Changing UDT hydraullic flud - major stupid

[thunderworks]

Disaster has struck! I drained my hydraullic fluid, replaced filters and was starting to refill the fluid on my L5030. I was using a funnel that had a detachable directional spout on it. The spout came loose and dropped in the rear housing and I can't find it . . .It's really hard to find an angle to even look in the filler hole. The ROPS, toolbox, seat etc. . . are in the way of any kind of direct view. I tried using a mirror and a light, but can't get an angle of view. I've been poking about with one of the spring loaded grab finger tools but can't get it. I fear it's dropped all the way to the bottom. The spout is probably 3/4" in diameter and 4" long . . .

What do I do? I assume the differential would chew up the plastic with no problem, but little pieces of plastic floating around the hydraullic system seems like a real bad idea. My tractor is a hydrostatic tranny and I have loader. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Taiser]

VERY BAD INDEED FOR THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM!!! The filter would probably get it but I wouldn't take that chance.

There are flexible wire tools with fingers on the end but it would be a hit and miss situation trying to get it.

I'm at a lost for this one but I'd probably call the dealer to see what you can possibly do to get it out.

 

[Fjord]

For a start , could you get another funnel the same , take the end and drop it in a bucket of fluid to find out if it sinks or floats, then at least you'd know where you're looking for it.Any chance that it would be easier to see down in there if you drained the fluid back out again?I saw an instrument once that had a little fibreoptic lens with a light on the end of a flexible wand . It would fit down a piece of pipe.It wasn't that expensive (like a few hundred) so it's possible that somebody who inspects inside of engines or boilers might have one and then you could look for it in there.Just a couple of ideas. Wish I could be of more help but I really don't have a clue.Good Luck.

 

[redharley]

Borescope is the tool he is thinking of.might work if pc is floating on top of oil but you still have to get hold of it.most better shops have one for looking inside engine cyclinder's.I think I would keep fishing for a while,how about a pc of wire with a hook on end,keep trying finger tool also.again ask dealer he may have seen this problem before.might also drain oil out into clean pan maybe it will show up at drain hole and you can get it their.Just some idea's,I would try to remove it before running it, good luck

 

[thunderworks]

Taiser: I have one of those flexible wire tools with fingers, and I've been trying to fish it out. No luck so far. I think the diameter of the spout is toolarge to really even grab with the tool anyway.

Fjord: I have another identical funnel. The spout doesn't float. I checked in my bucket of old UDT. I haven't refilled the rear end with fluid yet.

This is an incredibly frustrating screwup.

Rick

 

[Fjord]

This is probably just another shot in the dark, but would it be possible to find a piece of pipe or tube that would fit down the hole and tape it onto the end of a shopvac hose and try to pick it up that way? you could try picking up the other one you have to see if it would hold it.

 

[Fjord]

Just another thought. If you ever get to the point where you can see the thing, but can't pick it up,maybe could you get a piece of stiff wire and heat it up with a torch, then stab the spout with it melting a hole through the plastic, then let it cool and the melted plastic might kinda stick to the wire.Or if you welded a screw onto the end of the wire and heated that up the threads might grab a bit.I've used a deck screw welded on to a piece of rod to pick up soft things from difficult places just by screwing it in, although I know this isn't the same situation. Good luck.

 

[davemhughes]

I know this will seem like poor advice and maybe it is but......... it is what I would do after I have exhausted everything I could think of short of splitting the tractor. Fill it up with your old fluid you just drained. Before starting take fel off if possible, put old filter back on and run it hard for a while. Then take your old filter off and cut it open to see if the gears chewed it up. If it did put new filter on and run it again. Keep repeating filter change process untill very few pieces are showing up in cut open filters. Then drain fluild and replace it. If not chewed up.......split the case.

As I see it your options are this or splitting the tractor.

 

[Volfandt]

Before doing anything drastic, i.e. splitting the tractor, I'd remove the ROPS, seat, toolbox etc., so I could get a good view down in the hole. I'd exhaust every possibility of getting at that extension short of splitting the tractor. I'm not familiure with your model but the one and only tractor I've split and put back together was a bear and was very time consuming.

I'm not familure with your tractor but you may be able to remove the 3PH assembly (or some other assembly) and get a larger access hole.

Thing is, if you can at least see it, you should be able to come up with a way of getting it out.

Good luck

 

[Northland]

you poor guy - I thought these type of things only happened to me.

I think you need to let the dealer handle this as they probably have had or heard of this happening before