Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550

   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #1  

Claytonfarms

Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
48
Location
Harford, Maryland
Tractor
Ford 550 TLB
Good Morning all,

I just purchased a 77 Ford 550 TLB, 4000 hrs. Looks to have been used on a farm, then small grading / hoe work.

Any recomendations on servicing? Any problems with generic UTF for fluids?

I want to keep it for a while I will be using it on a small farm, tree removal, grading, snow removal etc.

The fluids look clean but I thought I should change the fluids and filters for a fresh start. I have UTF from tractor supply any problems with this in gear boxes? Any oil recomendations for engine?

Anything I should look for when changing fluids?

Thanks
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #2  
the travel utf fluid from tsc meets the Nh spec 134 fluids.

every now and then you will see some real cheap utf fluids for about 20$ that do not state any fluid specs.. those i would only use as hyd oil.. but any that say they meet M2C134 should be fine for those older ford products... thos usually cost 35-50$ for the store brands.
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #3  
An extra note to add to Soundguy's post. An equivalent M2C134 oil (transmission/hydraulic oil) is a must on the transmission and rear end, but a brake additive (don't remember p/n offhand) is recommended or needed if the wet disc brakes start squawking with non-Ford/NH oil.
People often think they need a brake job when the brakes get noisy, but it is usually the brakes grabbing causing noise.
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #4  
so far I can say that the tsc and walmart utf oils ( both warren products ) work fine in my ford and nH's.. the larger models like a 4600, 5000, and 7610s with wet brakes and hyd pto clutches. can't speak for any others though in those machines.

I know when I got that 7610s i don't know what utf it had in it.. but when I changed it and that darn paint can sized filter hyds and brakes seemed smoother... i for sure would not use one of the bargain basement utf's which are vauge or unclear on their specs...
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #5  
OK Guys TOTAL NOOBIE HERE.... I have done mechanical work my whole life on cars, boats motorcycles and so on.... Never had to work on or sevice anything diesel. With that said. I bought a 78 550.... she's got some leaks but I will address them as time goes on. I want to def do a fluid change but I am completely lost with the whole fluid thing andd what does where....
UTF?
M2C134?
utf fluid from tsc meets the Nh spec 134 fluids?

LOL Please Help!
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #6  
I like the TSC Renew UTF because it is to better hand water and does slow leaking cylinders. Just not cheap.
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I used the TSC utf, no problems so far. The brakes and hydro does feel better with clean fluid. If you change the coolant or before you run the machine too much, get some test strips and check the coolant for SCAs. Diesels can have cavatation issues which can damage the engine. I got the test strips from a heavy truck parts store, NAPA also sells them. I got the additive from the Ford truck dealer and used regular green antifreeze.
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #8  
OK I guess you guys missed my point.... I don't know what TSC means nor UTF. What is SCA? Geez what am I getting into with this machine.
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #9  
UTF?
M2C134?
utf fluid from tsc meets the Nh spec 134 fluids?

UTF Universal Tractor Fluid

generalls speaking.. utf and similar oils are made for tractor trannies, hyds, diffy, power steering, final drives and front axles. IE.. just about everything but crankcase oil, and power brakes, where equipped.

It's a generic term.. You may also see, transdraulic oil listed. and other manufacturers also have other names, many times denoting a slightly premium product. Like TDH/UTD etc. Hytran many times is used as a generic term, though actually referes to a specific product. Older specs like 303 or 'JD 303 fluid, also GENERALLY refer to a utf.. thought the old 303 spec is rarely actually used due to what it's made of... ).

M2C134D is the latest of the M2C specs. There are later CNH specs out there.. but older equipment generally needs a utf spec meeting some level of M2C134. Older manuals may list older revisions.. like M2C134A-B-C etc. Later spec oil superceeds earlier specifications. like the older ford M 4864 specs.

Read lables onthe UTF pails. You generally find about '4' levels of UTF fluids.

Bargain basement 'sale' UTF's .. generally these vaugely specify that they are for older tractors.. but don't actually list specs. may call themselvs a 303 oil in the name.. or similar.. but generally list no specs.. these can cost int he 18-25$ range for a 5-6g pail. These oils are 'generally' ok , as mentioned in older equipment.. and especailly in the south where temps don't get to or stay at 0-32 for extended times. many times these bargain oils are fine, except they have cold properties like honey, and thus are not great for colder areas. I many times will use these as cheap flush oils.. or to fill hyd only sumps in loaders and such.

Next you have the store branded UTF oils that actually list specifications. There are usually 2 levels of this oil. a basic and a premium. For instance.. tractor supply handles both a basic and a premium UTF oil.
The basics run from about 30-50$ depending upon brand and area. The premiums overlap and I have seen them from about 45-65$ both in the 5-6g pails.

then you get the specialty brands and OE brands.. real case, JD or CNH branded oils.. and the upper end aftermarkets, including synthetic oils. These genrally run 65-100+$ per 5-6g pail.

A few things to consider. the OE brands don't make their own oil. JD doesn't have an oil well and refinery back behind the dealership. they are buying oil for a bulk supplier who then goes thru custom bottling for retail sales. etc. Using MSDS info. you can find out who is providing what to whom. There simply aren't that many refineries out there. Also.. as time goes buy.. bottelers change. At one time walmart might have been using, for instance, warren for some of it's supertech oils... then they might have used valvoline..e tc. Also.. speaking of warren.. there are 2 warren's. unilube / distributing..e tc.

That said. look at your equipment needs.

If it's a beater you fire up to put a pallate of sod on a trailer 1x per year and it leaks bad... it's a no brainer. Put the cheapest oil in it you can find. :)

I myself, have a fleet of tractors from the 40-s and up.. the bulk of them in the 40-late 50's / early 60's era. i use the economy TSC oil or walmart oil.. whichever had been cheaper in bulk purchase at the time.

If you have a machine the speciaically caleld out a UTD type oil.. or one of the other very specific types not covered by the generic utf specs. STICK TO THAT OIL. Many times there are specific cold weather oils ( and filters ), and there is a reason fro that. cuts down on cavitation inthe cold, thick jellied oil,, and oil filter seal leaks. So on theis one.. RTFM.. :) make sure the oil you get, covers the specs in the manual.

for most older CNH stuff, and just about ALL ford stuff.. M2c134specs get you a loooooong way.

soundguy
 
   / Fluids / Lube New to me Ford 550 #10  
OK I guess you guys missed my point.... I don't know what TSC means nor UTF. What is SCA? Geez what am I getting into with this machine.

SCA Supplement Coolant Additive. You will see specifics.. such as dca-2, dca-4, fw-16 etc. Many diesel are wet sleeve and need a cavitation / electrolysis addative to prevent cavitation erosion and porrosity in the block and cyl wall liners.. otherwise you will / can erode a hole thrut he liner and have water in a combustion chamber.. etc. These addatives are added tot he regular 'green' and other basic coolants. You either add by volume.. IE.. x oz's per gallon of capacity, or more preferably, add then test with test strips to determine proper concentration/ph etc. keep in mind many protucts are not compatible ( nor is coolant mixing sugested ) with the OAT or organic acid antifreezes.. usually the extended life ones.. like dexcool, and the odd orange colored ones.. etc.. pink.. etc. there ARE some UNIVERSAL coolants out there that claim they CAN be mixed with extended use coolants. I personally would not.. etc.

TSC ( tractor supply company ).. it's a common farm store. Used to see Farm and Fleet also.. but not some much anymore.. at least not around where i live..
 
 
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