duffer
Platinum Member
Hey guys, I tried to do a search on this topic, but the search engine on this board is less than stellar IMO.
Anyway, just "finished" my 500 hr service. Wasn't too bad for the first time, except for the fact that some guys in the factory have a knack for installing drain plugs with a 1000 PSI impact wrench.
So I offer the following comments in order to help those of you approaching your 500 hr service (or other time frame) and you're going to do it yourself. (and also I rant a "little")
Assuming you're going to change engine and hydraulic oil (HO) at the same time, be SURE you have at least three (3) 5 gal buckets to hold all of the oil, when you're done. I used (2) 5 gal oil drain pans ("sold separately" at TS) to put under the tractor. The rear hydraulic drain holds about 8 1/2 gallons of HO, and you can't stop the drain of fluid once you start without creating one big mess. You almost need to be a magician to switch from one drain pan to the other anyway. And you're still gonna spill some oil on the ground, or in my case, on my concrete floor in the garage. (get plenty of oil dry ready, and a new roll of paper towels )
The drain for the rear HO is right in the center, underneath, and next to tranny. (it's even marked in the owner's manual ) If I remember, it takes a 7/8 box wrench and either a 3 lb sledge hammer to beat on it to break it loose, or if you have a breaker bar/pipe that would work too. Have both of your 5 gal drain pans already under the tractor, so you can slide the 2nd one in right behind the 1st pan when it's full. On mine, there was teflon tape on the drain plug, so I used new teflon tape on the re-install. And then torqued the plug to only about 100 psi, instead of a 1000+ like the factory guy (and oh yeah...after they almost weld the plug in, then they paint over everything to make sure it's sealed up and even tighter) 2nd time removal should be a breeze.
The front axle drain has the same factory guy using the same 1000 PSI impact wrench installing it. But naturally, it's a different size and shape of plug. I used an open end wrench and my 3 lb sledge to break this one loose too. One word of caution. There are 3 drain plugs for the front axle, and the center plug only drains a small amount of fluid compared to the other two. Be sure you drain the oil from all 3 plugs :thumbsup: However the 2 smaller front axle drains are a real PITA. Each of them are located right next to the 2 wheels, and near the bottom of the cylinder shaped housing. I couldn't break mine loose with a breaker bar, or a pipe wrench and beating on it with the sledge hammer. But...one trick I learned is that if you use a small propane torch and heat up the housing around the drain plug, it will expand the opening just enough to break it loose. (I wouldn't recommend this for engine oil plugs due to flammability) and I would use the torch as a very, last resort. Another word of caution. The 2 outside drain plugs are so close to the wheels that there is no way to get your drain pan close enough to catch the significant amount of oil from each of them. Find something to deflect the flow into your drain pan, or if you have a small funnel, that could work too.
Engine oil drain plugs: (2) are right on the bottom of the engine, and marked in your owners manual as well. I think they take a 7/8 or 1" box wrench. Hopefully, your drain plugs won't be as tight, since you should have changed oil several times by now. And if a dealer did it for you, he won't have access to the 1000 PSI impact wrench the factory guy has... So they should be pretty easy to loosen. I would suggest (not mandatory) that you drain one plug at a time, just to keep the mess down. If you have metal shavings on the plug, just take a clean rag and wipe them off. The plugs are magnetized for that very reason, to catch any loose particles before they enter the engine chamber. You should get about 1 1/2 gal of oil out of the engine.
I didn't change my coolant (although I probably should have, but I'm in a warm zone, and my dealer told me it wasn't necessary yet as long as the fluid levels are at recommended levels)
Filters: I changed the outer air, engine oil, hydraulic filter, secondary fuel filter. Used Wix filters for engine oil and outer air. Used a Duramax hydraulic filter, and trying to find a Bosch fuel filter, but none are listed online. So I'll have to get it from the dealer I guess. All of the filters are easy to install, after you break the OEM filters loose (some are tough). Filter locations are marked in owner's manual.
Special note(s) on the fuel filter: My dealer changed mine out at about 150 hours as a pre-caution for another issue. He told me when I change it again, to make sure to disconnect the sensor on the bottom of the filter first, and then loosen the filter from the housing. I used a rubber band type filter wrench, as it's pretty close quarters. Couldn't get a big pair of channel locks even close to it. Now...once the filter is off, there is the sensor housing on the bottom of the filter. Unscrew that from the filter, as you won't get another one with the new filter. ALSO...on the bottom of the filter itself (where the sensor housing was just removed) there is a very small "O ring" that you need to remove and save to install on the new filter. Dealer told me the filter will leak like crazy without the O ring. So be sure to remove and save that. Once you re-install the fuel filter and sensor housing, don't forget to plug the sensor wires back into the bottom of the sensor housing. It's easy to miss (esp for an old fart like me :yes
Time to refill fluids: Engine takes about 1 1/2 gal of Rotella in my case. Filler port doesn't even remotely look like an oil filler port. It's on the left side of the engine, near the front, with a big rubber hose, plastic fitting and a little air tube coming out the bottom of it. You just twist and lift (not unscrew) and you'll see a bunch of gears. You'll think "this can't be it"...but it is the engine oil filler port. A long neck funnel works wonders here.
HO Rear: This will take about 8 1/2 gal of fluid. I use TS Premier Travelers HO. The filler port is on the top, left rear of the tranny/differential housing, below the fuel tank. About a 1" round plastic cap. Unscrew that, and fill er up to the top of the viewing glass next to the PTO shaft. Unless you have a pump & long hose, or arms like Popeye to lift a 5 gal can of HO, hold it steady for 5 minutes, you probably need to consider how you want to fill it. I guess you could buy 34 individual quart bottles of HO, and 10 more for the front axle, but you'll probably miss dinner filling it that way. I have a 12v electric diesel fuel pump that I use to fill the fuel tank. The HO is not really that thick, so I tried using my fuel pump. I figure if I burn it up, I'm out $15. But if it works...? I get to set on my duff and watch! For the first time in 66 years, I caught a break. Was able to fill both the front and rear HO using the 12v fuel pump. Don't forget to re-install the $35 plastic filler cap after you fill the rear with HO. (How do I know it's $35? Don't ask !!)
One more word of caution: Once you think you have sufficient levels of fluid in the engine, front and rear axles, start 'er up, turn the wheels left and right. Raise and lower the FEL, and then shut 'er down and re-check the fluid levels. I had to top off both the front and rear HO after using the cylinders. Be sure to check the HO fluid every day for a while to make sure you're not low on fluid once you use it alot.
Hopefully, this will help a couple of you when you do your 500 hours service. Took me about 2 hours on my first attempt. Half of that was breaking loose drain plugs and filters. Next time, I should be able to do it in under an hour.
Good luck, and Happy Mahindra-ing !
Anyway, just "finished" my 500 hr service. Wasn't too bad for the first time, except for the fact that some guys in the factory have a knack for installing drain plugs with a 1000 PSI impact wrench.
So I offer the following comments in order to help those of you approaching your 500 hr service (or other time frame) and you're going to do it yourself. (and also I rant a "little")Assuming you're going to change engine and hydraulic oil (HO) at the same time, be SURE you have at least three (3) 5 gal buckets to hold all of the oil, when you're done. I used (2) 5 gal oil drain pans ("sold separately" at TS) to put under the tractor. The rear hydraulic drain holds about 8 1/2 gallons of HO, and you can't stop the drain of fluid once you start without creating one big mess. You almost need to be a magician to switch from one drain pan to the other anyway. And you're still gonna spill some oil on the ground, or in my case, on my concrete floor in the garage. (get plenty of oil dry ready, and a new roll of paper towels
) The drain for the rear HO is right in the center, underneath, and next to tranny. (it's even marked in the owner's manual
) If I remember, it takes a 7/8 box wrench and either a 3 lb sledge hammer to beat on it to break it loose, or if you have a breaker bar/pipe that would work too. Have both of your 5 gal drain pans already under the tractor, so you can slide the 2nd one in right behind the 1st pan when it's full. On mine, there was teflon tape on the drain plug, so I used new teflon tape on the re-install. And then torqued the plug to only about 100 psi, instead of a 1000+ like the factory guy (and oh yeah...after they almost weld the plug in, then they paint over everything to make sure it's sealed up and even tighter) 2nd time removal should be a breeze.The front axle drain has the same factory guy using the same 1000 PSI impact wrench installing it. But naturally, it's a different size and shape of plug. I used an open end wrench and my 3 lb sledge to break this one loose too. One word of caution. There are 3 drain plugs for the front axle, and the center plug only drains a small amount of fluid compared to the other two. Be sure you drain the oil from all 3 plugs :thumbsup: However the 2 smaller front axle drains are a real PITA. Each of them are located right next to the 2 wheels, and near the bottom of the cylinder shaped housing. I couldn't break mine loose with a breaker bar, or a pipe wrench and beating on it with the sledge hammer. But...one trick I learned is that if you use a small propane torch and heat up the housing around the drain plug, it will expand the opening just enough to break it loose. (I wouldn't recommend this for engine oil plugs due to flammability) and I would use the torch as a very, last resort. Another word of caution. The 2 outside drain plugs are so close to the wheels that there is no way to get your drain pan close enough to catch the significant amount of oil from each of them. Find something to deflect the flow into your drain pan, or if you have a small funnel, that could work too.
Engine oil drain plugs: (2) are right on the bottom of the engine, and marked in your owners manual as well. I think they take a 7/8 or 1" box wrench. Hopefully, your drain plugs won't be as tight, since you should have changed oil several times by now. And if a dealer did it for you, he won't have access to the 1000 PSI impact wrench the factory guy has...
So they should be pretty easy to loosen. I would suggest (not mandatory) that you drain one plug at a time, just to keep the mess down. If you have metal shavings on the plug, just take a clean rag and wipe them off. The plugs are magnetized for that very reason, to catch any loose particles before they enter the engine chamber. You should get about 1 1/2 gal of oil out of the engine.I didn't change my coolant (although I probably should have, but I'm in a warm zone, and my dealer told me it wasn't necessary yet as long as the fluid levels are at recommended levels)
Filters: I changed the outer air, engine oil, hydraulic filter, secondary fuel filter. Used Wix filters for engine oil and outer air. Used a Duramax hydraulic filter, and trying to find a Bosch fuel filter, but none are listed online. So I'll have to get it from the dealer I guess. All of the filters are easy to install, after you break the OEM filters loose (some are tough). Filter locations are marked in owner's manual.
Special note(s) on the fuel filter: My dealer changed mine out at about 150 hours as a pre-caution for another issue. He told me when I change it again, to make sure to disconnect the sensor on the bottom of the filter first, and then loosen the filter from the housing. I used a rubber band type filter wrench, as it's pretty close quarters. Couldn't get a big pair of channel locks even close to it. Now...once the filter is off, there is the sensor housing on the bottom of the filter. Unscrew that from the filter, as you won't get another one with the new filter. ALSO...on the bottom of the filter itself (where the sensor housing was just removed) there is a very small "O ring" that you need to remove and save to install on the new filter. Dealer told me the filter will leak like crazy without the O ring. So be sure to remove and save that. Once you re-install the fuel filter and sensor housing, don't forget to plug the sensor wires back into the bottom of the sensor housing. It's easy to miss (esp for an old fart like me :yes
Time to refill fluids: Engine takes about 1 1/2 gal of Rotella in my case. Filler port doesn't even remotely look like an oil filler port. It's on the left side of the engine, near the front, with a big rubber hose, plastic fitting and a little air tube coming out the bottom of it. You just twist and lift (not unscrew) and you'll see a bunch of gears. You'll think "this can't be it"...but it is the engine oil filler port. A long neck funnel works wonders here.
HO Rear: This will take about 8 1/2 gal of fluid. I use TS Premier Travelers HO. The filler port is on the top, left rear of the tranny/differential housing, below the fuel tank. About a 1" round plastic cap. Unscrew that, and fill er up to the top of the viewing glass next to the PTO shaft. Unless you have a pump & long hose, or arms like Popeye to lift a 5 gal can of HO, hold it steady for 5 minutes, you probably need to consider how you want to fill it. I guess you could buy 34 individual quart bottles of HO, and 10 more for the front axle, but you'll probably miss dinner filling it that way. I have a 12v electric diesel fuel pump that I use to fill the fuel tank. The HO is not really that thick, so I tried using my fuel pump. I figure if I burn it up, I'm out $15. But if it works...? I get to set on my duff and watch! For the first time in 66 years, I caught a break. Was able to fill both the front and rear HO using the 12v fuel pump. Don't forget to re-install the $35 plastic filler cap after you fill the rear with HO. (How do I know it's $35? Don't ask !!)
One more word of caution: Once you think you have sufficient levels of fluid in the engine, front and rear axles, start 'er up, turn the wheels left and right. Raise and lower the FEL, and then shut 'er down and re-check the fluid levels. I had to top off both the front and rear HO after using the cylinders. Be sure to check the HO fluid every day for a while to make sure you're not low on fluid once you use it alot.
Hopefully, this will help a couple of you when you do your 500 hours service. Took me about 2 hours on my first attempt. Half of that was breaking loose drain plugs and filters. Next time, I should be able to do it in under an hour.
Good luck, and Happy Mahindra-ing !
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