Did I just turn it into a boat anchor?

[Omega287]

Hi, hoping someone can calm my fears...

I recently moved to a farmette with my wife and baby boy. I'm a total newbie to country living and am loving it...until this morning.

I purchased a used BX2200 w/LA211 FEL back in March and finally fired it up for the first time to mow. I removed the FEL with no issues, but after removal I couldn't raise MMM. Figured out that hydraulic hose had to be reconnected.

The coupler must have been replaced with a different one as they don't match. I thought it would be fine as I'm not using the FEL and mid-mower was down anyway. So I proceeded to mow and finished just as dusk began.

Got the lawn mowed and was feeling pretty good until I put the tractor away and realized it was smoking under the seat. As it was dark I couldn't see well and saw what I assumed was the hydraulic plug missing and there was a trail of dripping fluid the length of the driveway.

I thought the plug just came off until I looked closer this morning...it melted away and into the reservoir. The PTO cover was gone too.

So am I now the proud owner if an orange boat anchor?

I totally feel lousy. Any idea if this can be repaired? Cost?

Thanks.



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[Paulemar]

If you post some pictures you are more likely to get some helpful information that will be specific to your BX2200 and problem. I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[gpreuss]

My hope would be that you mowed the lawn whith the hydraulics pumping away like crazy past a pressure relief...
It got hot enough to melt the fill plug, and loosen the PTO sleeve so it fell off. Since there was oil on the drive, you may have melted a seal? Possibly loose transmission case bolts?
You drove it back to the garage, so there should be nothing really serious wrong. You do not sound really mechanically inclined - probably be best to take it to your dealer, if you have one. I'd be thinking under $500 to have it torn down to replace whatever is leaking.
Just a WAG.
Cross your fingers... Let us all know.

 

[Omega287]

Paulemar - thanks, I'll post some pics tonitr


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[Omega287]

Gpreuss - True, I'm not a motor guy but not afraid to learn. I do have a local dealer and can go there if needed.
Brother in laws dad has same model and explained last night that the hydraulic circuit was deadheaded and oil overheated due to not flowing. Just hoping most of melted plug didn't make it into pump etc.


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[hodge]

If the oil got hot enough to melt a plug, you should expect other damage. Get it to a seasoned repairman, probably the dealership, to go over. It will cost less now to fix it than it will later.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The pieces and parts probably are in the bottom of the hydraulic reservoir (transmission, Rear end) or filter (probably not, as it would cool too quick and solidify).

Pictures will help us help you, and just off the top I think you will probably be able to do the needed repairs yourself.

#1 get the owners manual and the Service manual for your tractor, FEL and mmm, they will prove invaluable for years to come.

 

[Bulldog]

I agree with Hodge, you may have other damage like cooked seals, o-rings or even the hyd pump itself.

Aside from any damage I feel you were very close to injury or even death. SUDT2 has a flash point around 330 degrees, you had to be close to nothing short of a huge fireball. You dodged a serious bullet my friend. Might even consider buying a lotto ticket, you were lucky.

 

[Omega287]

Here are a few pics of my screw up..

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

WOW, yea that took some serious heat!
It could have damaged parts but you won't really know unless you tear it all down or you run it and check everything out.
#1 Your going to have to change the oil and the filter out, they are both going to be cooked.
#2 If it at all acts odd your going to have to have tests done on it to see what kind of damage has been done, like bypass cooked, seals, or possibly pump.
Is it an HST (pedal operated) not gear?
If it was still moving good, then you might have gotten real lucky and dodged a very expensive repair bill.

 

[cb750k8]

Hi
Dont know your tractor well but most hydraulic systems have a cooling circuit. Hydraulic oil on my tractor is cooled via a small radiator and blown air from the engine fan.

Do what others have advised. get the manual, change hydraulic oil, inspect it well for debris etc. hopefully you will have no metal bits. New filter and possibly seals at the pto shafts. These items are not expensive.

Find the hydraulic cooling circuit (if there is one) and inspect for debris, dust, birds nests insects etc. on the cooling air side and also check there is free oil flow on the hydraulic oil side.

Good luck and let us know how you get on
Cheers

 

[kuboman]

That was some serious heat. I think you can be assured that you did damage. At this point you have nothing to lose by draining the oil, refilling and running it and see what shows up first. Seals don't like heat so keep track of hydraulic oil in the engine, external leaks etc.

 

[cb750k8]

Hydraulic circuits usually have a cooling coil or system. Check if your tractor has a cooling coil cooled by the engine fan. look for debris, birds nests, insects etc.
Dont think you have a boat anchor.
Cheers

 

[kuboman]

In the world of hydraulics damage starts to occur over 180*F and increase as the temp rises. To melt the plastic plug you were close to if not more than double that. The fact that the plug melted indicates thats the temp of the whole hydraulic system, differential included was that hot.
You are quit lucky it did not catch fire.

 

[Omega287]

Thanks for all the insight. Dealer is looking it over but haven't heard back yet as to what damage was done. In the mean time here's a pic of the melted plug I found in the lawn.

 

[Islandguy]

Thanks for all the insight. Dealer is looking it over but haven't heard back yet as to what damage was done. In the mean time here's a pic of the melted plug I found in the lawn.

Quick sea story..Years ago I was deckhand on a tug and we had gotten underway towing a derrick when I looked aft from the wheelhouse to see the guys on the bow of the derrick jumping up and down pointing. I looked down at the steel afterdeck of the tug to see flames shooting up some four or five feet in the air. Needless to say the skipper waster no time getting to the engine room. He had been transferring fuel to an already FULL tank and the friction of the fuel through the tank fill cap vent caused the vertical flame thrower, could have been ugly if that hydraulic fluid had lit off out the back of your tractor, hope the damage is easily fixable.

 

[Apogee]

I'd frame that melted plug as a reminder.

Hopefully it won't be too expensive of a mistake. Don't feel bad about it, it could easily have happened to any of us...

I'll be very interested to learn what damage (hopefully none) was caused. Did you happen to check the oil before you took it to the dealer (smart move btw)? I'd be curious to know if it still had oil in it?

Fingers crossed for you at this end!

Good luck,

Steve

 

[ipz2222]

I'm more curious as to why it happened in the first place. The fel must be hooked up wrong . I take mine off in the summertime because I mow a lot and never have a problem.

 

[Kennyd4110]

I'm more curious as to why it happened in the first place. The fel must be hooked up wrong . I take mine off in the summertime because I mow a lot and never have a problem.

On the early BX's, the FEL valve came off with the loader and you had to hook the PB hoses together, much the same way you have to do with a backhoe. He neglected to plug these hoses together, the hydraulic system was in "relief" and caused the fluid to overheat.

 

[craigbaill]

Any updates? BUMP