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1614 Transmission Fluid Level/Amount

5K views 25 replies 5 participants last post by  DirtBug 
#1 ·
Hi Guys,

So I went to fill up the transmission after flushing the old stuff out with diesel (thanks for the tip).

I am a little confused about the info in the manuals.

The owners manual says:

- 1/2 pint 80/90

-1" below fill plug

-The FILL plug is shown on the side of the machine, however my fill plug is on top next to the shifter.

The supplemental manual (thanks MNGB) says :

-1 to 1 1/2 pints 80/90

-3 3/8" below the top of the check and fill plug

-shows the fill plug for the transmission where my plug is on my machine, next to the shifter.

Neither manuals really seem to show the proper location for the drain plug as it is at the bottom center of the transmission and cant be seen without getting under the tractor. In the supplemental there is an exploded view. The drain plug in this view appears to be PN 3 however on my tractor its facing the rear of the engine where the one in the picture looks to be facing forward.

I guess I'm just curious what I should do as far as filling this thing. I believe one is measuring from a side port and one from the top, so I guess they both could be correct measurements, however one says 1/2 pint and the other says up to 3x that amount.

If I were to guess I'd say mine is about 4 pints total capacity to fill it to the top...

Owners Manual:

http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/file/1704-power-king-tractor-manual/

Supplemental Trans Manual:

http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=224995

Maybe I'm missing something? Any help appreciated
 
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#2 ·
Hi DirtBug, you discovered that little thing about fill levels :wave: Disregard the owners manual that is for the 3 speed transmission, EPCO Owners of Power KING etc used the same owners manual for the last 4 years and at that time the 4 speed was an option (may have been standard in 84 not sure but do think so) So now your down to 2 options for the 4 speed some trans like your have a dipstick some don't mine does not, I fill mine to 3 3/8" below the filler hole, and that's what I recommend, do not over fill it as it will leak out the front and maybe out the back.
 
#3 ·
Hardest part about the 3 and ? dimension is needing something to put down in and measure, heh! Some trans did not have the dipstick. Later, they added one, BUT, is folded over. Why? Think it would hit gears in running trans?? Not sure. I have also seen the dipstick with only the upper part left on, and lower part broken off at the pivot, so not useful. If you have the stick,use it. Put in an amount of oil, check level, add as needed to meet the marks on stick. Go slow, let each pour kinda level out a moment. You might consider adding a little less than mark, then run a bit, do re-check to see if you need more or is good to go. Make sure same stick cap is in to keep the oil in the trans at top. You might get some leakage with movement and splashing, that is normal, as is not a tight screw-in seal. The mix of 90w and STP is OK, but I prefer , which is about same thickness and such.

Senior moment here, can't seem to recall that brand of trans additive!!! Sits on all the counters in auto stores!!!! Help me out here, guys! Duh! Alzheimers.
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys, if your ever in town beers on me.

I actually have the dipstick holder and was wondering what it was. It looks like it also allows pressure out of the case as the top has a sort of wobbly fitting kind of like a pressure cooker. Also the tube looks to be hollow with 2 slots.

About the leaking, I was worried about that as under the tractor there was some serious gunk comming from where the transmission meets the drive shaft. Hopefully not a big issue I'll just have to keep an eye on it. The previous owner had some gooey rubber sealant around the fill plug, I'm assuming this was to keep water out. I figured I would just use plumber's tape though.

Not sure what to put for an additive but just having fresh oil in there already made a huge difference. As soon as I get some time I'll check out the differentials...

Thanks again!
 
#8 ·
PIcture: Yep, that is the drain plug there. IN plastic tractors, thought the bearings were sealed type?? Maybe these in first years don't have? I think on any older tractor, this just shows there was some oil in it and a little seepage is not big issue. ON big tractors in old days, if it didn't leak some, you needed to check the levels. They used lots of felt seals and they needed to leak to keep them swelled up, but when dried out, then they crumbled. Just look at any old machine and see oily areas all over them, built up with lots of dirt. The Dirt then is what is now keeping the oils in, heh! My old PK"s leak and I just clean the spots up once in awhile, or you could put a soaker material under them or a pan or box side to collect.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi DirtBug, personally I would not use it straight, did some searching on the subject and at one time it was recommended for Ford Model "A" trans and differential but guys found that after a couple of years it ended up so thick it would hardly drain out of the trans so many have gone back to a gear lube.

Here is an alternate that some folks use

http://lucasoil.com/products/heavy-duty-trucking/lucas-hub-oil
 
#17 ·
That lucas in pix is right stuff I believe. ON the grinding.......Best to stop tractor, no roll when shifting. Push in clutch first, roll to stop, then pick gear w/out lifting up on clutch pedal. IF...you get the trans to turn by lifting pedal at the stop, you have to wait for it to stop once again when pushed back down. These need to be stopped in tractor movement and the trans movement to shift better. NEVER try to shift on the fly like a car/truck. Will not work, grind and maybe jamb!
 
#20 ·
Just switched to 100℅ STP. No grinding, shifter seems more smooth too but this could all be because I had barely anything in there before and also had water... Definitely an improvement. One thing I noticed is that sometimes it was hard to get in gear and I would have to go to another gear to do a kind of reset before being able to get into the gear I wanted. Probably normal but I suspect I'll be doing a rebuild down the road...
 
#23 ·
Standard transmissions start getting harder to get into gear,once the front of the gear teeth get chipped or flattened out from grinding gears. The front of the teeth are rounded off when new, so when one gear gets forced into another when you shift, they find home easily. Chipped or flat faces but into each other, so you have to let the clutch out with pressure on the shifter like grumpy said. I'm using 85-140 gear oil only in my transmission on my PK and it's working well. Another thing, if the clutch system is lubed well and free of rust, you will have a proper working clutch. When things are dry or rusty and crusty, the clutch action will be jerky. The pilot bearing should be in good shape, the nose cone on the trans should be lightly greased so that the throw out bearing slides easily, and there are bronze bushings in the bellhousing that need to be free from grime. If the clutch pedal binds or does not move freely in the bellhousing, you will surely get the jerking clutch action. The clutch pedal spring inside the bellhousing needs to be strong, too. These can brake or become weak over time. I completely went over my clutch system when I built my PK and all of these things are in order. The clutch and transmission really work well with no jerking when releasing the clutch.
 
#24 ·
Thanks Classic. The problem is putting pressure on the shifter can be tough because the gears are so loose haha. I have yet to try it though so I'm interested to find out.

Also fyi for anyone who's interested the 4 speed transmission took almost the whole bottle of hub oil bringing it up to 3 3/8 below the fill hole. The bottle is 32 oz but I probably put in 25 oz.
 
#26 ·
Eventually... The more I work with the tractor and become comfortable it becomes something I'd like to do. Eventually it would be nice to do a complete restore/rebuild but that will be after I'm done with school because I just don't have that kind of time these days haha.
 
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