[AT] bobbing for drain plugs

[Almost-Running Deere]

You know, that sounds like a typical small shop job.  In my barn there never 
seems to be a small job.!


>From: "Chris Britton" <c.britton at worldnet.att.net>
>Reply-To: Antique tractor email discussion group 
><at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>Subject: [AT] bobbing for drain plugs
>Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 14:02:30 -0500
>
>For those needing a good laugh!
>
>Well, My new tranny fill plug/dipstick came in this weekend at CNH. My ford 
>5000, up until this point.. just had the fill plug, sans dipstick. I knew 
>it had probably broke off and had been laying at the bottom of the trans 
>for decades.. but hadn't found it on previous services.
>
>I got my buckets and new oil and headed tot he barn. had my tools layed 
>out.. creeper.. etc. Tranny drain is about 12 quarts or so. A 5g bucket 
>won't fit under very well, and let you manipulate the tools.. so i only had 
>a 1g bucket. Plan was.. as I have always done, is to remove the plug, ( 
>check for accumulated water .. just for curiosity, as the plug just starts 
>to come loose), then hold the plug close, and when the bucket gets to 75%, 
>start screwing it back in. That works -great- untill you drop the plug into 
>the bucket!!! The plug is large too.. a thumb doesn't quite plug the hole.. 
>though does dramatically slow it down.
>
>So there I was.. laying on the creeper, propped up with back against right 
>rear tire...left thumb stuck in tranny drain... UTF generously running down 
>my arm, while my right arm and hand were frantically searching the drain 
>pail for the blasted plug!.. Got the plug, and got the drain plugged back 
>up... Bucket was at 99%... At this point.. creeper only has a couple drops 
>on it.. ( my shirt was pretty good at sopping up the excess coming down my 
>left arm... ).. floor is clean.. amazingly.. Had to drag the drain bucket 
>over to my 'bulk' drain ( a 55g drum i keep to fill with drain fluids.. 
>then haul to work to have picked up with other drain oil for free ). And 
>then i repeat the process, sans dropping the blasted plug.
>
>In my defense.. this is not a typical hex or square headed plug.. it's one 
>of those inverted square heads.. like for a 1/2 socket or breaker bar 
>drive.. not much to hold on to.
>
>On the upside, i did find the remenant of the old dipstick.. right were I 
>thought it was.. safely in the lowest part of the sump, intact, but bent in 
>a semicircile with a few gear marks on it.. looks like it may hve been bent 
>by a previous owner, and when tractor moved, a gear snatched it out of the 
>cap, drug it down the side of the housing ( low clearance.. thus bending 
>the post ), and then depositing it into the lowest part of the sump near 
>the drain.
>
>it took a telescoping magnet to find the end of the stick and fish it out.. 
>but i do feel better that it is now out.. I wouldn't want it to ride the 
>'train' and take any more trips thru the tranny. Previously, when i first 
>got her, I looked at the gears.. I saw a couple with minor side chips.. but 
>no teeth missing... nothing i havn't seen before on an antique tractor. I 
>coulddn't find the dipstick then.. glad i found it now.
>
>I figured a few of you may have needed the laugh.
>
>On the upside.. the oil was nice and clean... good to know i have no water 
>leaks.. and no metal bits came out.. that's always a plus.
>
>After I got all the utf off, I primed and painted the new cap ( even has a 
>FOMOCO ) logo on it.. nice.. And she now matches the rest of the tractor..
>
>I kept thinking.. good thing this wasn't one of those 2" bung drains like a 
>ford N has... I'd have never got the oil stopped trying to find that plug!!
>
>Soundguy
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>AT mailing list
>Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
>http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at

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