[mowergene]

A couple days ago, my beloved 1994 LX178 nearly died. I had just finished mowing about an acre and as I was putting her in the garage, I was getting noises from underneath. She limped into the garage. I pulled the deck and checked out the drive train to the hydrostat. I had replaced the belt with a good kevlar last year and replace both idlers at the same time. It really quieted down. Now the belt looked great but the smaller idler was missing the upper side of the pulley! I don't know how that happened, but I had saved the old pulley and put it back on.

Then I went to back out of the garage and it barely moved. I pushed it back in place and checked the fluid level. It looked good. The next thing I did was pull the seat and fenders to get a closer look. When I pulled the fuel tank, the reservoir for the transmission fluid fell off! As I inspected that plastic reservoir, apparently it had loosened up from the rubber hose it was clamped to. The inside of the reservoir was discolored which made it appear to have the proper amount of fluid in it. Now, with the top of the hydro fully exposed, I cleaned the hydro (It wasn't terribly dirty), paying close attention to the hose that the reservoir was mounted on. Not to get any dirt into the hydro! I very thoroughly cleaned the reservoir with carb cleaner and a rag powered by a screwdriver!

I've been running 10-30 full synthetic Valvoline in the hydro, so went to my other building that houses all the fluids and brought over the oil and small funnel. the hydro took 2 full quarts to top it off! That only leaves 1 1/2 quarts in it! Good grief.......did I kill the transmission??? I reinstalled the reservoir and filled it to the proper level. Then I jacked up the rear end and purged the system. Well, the wheels are turning, but how will it do under load??

I put the fenders and seat back on and gently depressed the reverse pedal and nothing happened until I had the pedal down nearly to the fender. But, it did back out of the garage. I was on flat land and started going ten feet forward and ten feet backward. I repeated this several times and the pedals became more responsive. I then took her up an incline and she did well.

The next task I put her through was about a 1/4 mile drive and then back into the garage. The reservoir was down about 2 ounces so I topped it off. Now, I'm checking the fluid level morning and evening whether I use the mower or not. So far, so good. That's one tuff tufftorq!

 

[rwmeyer]

Gene, Don't get concerned that your tractor din't move at first, you had air in the system and the hyd fluid was just moving it out of the way. You did good, move a little forward, then back. This purges the air out. I'm glad to hear everything is NOW working fine! Bob

 

[mowergene]

Gene, Don't get concerned that your tractor din't move at first, you had air in the system and the hyd fluid was just moving it out of the way. You did good, move a little forward, then back. This purges the air out. I'm glad to hear everything is NOW working fine! Bob

Hey Bob,
I worked it forward and backward many times while jacked up with no load. I figured I had the air cleared out. But, I guess it takes some real pressure use, as when the vehicle is moving with rider to fully purge the small bubbles out. I've had to do soooo many things to that mower in the last two years that I'd hate to give up on her now. I really do like that mower!! By posting, I want others to be aware of that sight view on the LX's......It can be deceiving. I may even make me up a dipstick!!

 

[rayjay]

In my experience with tractors with reservoirs eventually the rubber hose gets real hard and needs replacement. The reservoir itself can also get brittle and develop cracks and need replacement. If there is a plastic hose barb on the trans case the oring for it can harden and leak.

I also don't think carb cleaner is an appropriate cleaner for rubber parts.

 

[mowergene]

In my experience with tractors with reservoirs eventually the rubber hose gets real hard and needs replacement. The reservoir itself can also get brittle and develop cracks and need replacement. If there is a plastic hose barb on the trans case the oring for it can harden and leak.

I also don't think carb cleaner is an appropriate cleaner for rubber parts.

Not for the hose........for the plastic reservoir. It did fine.