Installed Hydro Transmission Cooler On Zero Turn & Results

[Carl_NH]

Installed a B&M 70255 Transmission cooler on my Ferris IS2000 25/52 today. Unit has 60 houes total on it in two years (residential use). I was concerned about the operatinig temp 180* @ 75* ambient and the fact the Ferris has added these to the IS3100 this year (and all bigger machines IS5100 series.

I have the Hydrogear 12CC pumps and Parker wheel motors. Also I tow a Trac Vac in the fall for leaf collection which puts more strain on the system. The oil on my system was dark, smelled like roasted nuts so I R&R the filter and replaced with new 15-50 Mobil 1 (1.75 qts) last weekend.

Ordered the B&M 70255 cooler this week and installed today and now the Hydro temps are 138-140 @ 75* ambient temp and the oil is clear now (no bubbles) now. Which in my estimation is a good thing..

Attached are some pics of installation, note I raised the resevior tank to the top position to clear the engine by 3" and allow the cooler oil level not exceed the highest point in the tank.

Everythiing works great and a 40* reduction in fluid temp from 180 to 140 can only be good for the pumps and motors.

Carl

 

[Bob77064]

Good job and the air coming out of the engine will help cool it.

 

[RickB]

Here's an oil cooler installed based on a recognized and measured need. The cooler will certainly prove to be beneficial over time based on the reported oil condition prior to the install.

Good move!

 

[Carl_NH]

Thanks Rick & Bob,

I spoke to Ferris about the oil color - looked like used engine oil, and they explained the aluminum pumps and motors are what discolor the fluid not the temperature.

The oil smell they attributed to towing the trac vac even tho we dont have any hills to speak of. They said the wheel motors wernt designed to pull heavy loads.

The reason they put these on the bigger machines is the weight - then they said, well some operators are heavy too so it couldnt hurt the machine only help it.. So with me @ 250 it was either lose some Lbs or do this retrofit.

 

[RickB]

Thanks Rick & Bob,

I spoke to Ferris about the oil color - looked like used engine oil, and they explained the aluminum pumps and motors are what discolor the fluid not the temperature.

The oil smell they attributed to towing the trac vac even tho we dont have any hills to speak of.

The two statements are contradictory. Adding the cooler was a good move. If the oil looked burnt and smelled burnt, it probably was burnt.

 

[Carl_NH]

Rick B,

I understand - Ferris service said the aluminum in the pumps and motors (aluminum fines? maybe) are what cause the darker color.

I tend to agree, higher temps was my thought as well. The oil wasnt a bad burnt smell but enough that my sniffer said this oil needs to go - also I was getting some white condensation around the fill port after mowing - meaning moisture was cooking out of the oil. Those two things led me to changing the filter and most of the oil.

Carl

 

[dgeesaman]

Hi Carl,

Thanks for sharing this. Just curious how your mower was holding up.

I have a 3100z showing some fine metal shavings in the reservoir and I'm thinking about rebuilding the pumps and flushing all of the lines. This would be an interesting addition and I'm considering plumbing it on the return line between the hydros and the reservoir.

Thanks,

David

 

[Carl_NH]

David

It's holding up great - 200 hours now - no smell in the oil and the new 2000 and 3000 series have a cooler now so adding this should help

The fines in the tank will be caught in the filter so I would change the filter and oil when you add the cooler which is what I did

I used a transmission filter and for your larger machine I would maybe go up to a larger unit for higher flows your unit has

Send some pics if you do this too

Carl

 

[dgeesaman]

Well I dug around and it appears that two years after mine was made, they added an oil cooler and kept everything else the same. So I now know the arrangement and will probably buy that cooler and add it myself.

The only question is how/where they located the cooler, but I suspect anywhere will work.

 

[SARG]

I just obtained a IS1500 from a friend that moved to Texas. This concept looks like a good one. I'll have to check the machine to see if the cooler could be mounted in a good location. The 1500 has the hydraulic fluid reserve mounted on the side of the machine above & slightly behind the rear tire and adjacent to the 23hp engine.

I notice on Amazon that B&M makes a variety of different coolers in different BTUs and sizes.

Is it best to mount the largest that will fit ?