1981 --- 2040 JD with an over heating problem

[Oletrapper]

I have a 1981 2040 JD which has a problem with the hydrolic fluid over heating. The power steering unit below the steering wheel gets so hot you can not touch it without getting burned. I have changed the fluid and replaced the filter and cleaned the screen. I have cleaned the radiator. There is no hydrolic cooler unit on this tractor. Just a large canister in front of the radiator at the top. This tractor was purchased new and only has 1600 hours on it. Any suggestions?

I posted this over on the antique side and got no replys. Guess 1981 is too new for those folks.

 

[turklilley]

Your steering has a internal leak. Mine had a crack about 2 inches long in it.

 

[Oletrapper]

(quoted from post at 18:13:38 08/05/08) Your steering has a internal leak. Mine had a crack about 2 inches long in it.

Thanks. Why would that cause the extreme heat. Just had it rebuilt a year ago. Could they have done something wrong in the rebuilding?

 

[mowr]

As you probably know, yours is a closed-center hydraulic system. So the main pump, pumps only when there is a demand for it. When there"s an internal leak in the system, there"s a demand all the time, the pump pumps continuously, the fluid rushes through the small space where it"s bypassing, and all that friction in the fluid heats it hotter and hotter. The (several) that I"ve worked on with this problem had one or more o-rings blown in the valve body which is mounted on the underside of the transmission cover casting.

 

[turklilley]

Same thing with my tractor. The steering was rebuilt by the dealer about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago. Then a couple months ago the 3 pt hitch got to raising slow, and the Steering was getting hot. I didn't suspect anything wrong with the steering. The dealer found a crack in the housing under the steering wheel. Still steered OK. They said being a closed center system any leaks keep the hydraulic pump working at a large volume, and creates heat. It also took the oil from the 3 pt, because steering and brakes get oil first.

 

[MightyReek]

Everyone is right about the high temperature.
You'll probably have a leak on the steering unit.
The body may have a fissure or you may just had bad luck with the o-rings. It's very hard to mount those rings and impossible to know after mounting if everything is ok.
Take the steering unit to someone you know to be an experienced mechanic at John Deere tractors or you'll get troubles solving your problem.