Changing ALL of the transmission/hydraulic oil ...

CincyFlyer · Jun 19, 2017

I have a new Mahindra 2540, which is coming up on the fifty hour mark, thus due for some fluid changes. I didn't think of this on my previous tractor, but I have now, so I'll ask everyone:

I have a loader, a backhoe, and a couple of skid steer attachments with hydraulics, and they all have cylinders full of "dirty" oil! The attachments won't be an issue, it will be a bit more of a chore to drain the FEL and backhoe (and get the cylinders clear of air).

So the question is: When you change the transmission/hydraulic oil, do you drain all of your hydraulic cylinders as well?

rScotty · Jun 19, 2017

I don't drain the hydraulic cylinders, and I don't know anyone who does. But I've sure thought of doing so - particularly at the 50 hour mark when one would expect to see the most flushing of initial assembly dirt and metal particles.

My conclusion was that the tractor's oil cleaning system depended heavily on the filters. I think that is correct, and is probably why most tractors have several transmission/hydraulic filters. So if I didn't like what I saw in the oil I'd add in an extra filter-only change between now and the next oil change. In fact, that's exactly what I did; changed the filters an extra time.
rScotty

xcgreene · Jun 19, 2017

Have all cylinders stroked in; rod in as far as possible, allowing most of the oil to accumulate back in the tractor. Should only leave you with a small fraction of the total oil capacity out there in the lines/cylinders, and I wouldn't worry about that little bit. That fluid out there has also been through the filter, making it cleaner than the trash you'll see drain out of the sump at 50 hours.

Welcome to the Forum!

OLV1071571 · Jul 4, 2017

xcgreene said:
Have all cylinders stroked in; rod in as far as possible, allowing most of the oil to accumulate back in the tractor. Should only leave you with a small fraction of the total oil capacity out there in the lines/cylinders, and I wouldn't worry about that little bit. That fluid out there has also been through the filter, making it cleaner than the trash you'll see drain out of the sump at 50 hours.

Welcome to the Forum!

Agreed. I did the same at my 50 hr mark last week. Oil was clean but strainer did have some metal shavings but nothing critical from my point of view.

CincyFlyer · Jul 14, 2017

I've gotten all of the filters ($150!! but I likely didn't need them all: engine oil, hydraulic, and two for the fuel, the manual says to only replace the fuel and engine oil filters.) I'll see about whether I drain "both sides" of the cylinders; I certainly have enough oil (15 gallons of TSC premium) plus the Shell for the engine, and what's in the transmisson looks very clean in the level window. But first I gotta put on four or five more hours—and with the rain we've been getting in the greater Cincinnati area, I don't really want to trench up the property with my tires for a few days.