1330 Cub Hydrostatic lost pressure

teched · Aug 13, 2015

I just picked this mower up from a guy for $50. It runs great and seamed to drive perfect for about 5 minutes. I drove it around my yard forward and backward, slow, fast, high rpm, low rpm. I was pretty happy since the PO said that is had a tranny problem. Well I gues it has a tranny problem. While driving forward the tractor just stopped. Like someone pulled the dump valve. I tried moving he dump valve lever and nothing happens. The tractor has sat for a year or more. Could there be some $#@# in the pump that stirred up and plugged something. Is there a filter or anything I can clean?

Married2Allis · Aug 31, 2015

These models have hydro pumps that wear out and the symptoms are that they run ok for a few minutes until they warm up then you loose forward/reverse or both.

The 1320/1330, 1420/1430, and 1720/1730 all have the same hydro pump. They tend to loose pressure internally because of worn seals or fittings and aren't bullet proof like the old Sundstrand pumps used in IH/CCC. Problems were a combination of poor design and/or not enough hydro fluid, and the fluid gets dirty because the cheap plastic filler assembly tended to warp and allow stuff to get into the reservoir. They have no filter or drain plug!

These are lawn tractors and were the first MTD 'made to die' era models, where MTD began to cut corners to lower quality and increase profit. But overall they're are decent and alot of people like them. You see alot showing up cheap on craigslist now because of the 'tranny problem'.

If you want to save the tractor the fix is usually to pull the pump, clean it out and rebuild it. There is a $35 kit available and includes the seals/rings, etc. My wife loved her 1730 and wanted to keep it, so I did the overhaul.

Smit · Sep 3, 2015

I have a 1330 my pumps going out to

1330 Cub Hydrostatic lost pressure

teched

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Married2Allis

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Smit

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