# Auger gear box leaking



## Windhund42 (Dec 9, 2016)

Hello, I am new to the forum but have read many helpful posts on this website from time to time but this is my first question.


I have an old John Deere 726 blower housing that of course has a fill hole for the recommended 5w20 oil that lubricates the auger housing. I've always maintained the level to the very top (feel it with finger).


Yesterday, I found it to be low after it returned from repairs (not related to the auger gear box) so I attempted to fill to the top as is my customer. I then noticed that oil was dripping onto the garage floor and it was quite a bit.


I recently developed a sight impairment so I'm hard pressed to see where it's coming from. My question is, is, is there a weep or vent hole that may have been plugged up and has somehow been unplugged that is causing this spill or is there a crack or maybe a gasket or something that is replaceable? 


There is oil in the auger case but not to the top. Should I be concerned or is it OK to run it 3/4 full? Any help or advice would be appreciated.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Windhund42 said:


> Hello, I am new to the forum but have read many helpful posts on this website from time to time but this is my first question.
> 
> 
> I have an old John Deere 726 blower housing that of course has a fill hole for the recommended 5w20 oil that lubricates the auger housing. I've always maintained the level to the very top (feel it with finger).
> ...


*More than likely it is coming through the gasket at the bottom. and if it was quite a bit on the floor. I would not go running it until the leak is found and fixed. otherwise you will smoke those gears to the point of no return. why don't you post some pics of this problem that is presenting itself onto us. I think they finally fixed that BLOODY rule about so many posts here before you can decorate with pics. anyhoo, ALOHA from the paradise city.:smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027:*


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## Windhund42 (Dec 9, 2016)

Thanks for the unbelievably fast reply. Do you know if this gasket is readily available and/or difficult to find? Also, is it difficult to replace? Until I am able to make this repair, I have some gear oil in the garage that of course has a much higher viscosity than the current 5w20 and maybe won't leak as much or at all. Since we are expecting quite a few inches of snow today and over the weekend, I would like to use the snow blower but only if using the gear oil is advisable until I can replace the gasket.


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Try using 00 grease, available at TSC for $5 a quart. Might Solve the problem easily. I've had Good Luck with it. Super S Cotton Picker Spindle Grease 00 - For Life Out Here


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Tip it up onto it's bucket and let the rest of the oil flow out. then run to your friendly hood hardware store and get a big old tube of white lithium grease and empty that in to it for now. I have no clue on the where to find that gasket. but to be honest with you if you are in your retirement era of this thing called life. you are better off letting a shop do the work. because it is a complete takedown of the auger assm. and there are some tools and tricks that are better left to the pro's on this 1. I am not trying to be disrespectful to you and your retirement era of this life. trust me it is a tough piece of meat to chew on to get this job completed. I have done it a few times and I broken a sweat doing it and every one here knows that I hate to sweat. so in closing I gave you a band aid fix for now. but get it to your friendly hood fix it shop as soon as time permits.k:k:k:k:k:*


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## Windhund42 (Dec 9, 2016)

Thank you gentlemen for the great, immediate advice, I do appreciate it. Special thanks to Powershift93 for the gear box tear down insights. Not my cup of tea at all. I just want to get this old blower through a couple more Central NY winters before I head south so a teardown is not what I am interested in and certainly not worth the expense
I double checked my garage and I have specifically a bottle of 75w-90 semi synthetic gear oil and a tube of Lubriplate low temperature grease that I usually use on my Genie screw drive garage door opener. I would think one of these would be OK to use, particularly the Lubriplate, don't you think?


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

i would use the lubriplate if i had nothing else, but if you could get it i would highly recommend using the 00 grease, that what i use if i encounter a gearbox that seeps on machines i sell, just drain the old oil and pack it full of the 00


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Also... if a new factory-stamped gasket is not readily available, usually bulk gasket paper is, in rolls, from any reputable automotive supply source. Has saved my bacon more than once.


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## Windhund42 (Dec 9, 2016)

Great tips, thanks. I actually found the 00 grease at my local TSC (only one left!) so I'm going to try that first to see if it works. If I can't get all of the 5w20 out of the gearbox, would that possibly affect the 00 grease? I don't want to go overboard here since everyone has been so kind, just wondering if the 5w20 mixing with the 00 would be a concern. Thanks again.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

It'll be fine.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

Windhund42 said:


> Hello, I am new to the forum but have read many helpful posts on this website from time to time but this is my first question.
> 
> 
> I have an old John Deere 726 blower housing that of course has a fill hole for the recommended 5w20 oil that lubricates the auger housing. I've always maintained the level to the very top (feel it with finger).
> ...


The oil bath cases I am familiar with ARE NOT filled to the top by design and there is a vent in the top plug or near the top of the case to keep pressure neutral if there is heat expansion.

By overfilling it you have put standing oil volume in places it is not normally found. This may be enough to make a marginal case leak.

I would start by filling it correctly. There is often a level check plug near the center line of the case. You simply remove said plug and let it drain to that level with the machine level. Lacking a level check plug find out how the level is to be checked.

Degrading an oil bath case to grease pack would be low on my list of choices.

Is SAE 5-20 the specified lubricant? The Gilson requirement of SAE 30 is relatively light compared to many other oil bath snowblowers worm drives. SAE 5-20 is uncommonly low viscosity. That alone could aggravate things.

Pete


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

The old Snapper 824 I used to use at a job used motor oil in the auger gearbox.The manual stated to put whatever you use in the engine ,in the gearbox.Nice and simple.

The gearbox seals on the OP's machine may be leaking-or not.I would have absolutely no problem with using the previously mentioned "00" grease in that case.If it's good enough for Ariens snowblower gearboxes,I don't see an issue.

My Toro uses a rather expensive and hard to find grease in the auger case.When I took it apart for a looksee a few years ago, I refilled it with "00" grease which WOULD have worked fine except my seals will even let that drip out.I went with a semi-synthetic grease eventually and that has worked fine.I should have replaced the seals,but the bearings were pretty worn and the shafts,too.The gears themselves still look great.If I get another year or two out of the Toro,I'll be happy-I got it for free.


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## Windhund42 (Dec 9, 2016)

I've been out of town since Friday so I'm just getting up to speed on the discussion. I agree, the 5w20 oil is very thin but it is the correct grade per the owner's manual. 


I also will look for a weep hole but I do think I do have a legitimate leak since as I was thinking about the problem I did recall some oil on the garage floor last year (that's probably why the case was low).


I picked up some "00" lube as recommended by a couple responders in the hope this will fix or at least slow down the leak to a very slow drip. Going from 5w20 to the much thicker "00" just might do the trick.


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