Wheel Horse restore manual transmission warning—

[Willie 14]

Wheel Horse restore manual transmission warning—

 

If you’re like me, you are the original one owner of an old manual transmission horse and want to get it running again and stop when your allowance is all used up. Mine is a 1975 C120 8-Speed, I have an about new (1994) 42” mower deck and a 36” tiller I love and I’m going to use the both again.

 

Among a hundred other things I let the transmission drain good tilting the tractor to get as much old fluid as possible. This is a picture of what came out. Top it off with new 85-140 gear oil and check transmission off, right? NO, WRONG, I WASN’T FINISHED. I took a plastic drink straw and poked around as best I could through the small check level hole to see if I could determine if everything was feeling good. IT WASN’T. There was about one to one and a half inches of heavy gunk in the transmission floor.  I never changed the fluid while using the tractor per wheel horse recommendation, it has been parked in a garage for 20 years.

 

Action I took. I put about 5 gallons of diesel fuel through the transmission exercising the gear box on each fill up until the diesel drained about clear. I did the straw test after each time I drained it, about 15. The gunk was completely undetectable when I finished.

 

I’m also doing this diesel flush on my tiller gear box too. Refilling them with the prescribed gear lube.

 

This problem would have eventually hurt my horse transition.

 

WillieChaffin 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Willie

[Pullstart 59,740]

I’m not like you and have no original owner Wheel Horses, but great work flushing it clean!  Good idea poking and prodding for debris 

[Willie 14]

The gunk would stick to the straw and required some pulling to get it out. The diesel finally cut it away. I put the tractor up on blocks and ran it in gear to slosh the diesel around. I was amazed at what kept coming out. Thanks. I’m just hoping this save someone transmission problems that can’t easily be fixed. 

[peter lena 8,072]

@Willie  did you change the shift boot ? use a razor blade to remove , and grease on the shifter stick  and boot  hole for easy installation.  regularly change my  trans oil  , like every couple of years , always give it some road time to heat it up , and use every gear and hi / lo range ,  being a regular change , there is no debris or crud , also jack up the front end , or chain hoist it safely off the floor . have used fuel oil , to flush it out , in the past . regular service keeps it shifting easily , refill it thru the top shifter hole , enhances the shifter slide . regular  maintenance  on this and related , lubrication of the clutch linkage , at every movement point , keeps it working easily . pete 

[Willie 14]

You read my mind buddy. Where can I get the shifter boots? That’s exactly where water gets in the gear box.

 

I am flushing and putting new gear oil from now own. I guess when the person that wrote the service manual said it never needed changing unless the transmission was being worked on, didn’t realize these tractors would still e running 60 years later. I was just taking their word for it. Lol

Edited August 15, 2022 by Willie

[peter lena 8,072]

@Willie  go to the vendor section on this site , for the shift boot , also available on line , always have  have a spare in my horse parts , there are a lot of regular service / maintenance points on the horse , that should be looked at . if you have a rusty /binding / sticking  area , aerosol lubricant / grease , makes it better . related to your transmission , have you ever lubricated  , every related movement point in the  clutch linkage ? aerosol lube will make the rust run out , only very basic suggestions , done a lot of washer additions , to every connection / grease , very solid / smooth . go on site and look up clutch linkage pictures , then lubricate those areas . pete 

[peter lena 8,072]

@Willie   , https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=wheel+horse+clutch+linkage+pictures&qpvt=wheel+horse+clutch+linkage+pictures&form=IGRE&first=1&tsc=ImageHoverTitle  , look at all the pivot / movement related areas . every one of them related to my horses , has been firmed up with washers to , to enhance movement  (  no sloppy play )  and lubricant , my pto lever set up , is very smooth and solid , clutch pedal  works with total ease , this is simple / easy .  make it better , pete

[GAJoe 813]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I just got a '74 C-160 so I'm going to use your advise. My manual says to use "SAE API Service GL-5 lubricant". But when I look on line there are different weights of it. Being in GA the temps seldom get below the teens: whish weight should I get? What's the best way to dispose of the deiseal fuel after this?

[rick 216]

90 weight would work.

[stevasaurus 22,231]

@GAJoe  Go to one of those oil change places and ask them if they will take it...or how you should get rid of it.

[Handy Don 10,623]

13 hours ago, GAJoe said:

What's the best way to dispose of the diesel fuel after this?

Around here, it's a royal PITA, Service stations that sell oil are required to accept used oil, but nothing else. And they can refuse contaminated oil because it can damage the recycling equipment that expects only motor oil.

I've had to save it until the county runs one of its "recycling" days at a nearby location and bring it there--and they will only take two gallons at a time!

 

[GAJoe 813]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Around here, it's a royal PITA, Service stations that sell oil are required to accept used oil, but nothing else. And they can refuse contaminated oil because it can damage the recycling equipment that expects only motor oil.

I've had to save it until the county runs one of its "recycling" days at a nearby location and bring it there--and they will only take two gallons at a time!

 

I could give it to someone that has a brush pile to burn.

[Handy Don 10,623]

2 hours ago, GAJoe said:

I could give it to someone that has a brush pile to burn.

A good hot brush pile will do it. I've burned off a few ounces at a time but it's not easy to get diesel lit and keep it burning.

Thanks for not just dumping it somewhere!

[pfrederi 17,147]

Some business have waste oil heaters.  They may take it.

 

[RandyLittrell 3,827]

On 11/20/2022 at 4:18 AM, GAJoe said:

What's the best way to dispose of the deiseal fuel after this?

 

Post on market place and someone will take asap!!

 

 

Randy