Forgot to clean the strainer...

[acohen100]

Finished my 50 hour service a few days ago and I forgot to clean the hydraulic strainer. Can I do this with the fluid in? If not how big of a deal is this? Is it worth dumping the fluid and starting over?

 

[coveredbridge]

Finished my 50 hour service a few days ago and I forgot to clean the hydraulic strainer. Can I do this with the fluid in? If not how big of a deal is this? Is it worth dumping the fluid and starting over?

If it's a BX, I don't see how you could remove and clean the strainer without draining the oil. I don't have firsthand knowledge about the other Kubotas.

It's hard to say how big a deal it is. At my 50 hr service, there were some shavings on the screen. I don't know how well I would sleep at night if I left those shavings in there until the next scheduled service. I am somewhat obsessive/compulsive about those things though.

Is it worth dumping the fluid and starting over? I think that depends on how much it's going to bother you. If it were me, I would consider waiting another 50 hrs and draining the trans oil then, AND CLEAN THE STRAINER before adding the new oil. But if it's going to keep you up at night, just bite the bullet and drain it now.

 

[marvindmartien]

I did the service on my bx24 and the screen clean of shavings. I don`t think that you had sludge when you dumped your oil? did you check in the bottom of your waste oil pan to see if you had crap in there?And if you have metal shavings to the point where your going to starve the pump, you have a bigger problem. You will probably introduce more contamination in your system if you dump your oil and start over. If by any chance you do take the oil out again I would invest in a drain plug with a magnet!

 

[lp333]

Finished my 50 hour service a few days ago and I forgot to clean the hydraulic strainer... how big of a deal is this? ...

Out of curiosity, have you posed the question to your local Kubota mechanic? Before you start losing any sleep, why not use the tractor for awhile and see how it behaves. Should you notice that the hydraulics/HST functions are slowing down, or that the transmission case is overheating... those might be signs that the strainer is starting to impede proper flow. However, in normal use, I suspect that the tractor will continue to perform very nicely.

 

[Jimbrown]

I have done my BX22 three times. There was never enough stuff on the strainer to worry about. I did the the 600hour one last week and there was nothing on the screen. I have changed the filter with the oil in and the only oil that ran out was what was in the filter. I would try backing the screen out and see how much oil ran out if any. And if it looked like it was going to be lot just forget about it untill next time.

 

[Harry c]

Check your manual. I don't think the strainer is even on the list for the BX series 50 hr service.

 

[john_bud]

The first time is the most important, I hate to say.

Any MFG gunk will be there.

And, the entire fluid load will gush out when you get to the screen.


Your call.

I'd do what Coveredbridge suggested.

jb

 

[Singlecoil]

There were hardly any shavings on my BX24 strainer when I did the 50 hour. I would blow it off.

 

[Skyco]

Check your manual. I don't think the strainer is even on the list for the BX series 50 hr service.

You are correct. However I'm gonna clean mine at 50 anyway. Now someone will come along and tell me that will impede the break in of the HST

 

[Harry c]

Skyco,
Even though it wasn't on the list, I cleaned mine as well. There were maybe three aluminum machining chips the first change, none the second. My HST seems to have broken in just fine!

 

[MOPAULY]

Check your manual. I don't think the strainer is even on the list for the BX series 50 hr service.

That's why I didnt' bother

 

[RMatty]

Does the strainer pop out or does it unscrew out after you take the retainer off?

 

[dodge man]

I didn't do the strainer on my BX2350 either, mainly because the manual didn't say to. After reading some post on this forum, I wish I had, but I'm not going to drain the fluid to do it, so it will wait until the next HST service.

 

[klrobert]

I wouldn't worry about it. The service manager at my dealer told me is was not even necessary to change the fluid at 50 hours. He said just change the filter and top the fluid off. I went ahead and changed the fluid in mine at 50 hours anyway.

 

[wawajake]

You can easily pull the screen and clean and put back without losing much fliud.
Have a container with varsol all ready on your bench.

Bring a clean rag with you to tractor .
Unbolt the screen retainer bolt. Pull the strainer stright out.
Jamb the rag straight in tightly. Put a pan underneat to catch anything in the five minutes it takes you to clean the screen in varsol and dry. Now go back to tractor and pull the rag and replace the strainer . You will lose leass than a pint of oil if your fairly quick.
Now top up your hydraulic oil.
This way my dealer told me to do for the 50 hr. Since changing the oil completely is not required to much later in maintenance schedule .

just my two cents
jake

 

[bxn]

For my bx25. I tried pulling the screen and jamming the rag in. It works!
Rubber stopper would have been good if I had one.
Make sure your ready to clean ahead of time.


Its easier to rotate the screen a bit while pulling. Just grab the edge of the U with some channel locks and gently twist. Blew it off with a little solvent then blew dry and inspected for shavings. A few but not bad.

My screen was welded on though not much to disassemble. The only gasket was the o-ring.

The crud blew out with the initial oil.

I should have taken a pic before I put it back and posted though.
It will be a while until the next change.

Thanks
bxn

 

[bp fick]

An oversized wine bottle cork, tapered down with a sharp knife, is better than a rag. It's so easy. I've done it. You only lose a pint of the expensive sudt. LEAVE THE DIPSTICK IN PLACE. The vacuum is your friend.

Be quick. Take out the screen, insert cork. Now, You have all the time in the world to gently, gently, clean the screen.

Don't be in a super hurry to replace, however. Take your time, do it right. What's a pint of sudt? It's OK. Don't want to damage the O rings or lose one on the way back in. It's super easy.

Best Wishes

 

[Deano]

Everyone is going to comment on what I am about to tell you to do...

Remove the dipstick and place the nozzle of a shop-vac with a rag to help seal it over the dip stick opening. Have a helper (wife, neighbor) hold it there and right before you remove the strainer have the helper turn on the shop-vac. Remove strainer and clean. Re-install strainer and tighten bolt. Remove the shop vac.

You will not even lose a drop as long as suction is kept on the transmission. Air will flow into the strainer hole and no oil comes out.

Deano

Now come the comments....

 

[bp fick]

Good ways all! Cork, rubber plug, shop vac in reverse. Great ideas.

What doesn't work for me is not cleaning the screen at 50 hours. Yup, it should be. YMMV. Your screen may be spotless and shard free, but some guys report a rather unhealthy amount of crud. I'd want it out.

 

[radioman]

Everyone is going to comment on what I am about to tell you to do...

Remove the dipstick and place the nozzle of a shop-vac with a rag to help seal it over the dip stick opening. Have a helper (wife, neighbor) hold it there and right before you remove the strainer have the helper turn on the shop-vac. Remove strainer and clean. Re-install strainer and tighten bolt. Remove the shop vac.

You will not even lose a drop as long as suction is kept on the transmission. Air will flow into the strainer hole and no oil comes out.

Deano

Now come the comments....

shaking head NO comment!