Flushing Out A Gearbox

[Puffergas]

I drained the water and gue out of the transaxle, TA box and PTO box. Was thinking of flushing them out with diesel fuel. Jack the back tires off the ground and run through the gears. Drain that out and fill it up with tractor supply universal oil and run the tractor with that for a few hours and next replace that with gear oil....

Good idea or bad?? Better idea out there? Thanks in advance..!

[Plankton]

You can fill it with diesel and drive around the barn a few times then drain it and refill with gear oil. Or let it sit for a day then drive it around etc.

That should flush out a lot of the stuff

[North River Energy]

I've used diesel to wash off heavy honing oil, then kerosene to wash off the diesel. K1 is the better solvent, and also useful for finding cracks in castings.

[coalsmok]

I have used kerosene successfully in a similar application. Just remember to work the hydraulics to get the crud out of them as well.

[Puffergas]

Thanks everybody.. I'll go with one application of K1, let it set a day then a few laps around the barn and drain out. But I don't want to look for any casting cracks..!! It has the hydraulic system separate from the transaxle but I should think about flushing that out next. Never thought about it..!

Hmm, the top rearend cover does have a crack chunk out of it from the hitch so i'll keep my eyes open for a replacement.

[Plankton]

One thing to be ready for is leaky seals and gaskets after the kerosene flush. Sometimes on an older machine the gunk gathered around the gaskets is the only thing holding the oil in and the kerosene loosens it all up.

[Puffergas]

Ordered a PTO seal for it today. It was leaking anyhow...

[Maine logger88]

We have 5 or 6 old farmalls and ih tractors when they have sat for awhile we just pull the drain plug and drain the water when it turns to oil put the plug back in it works great and you don't have to buy new oil as often

[Puffergas]

That crossed my mind about draining the water out every now and then. Maybe heat the oil in a pot to cook out the water.

The K1 flush seemed to work well. Missed one drain plug but a few gallons of old oil might have helped lub stuff as I was driving around the bbarn Didn't find any casting cracks... The bad news is my 4th gear is in sad shape. Every other tooth is half cracked off. Its the middle narrow gear. Odd that it's the opposite side that the sliding gear hits first. Oh well, the list never ends.

Guess I'll try not to use 4th until I overhaul the TA.