Help with grease in hydraulic system......

[hutch4472]

I pulled a major bonehead manuver the other day (comes natural to me).......I was greasing my 2000 L35 I had recently purchased and wound up with grease in the hydraulic system. There was a grease zirk just behind the front axle that I was "tending to" and I got frustrated because I could'nt see where the excess grease was coming out.........so.......in my infinate wisdom I kept on pumping and pumping till, after about 1-1/2 tubes of grease, I FINALLY thought "somethings not right".

It seems I pumped grease down the front driveline tube, past an oil seal (I presume) and into my hydraulic system. Within an hour of operation the hydraulic filter clogged (it had less than 15 hours on it total). I could hear the pumps starving for fluid and the hydraulics were very jerky. When I drained the hydraulic/transmission fluid there was grease on the plug nearest the front driveline tube. I felt in the drain hole and it was loaded with grease. When I cut the filter open it was loaded up.

I filled with new hydraulic fluid and changed the filter and fired her up and everything worked fine again for about two hours. Then plugged another filter. Replaced just the filter and she went right back to work. Ive got about 2 hours on this filter and I think it is close to clogging also.

I am fairly handy with a wrench and I do have a pretty good tool assortment BUT.......tearing the tractor down to muck out the grease in the bottom of the case would put me in over my head on time, money, and experience. Can anyone suggest any other options? Anyway to flush it out without making things worse? Should I just keep buying filters ($25 each) and occationally changing hydraulic fluid ($150 each time)?

Sure appreciate the time of all you good folks here reading my LONG post........Hutch

 

[r0GuE]

Man.....

I don't know a dang thing, so take this stupid suggestion at that. I guess I'm throwing it out there for some smart people on the board to toy with.

Could you leave the filter off, and pour (cheapo) fluid in while starting it. Then the pump would maybe flush the grease out (all the while you keep feeding it fluid)?

Good luck man. I'd be so flipped out, I'd be buying a new tractor to dig a hole for that old one. Hide my mistakes.. just about as good as not making them.

-- I also wonder if there is a generic filter for $3 that would "fit" just for the clean out period?

 

[kmdigital]

Other then plugging up the filter, the grease won't hurt anything. If you've plugged up several already, you probably have most of it out by now. Just keep a few spares on hand and change them as soon as you notice any change in the hydraulics operation. It sure isn't worth opening things up and trying to clean out, as by now there probably isn't a lot left in there.

As the fluid warms up with use it will pickup the grease and carry it to the filter, and after a few filters there will be hardly any grease left as hydraulic fluid is a pretty good cleaner. Cheaper filters would be nice, but I doubt that is possible for something as specilized as a tractor's hydraulic system.

 

[Dusty]

Weight the tube of grease and then weigh a new filter and a clogged one. When the net weight difference of the filters equals the weight of a tube of grease, you will have approximately one tube of grease removed. Keep doing this till you get all the grease out. I would take a filter to NAPA and see if they can match it up to something less expensive. You are going to be going through a lot of filters, but it will still be less expensive than tearing it down.
Dusty

 

[hutch4472]

OK, well sure appreciate the replies. It does make me feel better that the grease shouldnt HURT anything other than my ego and the cost of a bunch of filters. Good idea on the weighing the filters too, hadnt thought of that. I was able to cross reference a Napa filter. It calls for a #7098, which makes it handy since we do have a Napa (small town) that can get them "next day". Problem is the Napa filters are about $34 a piece. Kubota filters from Messicks were $25 plus shipping. I was able to cross reference some Lube Finer brand though which I can get for $19 a piece. CRAP.......sometimes I underestimate how dumb I can really be........

Anyhow thanks again for the replies.......Hutch

 

[Doc_Bob]

That is a great story.
Bob

 

[hutch4472]

...........Not from where I'm sittin....... , but I hope it at least gave you a chuckle....

 

[Doc_Bob]

...........Not from where I'm sittin....... , but I hope it at least gave you a chuckle....

Sorry, I mean't no offense.
Bob

 

[hutch4472]

Sorry, I mean't no offense.
Bob

No no, none taken Doc, I didnt mean to sound that way, I am already laughing at myself about it........Cheers,....Hutch

 

[ksmmoto]

I don't think that all 1 1/2 tubes would be in the hydraulics. Most of it should still be in the drive line tube.

I worry about this on my L3430 when I grease the back front axle zerk because no grease comes out. I give it about 15 pumps every 20 hours. Is this too much?

ksmmoto