hydraulic fluid level???????

[whitearrow]

good evening fellas.should i check the dipstick in the hydraulic reservoir with the 3 ph raised or lowered or does it really matter?i guess what i am asking is does it matter if you check the fluid in the raised position or should the 3 ph be fully down to check it accurately?i have a new jd 5203 w/o any extra hydraulic ports/plugs only the main one.
thanks,
whitearrow->>>------------>

[MikePA]

What does your Owner's Manual say?

[whitearrow]

no mention of it in the owner's manual either way.
whitearrow->>>--------------->

[midlf]

I bet your owners manual says to lower all implements when parking the tractor. The tractor must be parked to check the hydraulic oil level, therefore 3pt oughta be lowered to check fluid. Also FEL lowered.

[MikePA]

The easiest way to find out is to check the fluid both with the 3ph up and with it down and see if there's a difference.

[Farmwithjunk]

The internals of a typical 3-point hitch require very little oil, in terms of volume. I doubt it would be even barely visible as far as level on the dipstick. In 35 (+) years of owning tractors, I've never been too concerned about getting oil levels "spot on" to the dipstick "full mark". I don't want low, but slightly over full won't bother a thing. As long as there's no leaks, and the remotes don't have issues, that level rarely ever changes. The manufacturers build in a "saftey net" if you will, to allow slightly low or slightly high oil levels on hydraulic systems.

I'm a few days away from starting to restore an old Massey Ferguson 50 that was my fathers. I've been studying the manuals before ripping into it. There was some mention of checking oil levels with 3-point lowered, all cylinders retracted (due to the age, MAYBE talking about single acting cyl. as they were more common "way back then") and engine shut off.

[Soundguy]

I bet your owners manual says to lower all implements when parking the tractor. The tractor must be parked to check the hydraulic oil level, therefore 3pt oughta be lowered to check fluid. Also FEL lowered.

Many tractors say to check the hydro fluid level "with all cylinders extended'..

I know for a fact that 5 of my tractors do.... would have to check the manuals for the rest.

Soundguy

[midlf]

Soundguy - I agree if your owners manuals have specific instructions on position of rams. My statement was based on no reference to position in the owners manual.

[Doc_Bob]

Soundguy - I agree if your owners manuals have specific instructions on position of rams. My statement was based on no reference to position in the owners manual.

Mine says to have them collapsed, retracted. I assume this fills the reservoir to the maximum.
Bob

[Soundguy]

Soundguy - I agree if your owners manuals have specific instructions on position of rams. My statement was based on no reference to position in the owners manual.

I wasn't specifically refering to the manual, re: my old fords. The hydro fluid dipstick actually has engraved on it " Check with all cylinders extended"

Soundguy