drove my MF180 diesel into the pond

Ohiopioneer · Jul 17, 2013

Hello, need some help here. A week ago I drove my tractor too close to the ponds edge and got it submerged up to the air intake. The air intake sucked in a little water which stalled the engine. Only about a quart of water got into the crankcase. But the 12 speed transmission filled with water and the mix of oil and water turned to foam. 20 gals of it! I got the tractor all drained and dried, runs great but I lost the low range gears. The two stage clutch seems to work fine. I tried to pull start it while I pulled it home. I knew that was a mistake. So did my pulling it damage the transmission or did running the transmission with water in it. If so where do I look for to be damaged. I have the rebuild manuals but there is no trouble shooting chart to guide me.

JD Seller · Jul 17, 2013

You broke something trying to pull start it. If there was water in the engine cylinders it will not compress. So the engine is locked. So when you tried to put start it you jerked something inside the transmission.

Post this down on the MF forum. There are much more knowledgeable fellows down there that can point you to where you need to be looking.

Ohiopioneer · Jul 17, 2013

The engine was not locked up. After the water drain out of the starter I was able to just turn the key and she ran so sweetly. I let it run for about 6 hours, that warmed everything up. dried out all that was wet, starter, generator, clutches, even dried out the motor oil. but it foamed up the hydraulic oil to twice the volume. I then drained all the fluids, fill with K1 and oil mix and let run 'bout an hour at idle, added new oil and filters but no low range.

Dieseltech · Jul 17, 2013

Which transmission do you have, straight 6 speed or 12 speed Multi-power? If 12 speed are you sure you don't mean high range, as low is a jaw clutch, will always pull in low. MP tractors can't be pull started as high MP clutch must be engaged. If the MP clutch fails for some reason you will lose high range, but not low.

rgraven · Jul 17, 2013

Look and see if the linkage from the shifter for hi/lo is moving as far as it should...try unhooking the clevis an the trans end and operating it . You can"t start a multi-power tractor by pulling it but you can"t hurt them by pulling either unless you had it in reverse or pulled it backwards in a forward gear. And then you wouldn"t have any gears. You might have a bent fork on the hilo or it slipped out of position on the spool. Or could have broken one of the snap rings that holds the spool to the shaft

Ohiopioneer · Jul 18, 2013

I have the 12 speed Multi-power. I read that you can"t pull/push start a multi-power tractor. Frustrated, I tried anyway. Glad to hear that I may not have harmed it that way. The low to high gear shift lever does hit the top of the slot, this may be the cause of the no low range. Pulled back to high gear it stop 1/2 inch from bottom of slot. I don"t recall if it was this way before I went pond fishing. I will see if I can disconnect the linkage and see if I can get low range gears to engage manually. I just can"t see how driving into the pond would effect linkage. There was no rough treatment of the tractor pulling it out of the pond or towing it. But she be an old tractor and thing seem to break just looking at them. Thanks

Anonymous-0 · Jul 18, 2013

I just have to ask how that happened in the first place? Did you try to run it without first draining all of the fluids? If so now you have water everywhere inside.

mgriff543 · Jul 18, 2013

Good to see no one was hurt. A little bit more tilt and it could have been ugly.

Ohiopioneer · Jul 18, 2013

I started off with the right side tires still touching the grass. The tractor was slowly sliding sideways while I waited for a friend with a bigger tractor to pull me out. Just another foot, there is a 12 foot drop. The tractor was still running in photo. I did not want to shut it down in the event I had to restart it to help the pulling tractor. Just a few mins latter the air intake started sucking water forming a water spray from the exhaust for about 5 mins before the engine stopped running. Very little water got into the crankcase, the dip stick seal held the water out. Plus The vent tube points down trapping the air in the block. Good Thing! With in 1/2 hour of getting tractor out, It start just fine. I let it run for 6 hours then drained all the oils then flushed with 50/50 mix of K1-karoseen and oil. Drained, new filters, new oil. But had lost 2 things... my pride and the low end gears. Best idea I got so-far is that it may just be a linkage problem. I'm hoping. Just wish I would find someone that has done the same and would have better insight before I start unbolting things. Thanks

Dieseltech · Jul 18, 2013

Dad's 180 trans hi-lo lever is centered, slight clearance at each end of slot. If you can reset the shift rod you should be OK. If it makes no change, I have seen the planetary lo range pressed in collar come loose before, and a split or lift cover removed will be needed to get at it for repair. Had a forklift do that once, internal gear is pressed in place and peened over. If it comes out just 1/2 inch you will lose lo. I put it back then tack welded it in place.

drove my MF180 diesel into the pond

Ohiopioneer

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JD Seller

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Ohiopioneer

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Dieseltech

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rgraven

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Ohiopioneer

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Anonymous-0

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mgriff543

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Ohiopioneer

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Dieseltech

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