GT-3200 Transmission Oil Leak

[IHCub1450]

My MTD built 2006 Cub Cadet GT-3200 is leaking transmission fluid. It is hard to tell exactly where it is leaking from, but when I clean off the old grass and dirt and put a piece of cardboard under it over night, it looks like it's leaking from somewhere close to the rear left wheel, the center of transmission halves, and where the filter goes.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to what it is that's causing the leak?
Bad seals and gaskets since it is almost 20 years old?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Oak]

It's probably coming from the spool valve or an O ring on one of the lines. It's best just to pull the fender pan / floor board as one piece and inspect. If the spool valve is leaking please replace the spring too. Order these parts from McMaster Carr if you own a 3000 series tractor.

DSCN1425 - Copy.jpg

[ejl6658]

Ditto on Oak's response.

[IHCub1450]

Thanks for the advice, I start taking it apart.

Is this an easy or hard fix?

[Oak]

It's not that hard to do. It just takes some time getting everything apart. I'm putting a cat 0 hitch on my 3235 that I started working on tonight so I'll have some pictures in the next few days. It's leaking somewhere too so I'll be rebuilding my spool valve and replacing a bunch of O rings too.

I know it's more work and $$ but you may want to do the following repairs while you're that far into it. I'd replace....

--fuel line
--tank bung
--tank bushing around fuel sensor
--plastic bushings on the forward/reverse pedals

Good luck. Let us know if you have any questions. There are a lot of people on here that can help you out.

[IHCub1450]

Originally Posted by Oak

It's not that hard to do. It just takes some time getting everything apart. I'm putting a cat 0 hitch on my 3235 that I started working on tonight so I'll have some pictures in the next few days. It's leaking somewhere too so I'll be rebuilding my spool valve and replacing a bunch of O rings too.

I know it's more work and $$ but you may want to do the following repairs while you're that far into it. I'd replace....

--fuel line
--tank bung
--tank bushing around fuel sensor
--plastic bushings on the forward/reverse pedals

Good luck. Let us know if you have any questions. There are a lot of people on here that can help you out.

Okay, thanks for the advice.
It's a pretty slow leak, maybe 1-1.5oz per week. I don't use the machine real hard, mostly I mow the grass with the 50in belly mower, I was using it to till the garden in the spring, but last year, in the fall, I picked up a a different garden tractor with a PTO roto tiller, so I don't use it for that anymore.

And I'd love to see your pictures if you're up to posting them, doesn't have to be this thread, just tell me if you do.

Correct me a if I'm wrong, but isn't the Cub 3235 also a 25hp, hydrostatic garden tractor?

[Oak]

My 3235 has a Command 23hp engine in it. Do you have the 004 hydro tiller and if you do, how does it work? That's why I'm pitting the cat 0 on my 3235 for my hydro tiller.

[IHCub1450]

Originally Posted by Oak

My 3235 has a Command 23hp engine in it. Do you have the 004 hydro tiller and if you do, how does it work? That's why I'm pitting the cat 0 on my 3235 for my hydro tiller.

My GT-3200 has a Kohler Command 25.
I couldn't tell you how the 004 hydro tiller works, I used it with a small chisel plow. It did really good with that. Although, my uncle has a Massey Ferguson 1655 with hydro tiller, and I have used that. It always did a good job, the only problem was the original tiller broke that came with the tractor, so the tiller I used was a little over sized for the 16hp tractor. The garden tractor that I use now has a mechanical tiller.
Someday I would like to get a roto tiller for either my 1459 or 3200.

[jim colson]

I had a problem like that once, and had to replace the axel seals ( INSIDE ) of transmission assy. The seals stop fluid from leaking around the seals on the ( OUTER ) axel seals. THERE ARE TWO SETS OF SEALS. ( INTERNAL ) and ( EXTERNAL ) . Not an easy job. At first looking at machine it looks like the back cover plate gasket leaks, but it is the ( INTERNAL ) seals. hope that helps diagnose your problem.

[IHCub1450]

Hmm, I was wondering that myself. The 1450 Cub I have is starting to have a slow leak, very slow, maybe a spot about the size of a coffee cup after it sits parked in the same spot for a week. I know on that one it isn't the rear seals, as the guy I bought it from had just replaced them. But it very well could be the rear wheel seals in the 3200, because those have never been replaced.