Huge hydraulic leak!!!

[Boondox]

Moved a heck of a lot of snow with Clementine yesterday, then parked her outside since I needed the garage bay for car repairs, etc. Got up this morning and fired up the diesel, intending to give her a good long warmup. Heard a POP and UDT fluid was just gushing from underneath! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Shut her down immediately. Looks like the seal on the hydraulic filter blew out. Whew! Easy fix, but gotta take tomorrow off to drive to the city and pick up a new filter and Super UDT fluid. As luck would have it, snow and slush is forecast for tonight!

Pete

 

[JJT]

Was it a Kubota filter? How long has it been on the tractor and was it installed tight?

 

[Boondox]

Filter check and change

The filter was coming up on one year in place. I visually check the filters for leaks, but don't "retighten" them as part of my daily checks. Lost enough fluid in less than thirty seconds that the fluid level doesn't even show on the sight glass!

So here's a question for you guys. My dealer suggests changing all filters every 100 hours, except for the oil filter which gets changed every 50 hours along with the oil. What do the rest of you do?

Pete

 

[JJT]

Re: Filter check and change

hydro and HST filters - every 200 hours, along with 10 gallons of Super UDT. Oil filter - every 50, along with 8 quarts of 15w40. Fuel filter - every 100 hrs.

Last time I changed the hydro and HST filters I cut them open to see how much crap was inside - not much, a few dozen specks/flakes between the 2 filters.

How the heck do you change the filters without losing all your hydraulic fluid? Tip the tractor up on its side?

 

[Boondox]

Re: Filter check and change

<font color=blue>How the heck do you change the filters without losing all your hydraulic fluid? Tip the tractor up on its side? </font color=blue>

I was wondering that myself...and have a nice spot on the side of the pond where the angle might be about right! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Pete

 

[HMD]

Pete,
You may want to check out this link</font color=red>. Problem was brought to Kubota's attention and they have changed the filter on the "10" series.

Marie

 

[john_bud]

Pete,

I feel for you! The same thing happened to me last year. It really wasn't what I wanted to see on a fine Saturday Morning. But, stuff occurs.

Kubmech let me know last year that the HST filter was updated to correct just this problem. Your dealer may have sold you a down rev filter (?).

Old PN 32701-37950
New PN TA240-59900

Also, I went with Amsoil at 100 hours this fall in expectation of a cold winter. Have you thought about that versus the SUDT?
(If you are FAST you can swap filters with only about 1 gallon of fluid loss.)


John Bud

 

[Thomas]

Sorry to read about the down time,but if it had to happen thank goodness it was near your home instead of deep in the woods or -0 w/alot of snow.
Rain here all night and now starting to snow..crazy winter compare to last year.

 

[Thomas]

Re: Filter check and change

My rule of thumb..if it say to change every 100hours I change everything 20 hours before hand.
I don't like just changing a filter,I change the filter and fluid on both oil & hyd,sure its kinda wasting $$$ but I look at this way..its good insurance.

 

[Boondox]

John -- Thanks for the info about the filters. I'll check it out...but later. In this weather I only want to crawl around in the snow under the beast once! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Amsoil makes UDT? I might just look into that. Thanks again.

Pete

 

[Boondox]

She\'s up and running

Called all over northern Vermont looking for the new filter John mentioned. The dealer in Barre argued with me that there was nothing wrong with the old style, but I tend not to believe him anyway. Finally found the correct filter in Essex.

Called Steve Carver to find out which type of UDT they loaded in Clementine before I bought her (regular UDT). Toyed with the idea of changing over to Super UDT ($$$/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif) or Amsoil (could have it by Wednesday -- too late), then decided changing over is best done some time warmer (6 degrees today with 20 knot bitterly cold wind, and the ground a sheet of ice). So I drove to town, got the filter and several gallons of UDT fluid. Drove home, spun the old filter off (thanks to the cold I lost very little; it had the consistency of taffy), installed the pre-heated replacement filter, had the wife hold the funnel while I poured UDT fluid to the top of the glass indicator.

Fired her up and crawled around checking for leaks. Found none, but the level went down. Topped it up again. Played with the FEL and rear blade, and the level dropped again. Topped it up again. Put her in gear and drove back to the garage, noticed the level dropped again so I topped it up again and watched. Level held steady. Plowed the drive and used the ice chains to roughen up the slick stuff. Fluid level still steady. No leaks.

Snowshoed up to one of my abandoned springs, broke a hole thru the ice and recovered one of those chilled bottles of champagne I have stashed here and there. Celebrated in style!

Pete

 

[Thomas]

Re: She\'s up and running

Glad it all work out okay for you Pete. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Better put an extra log on the fire tonight,for its going to be a tad chilly. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[Boondox]

Re: She\'s up and running

You said a mouthful, old friend! Minus six already, and that wind chills to the bone! I have firewood stashed in the living room, my shop, and a cart under the patio just in case I run low. The driveway looks and feels like someone ran a Zamboni machine over it! Slick as can be!

Pete

 

[john_bud]

Re: She\'s up and running

Pete,
Glad to hear you got the old gal running again.

On the UDT vs SUDT vs Amsoil (or other synthetic). Just think about the viscosity of the fluid you saw and it wasn't even cold (not by Wisconsin or Vermont standards). The tractor's pump has to push that stuff around and through the filter before it is warmed up and thinned out. That's a workout! and it can't be good for the equipment. That's why I bit the bullet and went synthetic fluid.

One tip my dealer's mechanic told me for cold days, was to use the clutch peddle hook to hold the clutch down until the tractor is warmed up. It helps keep the fluid pressure down. Maybe Kubmech can comment? He also (I think) said that the pressure relief was AFTER the filter and that's why there are the problems with cold weather operation leaks.

I don't know for sure, but with the new style filter, using the clutch peddle hook, and Amsoil there have been no leaks! Hope you have the same results.

John Bud

 

[Thomas]

Re: She\'s up and running

Morning Pete.
Well it didn't get as cold as they said it would around here..-2F.
I know what you mean about the driveway..slicker than a minks back /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif
You mention you went to Barre,VT to dealer..where abouts in Barre.
Have another cup..oh heck have two cups while your car warms up..and a great day.

 

[ewoss3]

Re: She\'s up and running

John, what Amsoil fluids are you running?

 

[RobS]

Re: She\'s up and running

Sounds like a happy ending to your story Pete, especially the Champagne part /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Boondox]

Re: She\'s up and running

John -- I'll definitely be switching over to synthetics. Question for you. The Amsoil website says I can become a preferrred customer for $10/six months and get their products at dealers' cost. But I can't see the dealers' cost unless I sign up! Is it worth it if all I need is a case of motor oil and 11 gallons of syn hydro fluid?

And considering how much fun it was doing the work at ten degrees in a stiff breeze, there's no way I'll do the changeover till spring!

Pete

 

[john_bud]

Re: She\'s up and running

Pete,

Yeah, it's too cold to swap fluid now! Especially from the front axle, it takes forever to drain!

I got the preferred customer deal. I think it saved about 50 bucks off the delivered price of 15 gal of fluid. So it was a good deal.


Someone else asked what I ordered. This is it:
ATH-05 Synthetic Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Fluid, ISO 46, SAE 30

I haven't noticed the tractor leaping over tall buildings in a single bound, but it does seem to run better when cold.

John Bud

 

[Pks]

Re: She\'s up and running

At the risk of stirring up a contraversy, it is to my understanding the Super UDT is a synthetic. And, IMHO, it sure smells like one too.

I swapped out the UDT for the SUDT and my tractor most certainly DID respond better. I can no longer easily hear the gears in the front axel when the front is raised in the air. Just by turning the front wheels by hand, I could hear the gears messing. It was rather loud. But when the SUDT went in, that noise got about 50% quieter. The FEL action, when cold, is much better too. I've been digging in 20 degree (F) weather and the FEL responds without any sluggish behavior.

Has anyone done a good study comparing Amsoil and the SUDT?

Peter S.