Another L3800 problem, maybe?

[bookemdano]

While lubing the HST zerks which seems to have cured my starting problem though only time
will tell, I came across this:

I've been under there dozens of times, but I don't remember this. Reason I'm asking, I had
it serviced last fall to include topping of the Tranny lube. Doing maintenance on it today,
it took nearly 3 gallon of UDT-2 to top it off. I was back under it looking for a leak and disn't
find one anywhere. This looks like some kind of pop off pressure relief valve on the tranny.
Is it supposed to be exposed like this? And could this be the reason I lost 3 gal of UDT-2?
I'd appreciate it if someone with a L3800 would check theirs and see if it's open and exposed
like this or if I'm missing something?
Thanks
Dano

No code has to be inserted here.​

 

[Fordtech86]

It is a drain for the clutch housing. It shouldn’t have anything coming out of it (doesn’t appear it does is pic)

it took three gallons to get to the sight glass?

 

[bookemdano]

It is a drain for the clutch housing. It shouldn’t have anything coming out of it (doesn’t appear it does is pic)

it took three gallons to get to the sight glass?

Thanks for the info. Yeh, three gallons until it started to come out the fill hole. I'd
put in a 1/2 qt and check the sight glass. Had my wife watching it constantly too.
just started pouring in the last 1/2 quart that would have made 3 gallon and it
overflowed the fill hole. Never have seen it in the gage. I'm wondering if it's so
clear that it don't show or the sight hole is somehow blocked. It don't smell,
runs cool to the touch, not much warmer than my skin. I'm baffled to be honest.
It doesn't make any noise that's not normal and there has been no loss of performance.
I had no reason to suspect anything wrong other than I could no longer see
it in the sight glass.

 

[Fordtech86]

Thanks for the info. Yeh, three gallons until it started to come out the fill hole. I'd
put in a 1/2 qt and check the sight glass. Had my wife watching it constantly too.
just started pouring in the last 1/2 quart that would have made 3 gallon and it
overflowed the fill hole. Never have seen it in the gage. I'm wondering if it's so
clear that it don't show or the sight hole is somehow blocked. It don't smell,
runs cool to the touch, not much warmer than my skin. I'm baffled to be honest.
It doesn't make any noise that's not normal and there has been no loss of performance.
I had no reason to suspect anything wrong other than I could no longer see
it in the sight glass.

It was likely full, it’s very hard to tell in the sight glass unless the level is right in the middle of it. There is dye you can add to the fluid to make it easier to see. You need to drain it down before you use the tractor or you will likely have a mess.

 

[bookemdano]

It was likely full, it’s very hard to tell in the sight glass unless the level is right in the middle of it. There is dye you can add to the fluid to make it easier to see. You need to drain it down before you use the tractor or you will likely have a mess.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of mess are we talking about?
Dano

 

[#40Fan]

Fluid will start puking out of the vent, if it has one. If there isn't a vent, it will find the easiest place to escape which could be expensive.

Drain it down.

 

[old and tired]

John Deere Hydraulic Oil Dye - MT3668

www.greenpartstore.com

You can run a little extra hydraulic fluid (gallon) but not running out of the fill hole. When hydraulic oil gets hot, it will expand...

Here's my sight glass with less than a half a bottle of the dye...

 

[bookemdano]

John Deere Hydraulic Oil Dye - MT3668

www.greenpartstore.com

You can run a little extra hydraulic fluid (gallon) but not running out of the fill hole. When hydraulic oil gets hot, it will expand...

Here's my sight glass with less than a half a bottle of the dye...

Just ordered a bottle. I'll wait to drain it until I get it and can see how
much is in the sight glass.
Thanks for the tip.
Dano

 

[bookemdano]

Fluid will start puking out of the vent, if it has one. If there isn't a vent, it will find the easiest place to escape which could be expensive.

Drain it down.

I will. Just ordered a bottle of dye so I can see how much is draining.
Thanks again,
Dano

 

[bookemdano]

I added the dye and let it run at idle for a few minutes. The entire window is now red.
To late today to drain it but I'll be draining it tomorrow.
Dano

 

[ctfjr]

From my experience (I use the same dye) its really hard to tell the level unless you catch it right when its in the middle of the glass. The 'background' takes on a reddish color so you really need to see the actual level. Go soooo slow when filling or draining.

 

[bookemdano]

From my experience (I use the same dye) its really hard to tell the level unless you catch it right when its in the middle of the glass. The 'background' takes on a reddish color so you really need to see the actual level. Go soooo slow when filling or draining.

That's the plan and when I get it right I'm going to use something, a dowel or a car
dipstick to measure the level and mark it and go with that.
Dano

 

[bookemdano]

Ok, got the dye in yesterday, I also stopped at the local hardware store and picked up
one of the squeeze bulb pumps people use for kerosene heaters and a 3/16" dowel.
Today I drained the 3.5 gal I put in out and this is the result:
Engine at idle:

And Sight picture with the engine off:

I'm leaving it at that. I stuck the 3/16 dowel in with the engine off and notched it so now I have
a better tool to gage the fluid with.
The EBAY seller that I got it from says he's sending me another bottle. I use it in my BX2680 just
so I can see it better on the dip stick it has. There was less than a 1/3 of a bottle of dye. I know
some said to only use 1/2 a bottle, well 1/3 worked pretty well as you can see.
Thanks to everyone that commented. I'm 73 and have a pacemaker (due to a bad reaction to a
new Blood Pressure medication my MD put me on. Spent the night in the ER and several days
in ICU until they felt it was safe to put in a pacemaker to assist the sinus node the medication
damaged. My heart was stopping for up to 13 seconds at a time. My normal heart rate was 50 BPM,
it was only beating around 20 times a minute. ER Doc said I should be in a coma, not awake
and talking.) Anyway, memory and body shot so a little advice is always appreciated.
Dano

 

[old and tired]

Hey, no problem we like to help and others may or will benefit from this thread... win win. If you have any other question or issues, just post away!!!

 

[m-m-m-myKubota]

Hey, no problem we like to help and others may or will benefit from this thread... win win. If you have any other question or issues, just post away!!!

indeed - was looking under a recently purchased tractor and my "drain for clutch housing pin" is bent over from impacting something. Didn't know what it was, but now I do