Clean HST Screen Anytime - Don't Lose Fluid

[gwdixon]

my dealer said when they do the 50 hour service the oil inevitably comes out looking brand new - You can't tell it from the new stuff. He suggested I wait until 100 hours. What do you guys think??

If you've ever cleaned a HST screen for the first time you might change your opinion. The amount of metal and gunk the first time has been appalling in my experience. And that is only the stuff that gets caught. The filters catch a lot but there is always some swimming around in the oil.

"Looking like brand new" is true but it is not brand new. Some people on here have done a UOA so maybe they can contribute more information.

The 100 hours is past the break-in period as well so if you're going to work the tractor hard with metal shavings it would be a gamble - not one I'd be willing to take.

 

[TripleR]

my dealer said when they do the 50 hour service the oil inevitably comes out looking brand new - You can't tell it from the new stuff. He suggested I wait until 100 hours. What do you guys think??

I go with the recommendations in my Manual.

 

[bp fick]

my dealer said when they do the 50 hour service the oil inevitably comes out looking brand new - You can't tell it from the new stuff. He suggested I wait until 100 hours. What do you guys think??

Depends on the model. On some models, Kubota does not call for a an HST fluid drop until 300-400 hours. Kubota designs and builds them, so they ought to know what they are talking about. If Kubota says screen and filter only at 50 hours, you can rest assured that's all it really needs.

If you've ever cleaned a HST screen for the first time you might change your opinion. The amount of metal and gunk the first time has been appalling in my experience. And that is only the stuff that gets caught. The filters catch a lot but there is always some swimming around in the oil.

"Looking like brand new" is true but it is not brand new. Some people on here have done a UOA so maybe they can contribute more information.

The 100 hours is past the break-in period as well so if you're going to work the tractor hard with metal shavings it would be a gamble - not one I'd be willing to take.

My screen was virtually as clean as a whistle. Hardly a shaving or any scum. Not sure there is an established result pattern as reports vary widely.

 

[legbuh]

I found the extra screen part number and may pick it up at my local dealer:

K2581-36520

Now, the only issue is I keep hearing about 2 o-rings that should be on this. This picture doesn't appear to include the o-rings. Can anyone confirm?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I go with the recommendations in my Manual.

Depends on the model. On some models, Kubota does not call for a an HST fluid drop until 300-400 hours. Kubota designs and builds them, so they ought to know what they are talking about. If Kubota says screen and filter only at 50 hours, you can rest assured that's all it really needs.



My screen was virtually as clean as a whistle. Hardly a shaving or any scum. Not sure there is an established result pattern as reports vary widely.

I've cleaned several screens on the first 50 hours service and usually there is nothing on them and a few years ago one had some slight bits of some thing that I could feel but not see. Point is, the screen did it's job and caught it. Don't think the metal bits continue floating around in there for 1, 50, 300 or 400 hours. THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE THE SCREENS AND FILTERS. I change when the manufacturer says to. When it was 50, I did it at 50. Now it's 200 on two that I have and 400 on another one I have. That's when I'll do them and I sleep like a baby in my ignorance.:thumbsup: I'm 63 and believe I'll die before my Kubotas will by me following recommendation in manual. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

 

[TripleR]

Now John, do you expect us to believe you will keep "these" Kubotas that long

 

[SCtractorguy]

.....: I'm 63 and .........

John, in all honesty. I never would have believed that.

 

[Deano]

One trick I tried and it worked well was to use a vacuum cleaner to stop fluid loss when removing a plug or screen below fluid level.
Huh?
I had a leaking oil drain plug once on my truck. Simply have someone hold a vacuum cleaner hose on the oil fill while you remove the plug or screen. This sucks air into the opening of whatever you removed preventing fluid from going out. Let me apply a new gasket to the oil plug without any of the 14 quarts running out:thumbsup:
I would use a shop vac...the wifey might not appreciate it if some oil mist found its way into her high dollar home vacuum......

Someone else....finally!!!!:thumbsup:

 

[DiezNutz]

When I changed my HST fluid at 50 hrs (per my manual), I didn't spring for UOA, but I did run it across filter paper in the drain pan (like I did for the engine oil). The end result looked like some metallic silver paint had been spilled on it - except heavy on the metal flakes and easy on paint. Nothing out of the ordinary, pretty minor/expected. There was a tiny chunk of something brass-like, and something soft like a remnant of a gasket or sealant material. Looking back now I wish I had cut the 2 filters open (no strainer), but I didn't... wasn't really that worried about it at the time, used the papers only cause I had 'em handy.

Point is, it wasn't all trapped in the filters, there was stuff laying in the oil in the sump. Probably either wasn't picked up, or perhaps even backwashed from one of the filters upon shutdown/drainage, who knows.

Anything getting into the pump/work circuits has to first pass through a filter, so no worries there, and that only leaves splash oil as a minor concern, of which I don't think there's typically a whole lot of splashing going on in a HST.

I still felt better with the crap out of there. I guess I'm old-school, I just like to get break-in contaminants out early (but not too early). There is no way I could stand to wait until 400hrs, even with filter changes. I've seen instances where you change oil and not filters, but this to me is almost counter-intuitive.

Maybe it makes no difference. Maybe I'm also needing to/counting on getting a few more years out of my machines than some. It couldn't possibly hurt to do it earlier. I'm not sure the reverse holds equally true.

It's still a personal decision.
:2cents:

 

[funwithahoe]

I've cleaned several screens on the first 50 hours service and usually there is nothing on them and a few years ago one had some slight bits of some thing that I could feel but not see. Point is, the screen did it's job and caught it. Don't think the metal bits continue floating around in there for 1, 50, 300 or 400 hours. THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE THE SCREENS AND FILTERS. I change when the manufacturer says to. When it was 50, I did it at 50. Now it's 200 on two that I have and 400 on another one I have. That's when I'll do them and I sleep like a baby in my ignorance.:thumbsup: I'm 63 and believe I'll die before my Kubotas will by me following recommendation in manual. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

May you live WAY past your 'Bota's sir - and 'bota's live a really long, long time!!!!