GST burnt fluid?

[Jay4200]

I've run my L4200 GST with a 3pt snowblower for the last couple of weekends. It's been cold, and I'm running generic (Sam's Club) heavy-duty hydraulic/transmission tractor fluid - the fluid has less then 10 hours on it. The tractor has behaved normally since getting the generic fluid in it, but after finishing up this weekend, I noticed that the fluid in the site glass was darker than I remembered it - it looked pretty dark. I looked into a bucket containing unused fluid, and it seemed dark too - so it might be just fine or the lighting, but I thought I'd ask about what I've been doing and if it seems too harsh. I don't have a clue as to the mechanics of a GST transmission, so I don't know the limitations.

While most of the work is driving (in reverse) straight and slow, there are a few sections that require multiple back n' forths, such as when clearing parking areas. I've been doing clutchless shifting (as usual), and change direction with a simple yank of the shuttle shift. While I ALWAYS do this, I usually use the throttle pedal, and release the pedal to drop RPMs when shifting, then stomp the pedal as the drive engages. The blower needs to be really spinning to do it's job correctly, so I've been keeping the motor tached up to full PTO speed using the manual throttle. As such, I'm doing WFO shifting. Any chance of burning transmission fluid and/or causing undue wear doing this sort of thing, or is a GST designed for full throttle engagement?

I figure I better ask now - it I need to be more tender, now is the time to start

JayC

 

[bilrus61]

I used Walmart transmission fluid in my L4200 GST for 400 hours without a hitch. Much of that was maxing it out running a 8 foot twin spindal Rhino rotary mower in tall tough rag weeds and head high bushes. Never had any issues. I'm disabled and always used the levers and never clutched ONCE in the 13 years that I owned it. Never had any issues. At 450 hours I did decide to spring for some super UDT. Its lighter in color and I thought it did shift a hair faster. I traded it off at 600 hours to my new baby a L5040 GST. Just got off it today after hauling gravel......woof!What a machine!

I would look at your fluid in normal light and then if your worried just moniter it. I don't think mine ever got darker (that I could notice) once I put it in. They are great bullet proof tractors and the GST is fantastic choice if someone has a leg or knee disability. Remeber I put over 600 tough tough loader/mower hours with all kinds of shifting back and forth under loader load and a loaded mower and the tractor never once gave a hiccup. I like the heat and would mow in very hot weather.

I did get a leaky front axel seal and the rear sight glass came loose and had to be glued. The glow plugs got funky, they would come on and off without reason. Those where the only issues I had with the tractor.

One think I HATE about the new L5040 is the hour meter being nothing but a dang hour clock! I ran about half my seat time on my L4200 at 1/2 throttle. So a hour seat time ment 1/2 hour on the hour meter on the L4200. With the L5040 you let it idle a hour and it puts a hour on the meter. Ugh.

 

[Jay4200]

I did get a leaky front axel seal and the rear sight glass came loose and had to be glued. The glow plugs got funky, they would come on and off without reason. Those where the only issues I had with the tractor.

Thanks for the report. I'll probably try babying it a little more, just for piece of mind, and I will keep an eye on the fluid color going forward.

Interestingly, my front axle seal (bezel seal) leaks, my site glass leaks, and my glow plug function just died. How 'bout that? I also changed my tractor's starter last month after the starter clutch wore out. OTOH, my tractor has a little over 2500 hours .

JayC