[Tonyd]

My garden tractor hydrostatic transmission was giving me a problem, grolwing sounds and difficult to engage. I eventually went to change the oil 20W50 (it doesn't take trans fluid) and it came out milky white. Obviously water contamination. While taking it apart I did note that the breather tube was totally encrusted with sheeeet from 15 years of service. So that's where the water moisture came from.

What's the best way to clean out the hydro trans and get it running again, without removing, disassembly, detail cleaning and reassembly?

 

[Kodiak450r]

flush the system with fresh fluid. i'm surprised it doesn't take hydraulic oil. if it has a filter i would definatly buy a few of them and change it after each fluid flush. might take 2 or 3 times to get the water out.

 

[MilwaukeeF350]

Need more info on that

If it those light duty tractor with only 1 lug instead 5 lugs. If it was 1 lug it not worth fix.

If it have 5 lugs on rim then that could be worth.

15 years never change oil. You maybe need replace hydro pump that is most expensive. Or you could have hydraulic shop rebuilt pump.

 

[ChevelleSSLS6]

what make is it? Peerless hydrostats you can usually get parts for.

drain, replace filter, fill (might be able to find some 'tranny cleaner' crap from the store) and run it a bit, drain and replace with straight fluid/oil, and run it a bit, replace with fluid and filter again. Hope you're all set.

Just like with cars/trucks, maintenance goes a looooong way.