed around trying to get it in another gear which is not easy and finally got it in reverse. It will move fine in reverse but when i can get it in a forward gear the clutch will not turn and it would kill the motor if i would let it. It was my grandpas old cub and it always would grind getting it in gear which he said was normal. Where should i begin with this thing? I sure hope i didn't mess it up too bad. All help is greatly appreciated.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:46 am
by twotone
I don't have your answer, but welcome to the forum.


Tom

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:03 pm
by Bill Hudson
Ozark,

Welcome to the forum. We're glad you are no longer a lurker.

As for your problem, it sounds like worn/loose shifter fork(s). You will have to take the shrouding off the rear end to get to the gear shift and transmission cover plate. Eight bolts to remove and the inspect the shifter forks for wear/looseness. Let us know what you find.

Bill

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 2:54 pm
by Boss Hog
You are still in reverse when you try to get it in a forward gear. I am betting you have a broken , or loose low and reverse shift fork

Boss

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:31 pm
by ozark
You are correct. I took the cover off and the rev/low fork is showing lots of wear. The bolt holding it down was very loose. The problem now is something was dropped into the case. I have no idea what it was or where it came from. I was using a ratchet to tighten the bolt and seen something rattling around and fall in. I have drained all the fluid and can't see it. I was trying to be very careful too. I will keep trying in the morning. Thanks for all your help.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 7:28 am
by Boss Hog
most likely part of the fork, they can be replaced without splitting the tractor

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 7:31 am
by outdoors4evr
Use a magnet on the end of a stick to fish around the bottom of the transmission. You probably lost the elusive poppet ball or its spring.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 3:27 pm
by ozark
outdoors4evr wrote:Use a magnet on the end of a stick to fish around the bottom of the transmission. You probably lost the elusive poppet ball or its spring.

I have no idea what you are talking about with the poppet ball or spring. I have tried a magnet and air to maybe blow it where i can see it with no luck. Will be leaving Sun.for a few weeks so it will have to wait. I will probably try to find some new forks and try to replace them when i get back.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 7:31 am
by ozark
O.k i found a little more time to look at the cub yesterday and after doing a little research on the poppet ball and spring i am going to go and check if it is there. I am going to say it's not as i can easily slide the rail back and forth. If it is not there it is in the case and i have run a magnet all over that sucker and can't find it. I am pretty certain it's in there as i seen something out of the corner of my eye fall in. I know something is in there as when i have it in neutral i can move the tractor back and forth slowly and it locks up on it. Where can that sucker be hiding? Bear with me everyone as this is my first time really trying to work on this thing.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 8:24 am
by twotone
Do you have the back cover of the trans off?


Tom

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:35 am
by ozark
twotone wrote:Do you have the back cover of the trans off?


Tom


No I only have the shifter plate off. I looked for the spring and poppet. The spring is there but no poppet. I pulled the drain again and blew air through the hole trying to get it to move to where i could see it. I can take a small piece of rubber tubing and move it all over in the bottom of the case and still no poppet. I can move the tractor back and forth now and it doesn't catch and lock up. Is there any chance that it just disappeared lol.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:37 pm
by twotone
The reason I asked is because when I restored my 154 this winter, I had a leaking rear gasket, so when I pulled it off, I found part of my shifter fork in there. Very easy to get at when the back is off. I welded the piece back on without removing the fork and everything seems ok, maybe a little more whine in 1st and reverse.


Tom

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 8:47 pm
by ozark
may try that. I'm not gonna be able to mess with it for a few weeks. I will probably be back on here asking qeustions then.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 8:27 am
by outdoors4evr
I would show back up with a shift fork and a poppet ball & spring in hand along with the 2 gaskets and the HiTran fluid for the transmission.
Pull the rear cover off the transmission and clean out the gunk (and other miscellaneous metal components).
Change the shift fork and put the back cover on.
Fill transmission to the specified level (do not overfill)
Inspect the shifter (ball on bottom of shifter may be worn out of round)
Install shifter plate.
Do the Rock Test before starting the engine to make sure that the shifter works.

Re: New guy here with 154 troubles

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 7:20 pm
by ozark
Just got back from a job and ordered the parts for this from Jp's. Hopefully i will be able to fix this sucker.
Thought i posted that but i didn't hit submit. Anyway i went up and took the back cover off and the poppet ball was laying right there. Glad to have found that. No other parts were laying in the bottom and the gears all look pretty good.
What is the best way to get the 1st rev. shifter fork off and then on? The old one was broke in half so it was not bad but i'm not sure about getting a whole one back on.