[Caffrey78]

The lid has been removed and all seals have been replaced. I hope to have her back tonight or tomorrow for a test drive to see what's working. I hope that's everything. I had a feeling that there had to be seals gone under the lid and a serious enough leak because of the temperature the oil was getting to in a short space of time. Thanks for your comments and I'll keep this thread updated as i go on. All I need now is weather to make bales!!

[iverjohnston]

there is a plug screws into the end of the main lift cylinder, removing it allows you push out the piston with a piece of dowell rod or whatever. Don't forget to replace this or you wont be lifting anything! Ask me how I know this! Also the "rate of drop" screw needs to be checked.

[Caffrey78]

The latest is a cracked lift cylinder, is there any end to the good news.
That's supposed to be replaced today with a 2nd hand one.
I think I'm getting her back tomorrow for a test drive.

[iverjohnston]

That wouldn't be too bad, easily swopped out (as our american cousins say!) A mate of mine bought a 3650 and it would do something similar. When it got hot you lost hydraulics. They changed filters, the main pump (twice) and still the problem persisted. M. F. M were down about 4 times.They split it and checked the hi-lo and the clutch packs and replaced the oil lines in the gearbox. No joy. Then the engins seized so that was that. We had reached the conclusion tht there had to be a crack or a blow hole somewhere in the back end. She went away on a truck and he bought a new 6510. The garage told them about a year later than the engine was rebuilt and she was going good. There was a story there somewhere, but the garage wasn't telling!

[Caffrey78]

The mower is booked for Friday and baling Saturday, so that's definitely D-day for her.
If I can face a laptop Saturday night I'll let you know how she is, but after a full day bouncing up and down the road I might be more in the mood for pints, especially if I need to borrow a neighbours tractor.
My mechanic was very good, he didn't jump in and start splitting her down to find the problem was external. I suppose with the weather the way it is he was under no major pressure to get her fixed. You mates story is one that would wreck your head,
I have no idea of the cost of this so far, that could be the biggest shock of all.

[Caffrey78]

101 bales drawn in Saturday with a neighbours MF375, yer man broke a control valve and gear rod trying to fix a leak on Saturday morning so after all the expense she didn't even get out the door.
Not to worry there's another 100+ in a couple of weeks when this heatwave hits, that's her next target.

[iverjohnston]

Do'nt you just love machinery.................... What part of the country are you in, by the way? Mack in Cavan

[Caffrey78]

Fermanagh and she's in a garage in Stradone outside Cavan.
Yer man's doing a good enough job as far as I can see so I'm not in any panic to change just yet.
I should have said that I had help with the 101 bales in the form of my brother (and partner in crime) on an International 585.

[iverjohnston]

Well your mechanic isn,t too far from Conatys in Sylvan Park, kells, who will have everything you nees second hand.

[Caffrey78]

The tractor debacle continues. I went Saturday to collect her, after being told that she was finished. I tried to take her for a spin but couldn't get 2nd & 3rd. Eventually when this was kind of sorted I headed up the road only to find the hi lo split in each gear was plumbed backwards!! I left her there and will be ringing later this evening to see what the latest is.

[Man of Aran]

Originally Posted by Caffrey78

The tractor debacle continues. I went Saturday to collect her, after being told that she was finished. I tried to take her for a spin but couldn't get 2nd & 3rd. Eventually when this was kind of sorted I headed up the road only to find the hi lo split in each gear was plumbed backwards!! I left her there and will be ringing later this evening to see what the latest is.

What kind of workshop did you take it to ? .... sounds like Mr Haney's place on Green Acres show !

Hope it gets sorted anyhow.

[Caffrey78]

Man of Aran - It's a decent workshop to be fair and yer man is well clued in. He runs a plant and tractor repair business. I'm putting it down to just bad luck.

No answer lastnight so no update.

[Man of Aran]

How's she cuttin' now Caffrey, hope it 's sorted for ya?

[Caffrey78]

I've mixed news.
Pos: Just drew home ~90 bales on saturday between two tractors.
Everything working well, lifting bales sky high and tilting with the hyd toplink all at idle revs. This was so different to before, no worry about the lift dropping at any stage. Split gears working fine and not affecting the lift performance.

Neg: I got through about 25 bales and eventually she needed a decent rev to lift the bale and also to have steering. Once up, she would hold firm with the engine idling. To take off again I needed to rev hard to build up pressure to get the steering going. That rev was needed for the last 20 bales or so. I parked her up with the lifter up and it has stayed up since.

Nothing like before so big improvements all round but unfortunately not 100%.
The work done on the lift cylinder and seals has eliminated all the lifting/dropping issues but because the steering is failing I'm not sure the hyd pump reconditioning has been totally successful - any thoughts??

[iverjohnston]

The steering gets priority , first in line for the oil from the pump.There is a valve to ensure this happens. I will look up a workshop manual I have somewhere. I assume the main hydraulic oil filter was changed? and the strainer? Nigel in Cavan