Fixing A Leak

[twotone]

The easy way. Many times someone comes on here and asks about a leak they have. Many times the answer is " make sure it's not overfull". Ever since I restored my 154 I've had a pretty bad trans leak that I don't think I had before. I was under it yesterday looking for the source, and saw a pipe plug on the left side of the trans that had never been opened since I painted it. I looked at my service manual and parts manual to no avail.

I called a friend of mine that knows these things inside out and asked if that was the full level plug, or is the one in the rear of the trans the level plug. He said "if I used the one in the rear for full reading, I was way over full, use the one on the side." I opened it up and let 4 qts. of Hy Trans run out. No more leak! Thats my kind of repair.


Tom

[Hamiltonbob]

The plug on the lower left side of the trans was the hydro return on the early 154's. See what others say, but be careful as I was always told to fill the hydro fluid until it came to the rear fill hole level.
Anyone have an operators manual?
Hamiltonbob

[twotone]

All my manuals say "fill to proper level", but they dont tell you what that is. If these rearends are the same as a cub cadet, it should be the same.


Tom

[twotone]

You may be right Bob. Rudi has a manual and it shows that rear center plug the fill and full plug, but there is no mention of the other plug I was talking about. My F Cub has a plug in the same place and that is the full plug? Now I am confused.


Tom

[twotone]

Rudi's manual says 7 qts. Back to square 1. Thanks for the heads up Bob. I knew my day couldnt go that easy, but a man has to have dreams.


Tom

[Jim Becker]

. . . I was always told to fill the hydro fluid until it came to the rear fill hole level.
Anyone have an operators manual?
Hamiltonbob

Since the Farmall Cub transmission is supposed to take 3-1/2 pints and the 154 takes 6 quarts (or more depending on equipment) and the housing is essentially the same, clearly the level has to be higher in the 154. The 154 Operator's Manual says "Keep the lubricant up to level plug (19) on the rear of the transmission case." Number 19 points to the rear plug and is captioned "Oil filler and level plug."

Since the 154 transmission is the hydraulic reservoir, the level will vary in operation. When at it's lowest, it still needs enough oil to maintain lubrication. Since the oil level in the Farmall remains constant, it only needs the lesser amount to maintain lubrication.

The bottom line on leaks is that the numbered series tractors normally have oil running agains the axle seals. You need to have good seals. So much for the seals "only designed to keep splash inside."

[twotone]

I knew an easy fix was asking too much!


Tom

[twotone]

Well, I'm adding a little at a time just see how much it takes to make this thing leak. I started with 7 qts and it leaked. Drained out 4 qts, no leak, and leaves me with 3 qts in the trans. I added 2 qts last night, now it has 5 qts in it, no leak. I added 1 qt this morning, drove it around for a while, no leaks with 6 qts total in trans. So the leak happens somewhere between 6 and 7 qts. Next fill is a half qt. and if no leak I'll call her good.

[twotone]

OK, to anyone following this, 6 qts and she starts to drip a little. I wonder how bad it is to run it a qt low. I never use the hydraulics on this tractor, strictly a drawbar tractor. And yes, I am looking for the easy out on this one and my SA trans leak. We'll be moving in 1-2 months and I want everything moveable under it's own power.


Tom

[Dale Shaw]

We'll be moving in 1-2 months and I want everything moveable under it's own power.


Tom

Throw some sawdust under it and forget you had a problem till after the move. You have too much other stuff to do to prepare for the move to deal with it now. (if you are anything like anyone I have ever known that moved)

Consider the leaks "external Lubrication" for now. Deal with it when you are settled.

[twotone]

Dale, thats the best advice I've heard all day. I look around and wonder "how are we going to get all this stuff moved". A person (me anyway)accumulates a lot of "stuff" after living in the same house for 23 years.


Tom

[Rudi]

Tom:

Dale, thats the best advice I've heard all day. I look around and wonder "how are we going to get all this stuff moved". A person (me anyway)accumulates a lot of "stuff" after living in the same house for 23 years.

Tom

1 box at a time When Em and I moved from Ottawa to Dieppe - about 850 miles give or take one or three, it took me 19 trips with a GMC 1/2 ton and an enclosed 6x12 U-Haul on my days off of a 5 watch shift system. We had just combined two homes when we got married and there was a lot of stuff Got it done though, but I don't think I could do it agin... Still was 1/2 the price of having movers do it for us and I only lost 1 coffee mug that I really didn't much like anyways

Yeah, Dale has good advice. Fix it later when you have time to enjoy the fix and not have to do it under a lot of self imposed pressure. Do what has to be done to get moved, take a few weeks off after that, then get back to playing with the 154... it will be time well worth spent