JD 3038e Over Heating

Fletcher

New member
I bought a JD 3038e last year. It has repeatedly over heated on me while shredding with an MX5. I have recently discovered that the tractor can develop overheating issues due to a bad ground which causes electrolysis in the cooling system. There is a TSB on the issue. To determine if problem, you are to use a volt meter and check for voltage in the coolant, by starting the tractor and grounding the volt meter on the fram and place the other terminal in the coolant while the tractor is still runing. The solution provided by JD is to reground the engine block and replace the coolant. I have 100 hrs on my Tractor. It has been returned 4 times for over heating, I was even told that i was working in too dusty of an area for the tractor.

Has anyone had similiar problems. My radiator was is aluminum with plastic fittings. the plastic was eaten from the insided out and was only a shell. The warranty company says they will not cover the damage because it is the owner's responsibility to check the coolant for voltage. And change fluid as necessary. So am I suppose to change it everytime i use it.
 

LETHAL GTS

Member
I bought a JD 3038e last year. It has repeatedly over heated on me while shredding with an MX5. I have recently discovered that the tractor can develop overheating issues due to a bad ground which causes electrolysis in the cooling system. There is a TSB on the issue. To determine if problem, you are to use a volt meter and check for voltage in the coolant, by starting the tractor and grounding the volt meter on the fram and place the other terminal in the coolant while the tractor is still runing. The solution provided by JD is to reground the engine block and replace the coolant. I have 100 hrs on my Tractor. It has been returned 4 times for over heating, I was even told that i was working in too dusty of an area for the tractor.

Has anyone had similiar problems. My radiator was is aluminum with plastic fittings. the plastic was eaten from the insided out and was only a shell. The warranty company says they will not cover the damage because it is the owner's responsibility to check the coolant for voltage. And change fluid as necessary. So am I suppose to change it everytime i use it.

Wow I've been around diesel tractors all my life and I've never heard of this. I have heard of electrolysis destroying cylinder linings internal engine components that come in contact with the engines coolant, but overheating due to a bad ground?!?:hide:
Does this tractor not have warranty? I would be having a heart to heart talk with the service manager at the dealership that you bought it at and if that get's you no where talk to the GM.
 

Fletcher

New member
Yes I have a warranty. When I bought the tractor it came with a bumper-to bumper warranty for two years and 1 extra year for drive train. Now my PTO has blown up in the housing, breaking the aluminum retainer. Come on! Aluminum in a tractor. The bearing went out while I was shredding and it spun wild in the PTO area and stripped the gears also. Dealer said it will $1600.00 to fix. Then I asked about warranty and they said it wouldnt cover it because my driveshaft "might be" to long. HA. I bought the tractor and recommended shredder as a package from John Deere. I know driveshaft is not to long because i have to slide it forward a bout 8" to put on PTO after three point pins are hooked up. No binding because the shaft was slid all the way back for storage. I had it out for a day from the dealer. Worked backed up so I used it as soon as I got it home on Friday and took it back to the dealer on Monday morning.
 

LETHAL GTS

Member
You bought the shredder and the tractor from the same dealer as a package?

Yes a PTO shaft from an attachment can really make a mess on your new tractor if the two are not matched correctly.
In other words, when the 3pth travels up and down and the PTO is connected to the output shaft (540pto) of the tractor, if the length of the PTO shaft on the implement is too long, it can bind and possibly (most likely) break the output shaft (housing/bearings) on your tractor (And yes many are made of aluminum, which wouldn't matter in this case even if it was made of cast iron. Something would have to fail at some point).
Which is what it sounds like happened.
Even though all sub-compact tractors, that I am aware of, have an industry standard Cat 1 3pth and 540 rpm PTO, the distance between the end of the output shaft and the balls on the three point are not always the same. In fact whenever we (I) sell a unit with PTO operated attachments, I have my service dept attach/check/and often shorten the implement PTO shaft (you must shorten both halves equally) to insure that this does not happen.
This is not an uncommon issue!
Now here is where things could get complicated.
If you bought the tractor and the shredder together at the same time as a package (in other words, you didn't take your tractor home and then decide to buy the shredder and took it home after) I feel that it is the responsibility of the SELLING DEALER to make sure that the equipment is compatible with one another. If you bought the tractor from Dealer A and then bought your shredder from Dealer B. Then it is your responsibility to make sure that the equipment is compatible with one another.
However, after reading your post, I have to assume that in this case, your Dealer (whom I'm questioning their service dept's capability's, I'm still a little discombobulated about this ground causing your overheating:eek:) should be stepping up and absorbing the cost of their oversight by not setting up your equipment properly.
Good luck and let me know if I can be of any more assistance.
 

big-c

New member
i just purchased a 3038e and have had nothing but problems with the hydraulics on it it blew the filter housing apart and burned my leg pretty bad dealer replaced filter and housing .and now bucket on tractor dont work right has been tto shop 3 times and still doesnt work right anyone have any ideas on what is wrong???
 
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