I've had this Super M for 7 or 8 years. I have never had a problem in winter. A few weeks ago, I drove it about 7 miles each way, to a welding shop to get the loader welded, and it worked fine, except I was having trouble getting it into 4th and 5th gear. But Rev 1 - 2 - 3 worked fine. (I rarely use 4 & 5 gear).
The weather was still warm when I took it to the welding ship. Since then, the weather has gotten cold, and down as far as 8 deg. (F) a few times. About a week ago, I drove it and moved a round bale, late at night, when the temperature was in the low 20's. I had no problems. I parked it, and have not used it since.
Yesterday I decided to put the tire chains on, and found that it will not move. The engine starts and runs, as long as I keep the clutch depressed. If I let the clutch out (engage it), the engine just kills. I tried this several times and revved the engine up. There is not even a slight inclination to the tires trying to turn.
Since I already had that problem with the 4 & 5th gears, the first thing I did was remove the shift lever. The three slots are correctly lined up and centered. (I *CAN* SHIFT FROM REV - 1 - 2 - 3, BUT NOT 4 - 4 *NOW). [Same as before]. But no matter what I do, I cant get the tractor to move, or even let the clutch out in neutral, or the engine kills.
I'm suspecting that the tranny must be frozen with ice?????? I sure dont know what else could cause this? But like I said, this has never happened before in winter, and it's been much colder other years!!!!
I'm posting this to ask several things.
1. Is there a way to know for sure if the problem is ice?
2. If there is ice in the hydraulic fluid/pump, will that also cause the engine to kill? (If so, is there a simple way to unload that pump, without removing it?
3. Does the Tranny and Differential share the same fluid?
4. If it's frozen, what is a good and safe way to thaw it? (I cant move it into a garage... No heated garage, and I CANT MOVE IT ANYHOW!
5. Once I get it thawed, and drain the old fluid, someone told me I will need to fill it with clean oil, run it for a short time, drain it again, and fill it again. I believe it takes 13 gallons. That fluid costs over $16 per gallon. That will cost around $230 (with tax) for EACH fill. If I have to fill it ONCE, so be it, but is there another way to clean out the water without doing it twice? $460 is not easy to come up with! (It's sold in 5 gallon buckets).
Thanks in advance for all help. I think in the morning I'm going to carefully remove the drain plug and see if there is ice behind it.
PS. I have had a magnetic engine block heater on it for 20 hours, but that dont seem to generate enough heat. (The temps have been around 10 deg (F).
The weather was still warm when I took it to the welding ship. Since then, the weather has gotten cold, and down as far as 8 deg. (F) a few times. About a week ago, I drove it and moved a round bale, late at night, when the temperature was in the low 20's. I had no problems. I parked it, and have not used it since.
Yesterday I decided to put the tire chains on, and found that it will not move. The engine starts and runs, as long as I keep the clutch depressed. If I let the clutch out (engage it), the engine just kills. I tried this several times and revved the engine up. There is not even a slight inclination to the tires trying to turn.
Since I already had that problem with the 4 & 5th gears, the first thing I did was remove the shift lever. The three slots are correctly lined up and centered. (I *CAN* SHIFT FROM REV - 1 - 2 - 3, BUT NOT 4 - 4 *NOW). [Same as before]. But no matter what I do, I cant get the tractor to move, or even let the clutch out in neutral, or the engine kills.
I'm suspecting that the tranny must be frozen with ice?????? I sure dont know what else could cause this? But like I said, this has never happened before in winter, and it's been much colder other years!!!!
I'm posting this to ask several things.
1. Is there a way to know for sure if the problem is ice?
2. If there is ice in the hydraulic fluid/pump, will that also cause the engine to kill? (If so, is there a simple way to unload that pump, without removing it?
3. Does the Tranny and Differential share the same fluid?
4. If it's frozen, what is a good and safe way to thaw it? (I cant move it into a garage... No heated garage, and I CANT MOVE IT ANYHOW!
5. Once I get it thawed, and drain the old fluid, someone told me I will need to fill it with clean oil, run it for a short time, drain it again, and fill it again. I believe it takes 13 gallons. That fluid costs over $16 per gallon. That will cost around $230 (with tax) for EACH fill. If I have to fill it ONCE, so be it, but is there another way to clean out the water without doing it twice? $460 is not easy to come up with! (It's sold in 5 gallon buckets).
Thanks in advance for all help. I think in the morning I'm going to carefully remove the drain plug and see if there is ice behind it.
PS. I have had a magnetic engine block heater on it for 20 hours, but that dont seem to generate enough heat. (The temps have been around 10 deg (F).