farmer in the (WI) dells
Member
My 47 B has been with me for almost 25 years. It has a woods belly mower under it and that is pretty much all I use it for. I have worked it hard mowing at times and it has always taken what I throw at it. In the deal when I purchased it, the tractor came with an extra (fresh rebuild) motor on a skid that I have never needed. I have never had any major engine problems. Other than radiator replacement, mag work, starter work and some wires, I pretty much have not had to do anything. Recently it was mowing along and began to bog down to the point that I thought I could hear the pistons knock and then it quit. It was not running hot and the oil pressure was reading. After cooling, it started back up and I have used it most of the summer. I have changed the oil and did put a new style (NAPA) filter on it after the first bog that I had and read afterward that there might be pressure problems associated with those. I did notice that the gauge does bounce quite a bit while mowing. I have been running Shell 15-40 diesel and a C159 for years without any issues. I took off the NAPA and went back to the Fram C159 and Shell Rotella T1 30 WT that also says diesel oil. Neither one is listed as detergent or not, that I can see. Now today, I am mowing and working it in some light and some moderate growth, but by no means very hard. I am mowing on a flat level area and again the bogging down to the point it quits. now it is sitting behind the barn cooling. just before it quit I noticed there was oil pressure and was in the normal operating temp on the gauge although the oil was very warm. I will say that after switching over to the straight wt. the gauge is much more stable and does not bounce nearly as much if at all. If I left something out, let me know. I was wondering what might be happening to the old girl. Where should I start?