24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping

TheBishop

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
It a push forward the stick and go or pull back the stick for reverse. I thought it was a belt slipping, and replaced it, no help. I can start the engine push the stick and nothing happens. I can pull back the stick and nothing happens now.

After a few minutes of running in place I can push the stick forward and it will move forward a little but with the first small incline the rider almost stops, still no reverse.

Is there anything I can do other than put it at the street for the junk man to pick up?
 

ILENGINE

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
is the bypass lever actually working and not stuck in the bypass position Also does the transmission make any noises when you move the lever forward or reverse. Like whining or growling noises.
 

TheBishop

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
There no strange noises. It's like the fluid is low in the transmission/ After a few minutes of running It will move forword slowly. It feels like the belt is slipping but it's not and no reverse anymore.

It's called a 42" Automatic Lawn Tractor.
 

TheBishop

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
I noticed the transaxle has been leaking oh the right side looking at it from the back. Fluid has been leaking I guess around the axle.

Is it respectively shot. Is there a refill port or should I place the old girl at the road?
 

TheBishop

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
Since the transaxle is sealed and major involvement in repair, I thinking about drilling a small hole om the case and putting some transmission fluid in the hole to fill the lost fluid. If it works I can use JBweld or fiberglass plug to seal the hole if it's not pressure bound.
As it is, the mower is useless to me.
What do you all think about drilling a hole?
 

Scrubcadet10

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
Just be sure not to get any metal filings in the fluid.
You could just go ahead and tap it for threads then put a bolt in it.
 

upupandaway

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
What do you all think about drilling a hole?

If you are up to it, i would drop the tranny and look for a plug\fill screw. They had to add the fluid somewhere.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / 24 year old Craftsman 19HP riding mower with auto transaxle slipping
Since the transaxle is sealed and major involvement in repair, I thinking about drilling a small hole om the case and putting some transmission fluid in the hole to fill the lost fluid. If it works I can use JBweld or fiberglass plug to seal the hole if it's not pressure bound.
As it is, the mower is useless to me.
What do you all think about drilling a hole?

Very bad idea.
Hydros are assembled in dust free environments for a good reason.
You may as well smack the tranny with a big hammer.
As already advised, you drop the tranny, remove the plug tip it upside down to drain the old oil then refill with fresh new oil.

The problem we have giving you advice is you have the mower in front of you and we have a screen.
Backe 24 years ago that mower could have been made by AYP, Murray, MTD, Rally , Noma, Bolens, etc etc etc etc
And they could have used any one of a 1/2 dozen different trannies.
The tranny makers that are still standing have repair &/or service manuals on line & the Tecumseh / Peerless ones are also on line.
But without the Craftsman numbers we have no way of knowing what is in there.
Modern trannies have stickers on them in 3 places so techs can ID them but back that far we would have to look up part listings, which many here will happily do for you, if you just tell us what the craftsman numbers are from the tag under the seat.
Nothing else really matters as the same model decals were put on a variety of different mowers.

Failing that as many photos of the tranny as you can manage.
 
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