Installed Hydro Transmission Cooler On Zero Turn & Results

[Carl_NH]

David

They mounted the cooler above the motor with some shrouding from the pics I have seen - if you go on the Ferris web site you can find it on !S3000 and maybe some of the 2000 series too.

 

[Carl_NH]

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 ?

I used the 70255 with the 3/8 input ports, 12"x8" and 3/4" inch thick. You could go a bit wider 12x10 but I wanted to mount above the intake of the fan on the motor and leave room for air for the engine too.

Another option is to mount it on top of the cooling fans for the hydro pumps but that always collects leaves and dust more so than above the engine fan.

The engine fan shroud does have bolts too you could mount a standoff from that. I know what you mean by having the tank on the side, but that should not be an issue as you take the output line (from the pumps to the tank) and route to the cooler, then the output of the cooler back to the tank.

David - On the IS3000 there may be two return lines to the tank? If so a bigger cooler input port may be advised (1/2").

 

[Saril]

David

They mounted the cooler above the motor with some shrouding from the pics I have seen - if you go on the Ferris web site you can find it on !S3000 and maybe some of the 2000 series too.

Hello,

Hope this thread is still alive. I am very interested in the modification you have made! Looks awesome and very professional. Do you still feel this was a good move, i.e., would you recommend now that you have had lots of time evaluating?

My hydro temps get as high as 225 F in the summer, ambient temp around 85-90 F. I just replaced the Parker 10cc pump with a HydroGear and also replaced the wheel motor on a 2006 Dixon Kodiac - both on right side. With the ambient temp at 65 F, I was getting temps around 200 F which is a bit high, I think. Your post has me intrigued and I want to pursue if you still recommend.

I measure temp with an ifrared thermometer pointed at the top of the hydro pump (charge pump cover) which also matches the temp of the fluid in the tank, so I'm assuming this is an accurate method.
Any comments appreciated and welcome - thanks!

 

[Carl_NH]

Hello,

YEs this is still alive - and yes I suggest if you have high temps this will drop by 40* - the oil in my opinion should not get above 200*. So you should be able to set up something similar - mine has been fine for over 4 years and I have 280 hours on it now - I am not mowing commercially just my own lawn.

 

[Saril]

Hello,

YEs this is still alive - and yes I suggest if you have high temps this will drop by 40* - the oil in my opinion should not get above 200*. So you should be able to set up something similar - mine has been fine for over 4 years and I have 280 hours on it now - I am not mowing commercially just my own lawn.

This is great news - thanks for the quick response! I hope you don't mind a few questions:

How and where do you measure your hydro temps? I've heard some say to measure the outside of the hydro oil filter; however, for me it was not the same as the oil in the tank and my filter screws to the side of the tank. The oil filter reading was about 40 F lower. The oil in tank measured the same as top of charge pump.

You mentioned air bubbles - if I have a small hose leak on the input side would that put air into the system and the introduced air would be why the temps are high? What I'm asking is how do I make sure I'm not masking another problem vs. improving the original design. It appears that you improved your design.

If I had a leak anywhere in the hydro system (low pressure side), intake, return, etc., could I assume that I would see some fluid? In particular, would a small leak on the input side to pumps suck air and not leak oil?

If you were to perform this upgrade again, would you still recommend the B&M 70255?

I have 2 10cc pumps and the case drains are combined into a single hose back to the tank. Would I put the cooler between the case drain attached to the tank?

Current: ========return line from combined case drains======[] Hydro tank
Your mod: ========return line from combined case drains==B&M 70255===[] Hydro tank

Does hydro cooler have to be mounted lower than the hydro tank?

Sorry for all the questions; I would really appreciate your opinion if you have the time.
Cheers

 

[Industrial Toys]

I thought case drains did not serve a function in the operation of the motors. I don't know how to express that. Maybe I am wrong. I thought the motor does not have to be that sealed and the case drain was a simple containment facility that puts oil safely back in the tank and not on the ground.

 

[Saril]

I thought case drains did not serve a function in the operation of the motors. I don't know how to express that. Maybe I am wrong. I thought the motor does not have to be that sealed and the case drain was a simple containment facility that puts oil safely back in the tank and not on the ground.

I am not an expert and may have stated the question poorly. Just to be clear, I'm talking specifically about the case drain on a P Series Hydro-Gear Hydrostatic Pump used on a ZTR motor. From the service manual:

A fixed displacement gerotor charge pump is
provided in P Series Pumps. Oil from an external
reservoir and filter is pumped into the closed loop
by a charge pump. Fluid not required to replenish
the closed loop flows either into the pump housing
through a cooling orifice, or back to the charge pump
inlet through the charge pressure relief valve.
During the operation of the pump, fluid is "lost" from
the hydraulic loop through leak paths designed into
the product for lubrication and cooling purposes
(around pistons, under the rotating cylinder block, etc.).
This "lost" fluid returns to the reservoir through
the case drain. This fluid must be made
up in the loop. The charge pump makes up this fluid loss.

My understanding is that the case drain is the low pressure fluid return line (from the pump) going back to the hydro tank which then passes the fluid through a filter back to the charge pump. This is not the closed high pressure loop between the pump and wheel motor.

I was assuming that the case drain return line would be the best place to "intercept" the hot oil and cool it - before it is returned to the tank. I could be wrong.
If this is not the case, please advise, as I'm still learning and appreciate the input.

 

[aczlan]

A case drain should see a small percentage (5-10%?) of the fluid that went through the wheel motor. If it were me, I would put the hydraulic cooler inline between the valve and the tank.
If you dont have that option (ie: that goes right back to the pump), I would just put in in the case drain line.

Aaron Z

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think I was correct in my assumptions. Case drain would not be my first choice for a cooler. Maybe someone figured that since the leaking oil is designed to cool and lubricate the motor, cooling that system even more is the way to go.

 

[aczlan]

Re: Installed Hydro Transmission Cooler On Zero Turn & Results

I think I was correct in my assumptions. Case drain would not be my first choice for a cooler. Maybe someone figured that since the leaking oil is designed to cool and lubricate the motor, cooling that system even more is the way to go.

In some cases, the pump and the motor are all one piece and the only place where fluid exits the system is from the case drain.

Then the case drain goes into the tank and it pulls make up fluid out of the tank.

If that is the case here, the case drain or the suction line out of the tank are the only options for a add on cooler.

I would prefer to use the case train rather than the suction line for a cooler as it is easier to tell if it is leaking fluid out then if it is sucking air in.

Aaron Z