HST Tractor, Transmission fluid 4 inches above full line on dipstick. Safe for use?

[Soldier415]

2005 Kubota L3430HSTC

Checked trans/kydro fluid last week and it showed being low so filled until it registered midway between min and max marks on the dipstick.

Checked it again today and it shows about 4 inches above full on the dipstick.

Blew snow with the blower Friday and Saturday without issue, have 8+ inches coming tomorrow and then the tractor is going to the dealer for the 800 hour service on Weds.

Am I safe to use it or am I risking something catastrophic?

Don't know why it showed really low and now is overfull. I always check level when engine is cold.

 

[sandyc]

Low tire? Uneven ground? Doesn’t make sense that you’d have such a large swing in volume.

 

[Peter 315]

did you have the bucket on the ground when you added oil?

 

[Soldier415]

did you have the bucket on the ground when you added oil?

Yes I did

 

[Peter 315]

maybe the oil you added was cold and did not register on the dip stick right away

 

[Redbug]

That's really odd the level would change that much. All you can do is draw the excess out till it hits the full mark. Remember, the position of your loader makes a difference in the level. If the pistons are all the way out...there is fluid in the cylinders therefore the level would read lower on the dipstick. Vice versa if the cylinders are drawn in. I always measure mine with the bucket down and flat on the ground. Let us know what you find.

 

[Soldier415]

Not going to drain any as its going to clear snow tomorrow then go for 800 hour service weds.

Just trying to find out if its safe to use tomorrow

 

[bp fick]

Maybe I missed it, but how much did you add the other day? A pint, quart, or 2 quarts?


On mine, I can use a turkey baster to bulb out, suck out a few ounces. No big deal. It doesn't take a whole lot of fluid to make my Kubota register low or high. I'm not sure why it is so dang touchy that way, but it is. I've learned to just an ounce or two at any given time. Kinda goofy it's that touchy, but one lives with it.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

As long as it is not coming out the breather tube it will not be a problem, just make sure it does not go too low and start sucking air.

David

 

[ccsial]

Kubota once had a fix for the PTO noise on the L3400HST that filled the hydraulic fluid to the very top. So Being over full should be OK.

 

[rScotty]

2005 Kubota L3430HSTC

Checked trans/kydro fluid last week and it showed being low so filled until it registered midway between min and max marks on the dipstick.

Checked it again today and it shows about 4 inches above full on the dipstick.

Blew snow with the blower Friday and Saturday without issue, have 8+ inches coming tomorrow and then the tractor is going to the dealer for the 800 hour service on Weds.

Am I safe to use it or am I risking something catastrophic?

Don't know why it showed really low and now is overfull. I always check level when engine is cold.

Depending on the shape of the reservoir above the normal fill line, a 4" rise in level could represent a lot or oil or just a little.
I can't think of any mechanical reason why an overfill would cause damage. At worst it might force some oil out of the overflow.
Of course as others say the question is whether this is a real overflow or due to something like loader position, slope, or temperature.
If it were mine I'd use it normally, expect no change in how it works, but still pay pay special attention to how it is responding.
rScotty

 

[BX23S-1]

2005 Kubota L3430HSTC

Checked trans/kydro fluid last week and it showed being low so filled until it registered midway between min and max marks on the dipstick.

Checked it again today and it shows about 4 inches above full on the dipstick.

Blew snow with the blower Friday and Saturday without issue, have 8+ inches coming tomorrow and then the tractor is going to the dealer for the 800 hour service on Weds.

Am I safe to use it or am I risking something catastrophic?

Don't know why it showed really low and now is overfull. I always check level when engine is cold.

Did you wipe the dipstick clean before sticking it back in the tractor to check the level...???
If you did, i missed where you said that.

 

[Fallon]

There was a thread recently about a guy overfilling by a gallon or so. Promptly blew out one of the axle seals. Air in the transmission case can compress if it can't get out of the breather fast enough, but oil can't. If there isn't any buffer in the tank/transmission you are likely to push oil out the breather or bliw out a seal when you drop your loader or do something else that jams a lit of fluid into the tank quickly.

I still haven't seen how much fluid was added to overfill it that much.

 

[kthompson]

Dipstick not fully pushed in when you checked it when filling is one possibility but have you check the other fluids to be sure no leak into the hyd system? Hey on your dip stick can the stop on it slip so it is entering into the tractor further? Think you will find the manual will say to check with cyls fully retracted. Often you can not fully retract all cyls at the same time so do the best you can.

 

[BX23S-1]

2005 Kubota L3430HSTC

Checked trans/kydro fluid last week and it showed being low so filled until it registered midway between min and max marks on the dipstick.

Checked it again today and it shows about 4 inches above full on the dipstick.

Blew snow with the blower Friday and Saturday without issue, have 8+ inches coming tomorrow and then the tractor is going to the dealer for the 800 hour service on Weds.

Am I safe to use it or am I risking something catastrophic?

Don't know why it showed really low and now is overfull. I always check level when engine is cold.

Your tractor, your money,
but i surely know i wouldn`t run ANY of my equipment like that until the level was corrected, or found the cause of the problem.