Kubota BX 50 Hour Service Question

[Junkman]

Your opinion please.... do you think it is alright to change just the hydro filter and clean the screen on the hydro and not replace the hydro oil at the 50 hour mark? If the filter and screen are doing their job, what could possibly go wrong with the oil in 50 hours of operation? How much oil will I loose just cleaning the screen? Is this a ruse by Kubota to sell more Super UDT? Possibly it might be better to change the filter and clean the screen at 50 hours and then change everything again at 100 & 200 hours? After all, isn't more better? I have changed the engine oil and filter at 50 hours however, it has been too cold to do the rest of the service and hopefully it will warm up soon so I can complete the balance.

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

After you remove the screen to clean it and see all the metal shavings you might change your mind. You don't have to change the hydro again till 300 hours. The motor oil is changed every 100 hours.

Dave

 

[MDL]

I think the idea behind replacing the hydraulic oil is similar to the early engine oil replacement on a new engine. Its to remove "new manufacure" contaminents like metal machinings, fibers, and other bits that have come out of the machine during it's inital use. Early fluid replacements may or may not matter depending on what was inside the machine but nobody will ever know if it helped. That is unless you had an oil analysis done I suppose but that usually helps in knowing whats going on inside over a period of time. Some people would just run the hydraulic fluid through a filter paper or fabric, replace the machine's filter, and put the oil back in while others replace the oil all together. To each his own here I think.

 

[gsxr1100]

Junkman- I do not think you can remove the filter and screen with losing the fluid. I would change the fluid at 50 since it might have some other items in it from manufacturing, storage, assembly, etc.

I did “the works” last summer and yes, the fluid looked fine. But looks are not the complete story.

I know my screen was covered with shaving and filling was a pain. I would think the screen and filter are at the bottom of the sump.

I was going to drain my “once a year oil” but these temps in CT/ Ma are too cold now. So long the 60’s a few weeks ago! L

 

[surfran]

I was thinking the same thing when I did my 50 hour. The fluid looked fine and I have thought why couldn't I filter through a coffee filter and re-use for my next change? I still have the fluid and just may do that. I also had quite a few metal shavings on the screener.

My thinking is that the only reason they want you to change is debris or contaminants so if you use a fine filter to separate them, then why not re-use it?

It will be interesting to see what others think now you started this thread. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Henro]

Junkman,

Like I mentioned in another thread, on my B2910 it takes about 100 hours of seat time to get 50 hours on the hour meter. And the B2910 had a 1st service at 50 hours.

My BX clocks 1 hour on the hour meter for each hour on the seat.

I had not thought about it, but now I am tending to think I could run the BX 100 hours and change the fluids, and it would be changing them at just about the exact same operating point that I changed my B2910 fluids at the first time, with 50 hours on the meter.

So now while I was intending to the normal 50 hour service on the BX, I may delay it.

Thanks to Junkman... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Yes, I am serious...

 

[rbarker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Your opinion please.... do you think it is alright to change just the hydro filter and clean the screen on the hydro and not replace the hydro oil at the 50 hour mark? )</font>

I did it because it's called for in the service manual and I wish to avoid any warrantee issues. I figured for the $50 or $60 for the hydro fluid it was worth the peace of mind. Especially since we don't need to do it again for another 250 hours which equates to about 2 1/2 years for me. Factor the cost over that time and it's not significant, at least to me.

 

[ronjhall]

Junkman

My B7100 HST had its Hydro oil changed at 50 hours. Changed it again at 600 hrs. That was about 40 hours before I sold it. I never had a repair on this tractor. If I remember right I bought the tractor in 1984 sold it in 2000. I sure the person that bought it from me is still having the same kind of trouble free operation. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

My tractors are always stored indoors. There is little chance of the oil will be contaminated from a water leak. But there is the possibility of condensation getting into the system from temperature changes and high humidity. The filters have a paper element. When water gets into the filter it can very quickly restrict oil flow. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Don't forget this oil is used in the Hydro trans and the Hydraulic system for the FEL and 3PH.

I may never change the Hydro oil again in my B2910. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

But it did get the 50-hour change including all the filters. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If the filter and screen are doing their job, what could possibly go wrong with the oil in 50 hours of operation?)</font>

The other issue is water making its way into the hydraulic fluid.
Conventional filters are not designed to extract water from
the oil.

A petroleum based hydraulic fluid will absorb up to 300PPM of
water before it saturates, upon which additional water will
emulsify and cause the oil to appear cloudy. Beginning at this
level the free water (along with atmospheric oxygen) can
oxidize the oil when heated. It also affects viscosity agents
and rust inhibitors resulting in the formation of sludge. Even
amounts less that 300PPM can drastically shorten component
life.

You can test hyd oil for the presence of elevated water
concentration by heating a sample of oil in a spoon. If
water in excess of 100PPM is present, fine droplets of
water will be seen boiling through the oil, with the degree
of activity increasing in direct proportion to the concentration
of water. Obviously some safety precautions should be
taken w/r/t fire, spattering oil, etc..

 

[Junkman]

Since the BX series tractors come factory filled with Super UDT which is a synthetic oil, what is the effect of water when it comes in contact with this type of oil??? thanks