Mantanence for an 8 yr old tractor w/ 70 hrs

[Carl Bert]

I just purchased a 2004 X595 with 70 hours on it. According to the seller, he used it for one season to cut the grass and there after gave the cutting out to a lawn service. He said he had the oil changed at 50 hrs and one more time a year later and that's it.

What service should I be doing? I spoke to my dealer and they suggested doing absolutely everything. Every filter and every fluid, so that would include the engine oil and filter, the trans oil and filter the coolant fluid and the front end gear oil. It's just hard to justify how a tractor with only 70 hrs could need so much work.

What do you guys think?

 

[RickB]

All fluids and filters, excepting possibly the air filters if they look to be in good condition.

 

[J_J]

What have you done do far?

Were the fluids at the correct level?

Does it crank up and run.

If it does run, then I would expect you have checked the fluid levels.

Whether this is right or wrong, I would change just the air filter. If the oil looks dirty or smells bad then change it also.

If you are the kind of person that has to have things to perfection, then go ahead and change out everything.

Common sense works very well.

 

[tcartwri]

All fluids and filters, excepting possibly the air filters if they look to be in good condition.

X2

There will be corrosive elements in all the fluids from sitting unused.

 

[glc24]

All fluids and filters, excepting possibly the air filters if they look to be in good condition.

X3

I'd figure,why not. That way you have peace of mind,and now it's your maintenance schedule and not someone elses.:thumbsup:

Greg

 

[AndyMA]

X2

There will be corrosive elements in all the fluids from sitting unused.

I would change all the fluids and filters.

You are asking for trouble if you don't.

Running means nothing. What you care about is long life.

Andy

 

[greasemonkeyok]

The reason for changing the oil and hydraulic fluids is that the additives oxidize and deteriorate over time, whether the tractor is running or not. That is why owners manuals have both a mileage (or hours of use) limit, and a calendar limit, on when you should change fluids.

In addition to this forum, a good source of information on oil is:
- Bob is the Oil Guy

On a more commercial scale, I also get periodic information from:
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/741/oil-analysis-implementation

No disrespect to J_J intended, if nothing else consider changing all the fluids as cheap insurance. I have experienced thermal breakdown of engine oil in a vehicle where the oil suddenly turned thick and burned looking.

 

[daugen]

that's a really nice garden tractor and doing a thorough maintenance on it to set up a baseline for the future is really helpful, particularly on equipment with hour meters.
We have almost identical experiences, but my JD LX280 had only .6 hours when I got it, eight years after it left the dealer, for the exact same reason you mention, except my friend never turned the thing on after he put it into his garage. I went through all this process, plus engine fogging and yes changed everything, but waited on the hydro fluid until now, 50 hours later in my case.

In a garage without windows, the tires on my tractor were perfect, which amazed me. The picture below is as I found it, after the tarp had been removed. I expect some tire cracking soon, but I doused them in Napa Protectant, which I recommend highly for rubber, plastic and metal parts on
garden and farm machinery. So other than changing fluids in your unit, and maybe going over the plastic parts with some preservative, your unit should operate like new. I'm assuming you have thoroughly lubed it, grease, oil, Kroil, WD40, whatever your pleasure is on the moving parts. Keep it well lubed and it will run quieter and longer for you.

Nice machine. Love mine, best mowing machine I have, and it's just one of many in the barn.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

The coolant would be the main thing due to age.

I have found if you pull the low point drain plug you can see if any water comes out at first and if it does I would say do a change out including filters. It sounds like it really had not been used much since the last oil change.

Based on fluids age that is grounds for a change out but I expect you have already been driving it some. If it was mine I might put a few hours on it to make sure all works well and to check for leaks before you start moving things.

I bet it has a twin out there with many hours on it and no fluid change out other than oil.

 

[SPYDERLK]

1] How was it stored? 2] Did it just sit, or was it run?
larry