417A Cleaning Cooling Fins

[Dreamcatcher 102]

Good morning all,

While replacing the fuel lines in the tractor, I removed the cover that exposes the transmission and lift lever mechanisms.  I noticed a lifetime of debris build up that I removed by hand and by the gentle force of a dying electric pressure washer. I was able to remove much of the debris and while doing so noticed the cooling fins of the transmission.  I'd like to get your feedback on how best to get at these fins and give them a proper cleaning.  Many thanks in advance.

[lynnmor 7,358]

To properly clean the transmission, remove seat, remove fender and the fuel tank.  While the fuel tank may be optional, the crud under it will cause rust.

[Ed Kennell 38,811]

                                             Only way to get to the crud.

 

              I use a long thin screw driver to loosen the crud between each fin, then scrub with tooth brushes and bottle brushes.

 

            I recently cleaned an abused 1988 520H that had over a gallon of crud lodged around the transmission.   Thankfully the Onan quit running due to wiring issues before the transmission melted.

[ebinmaine 68,554]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

properly clean the transmission

 

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

                   Only way to get to the crud.

 

You Boyz do that, how often? 

[Dreamcatcher 102]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

To properly clean the transmission, remove seat, remove fender and the fuel tank.  While the fuel tank may be optional, the crud under it will cause rust.

Admittedly I have not taken a close look but it would appear that the fender is all on pience for both sides.  This includes the footboards and all?

[oliver2-44 9,876]

The footboards are seperate, they attach to a metal piece that runs under the front of the fender.  

You just remove the fender which is the complete top under the seat.  Its not significantly heavy.

[19richie66 17,523]

Remove the four bolts across the front for the seat pivot plate and then the four bolts for the fender pan. It lifts off and everything is right there.

[lynnmor 7,358]

27 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

You Boyz do that, how often? 

A tractor that is used extensively for mowing is cleaned each fall.  If I were to do snow removal with a tractor that has considerable dirt it would lay wet in there 100% of the time and rust away.  The worst part of the job is getting the left side bolt out of the gas tank bottom so it is best done when a hydraulic filter is replaced, but it can be done by a brain surgeon.

[Gasaholic 226]

Yup - Foot boards come off by loosening the nuts underneath that clamp them to the steel posts welded to the frame (as well as removing bolts and side cover panels first)  Seat pan comes off with 8 bolts (Pay attention to bolt lengths as they come out, so you can put them back in the right place - put a long bolt in the wrong place, you could puncture the gas tank!)  Those with gas spring seat lift assist can be troublesome to re-install, generally had to get bolt started while holding seat up with other hand, so those went in first.  After you have seat pan off, you have the gas tank bracket (2 bolts above axle on either side going in from underneath go into tank to hold it in at back, left side can be troublesome on some as transmission oil filter can get in the way, so plan on filter change while at it... 2 bolts at front of tank with big washers clamp down front of tank) You can remove gas tank bracket with gas tank attached though, just loosen or remove the front 2 clamping bolts and big washers and then 2 bolts through bracket down onto top of transmission (one of them may hold down the rear lift cable tube as well as fuel line retainer clip) - Some transmissions you'd need to partially drain the oil or you'd get oil coming out the bolt holes (It is also the secret to quick filling trans oil on the 1100 hydros, one bolt out would bleed air so oil fill went faster) - For that reason, take care to make sure the area is clean before removing those bolts , and don't run transmission until you change oil afterwards - dirt can fall down into the bolt holes and contaminate oil.  With bracket removed , front trim panel plate remove, and the cross bracket (Which also seat pan bolts and front gas tank clamp bolts go into) removed, you have plenty of access to clean out the hydro cooling real good (We'd take em outside and use air hose bolw gun with long extended tube) 

 

Part of our regular annual maintenance involved all of that, so with air impact for quick bolt removal, I could strip those down , clean out cooling (and shifter box area - under the front trim panel) and hydraulic hoses/linkages area for inspection & cleaning, and zip it back together in about 30 minutes... Then drain and change transmission oil, replace filter & done. 

[ebinmaine 68,554]

19 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

can be done by a brain surgeon.

I'm more like Bear 🐻 with sledge hammer ⚒️⚒️. 

 

@JCM showed me that wonderful piece of WH work.  

 

 

[Handy Don 12,488]

1 hour ago, lynnmor said:

The worst part of the job is getting the left side bolt out of the gas tank bottom

Not realizing there WAS a bolt there really slowed me down the first time!