Hydralic Oil Question

SevenCorners · Oct 7, 2004

I have been noticing that when I start my tractor it takes a couple of minutes before the 3pt will raise. I have noticed that the time is actually getting longer. When I travel up hills oil spills out the rear Hyda breather tube. Does this sound like I need to add more fluid? The FEL still lowers and raises immediately when started, the steering wheel will also immediately turn.

bmartin · Oct 7, 2004

Seven, My 2425 did the same thing so I cleaned the filter and added enough oil to bring it up to full and that stopped it. I think the oil that was in origonally would foam and the filter was dirty. By the way I'm down the road from you in Floyd county.
Billy

Harrygoodwrench · Oct 7, 2004

Greetings guys, Now you guys are down in Va which is much kinder in the temperture range that we get up in upstate NY.
I had the same slow response in cold temps also, took a 4-5 minute engine run(in temps below 50 degrees) to get the hydraulics to respond well.
Well, I did a drain, clean filter screen (no debris in mine) and changed to AW-32 hydraulic oil. Works great now and no lazy operation when cold or hot. I think I paid 18 or 20 bucks for a 5 gal pail.
I think that china hydro oil is 30w engine oil, just too thick.

SevenCorners · Oct 7, 2004

Well thats helpful to know, I think I will give it a change tomorrow. A couple of questions though. When you changed and cleaned the filter oil how did you "bleed" the system? Where did you pour in the oil? I have a red cap ocated behind the seat that looks like a filler tube, is this the right spot? How many gallons of Kerosen did you use to flush the system, I hate to use Kerosen since it is so gosh darn expensive.
My family is from the Roanoke area, I still have an Aunt there. Great place a shame all the jobs left. I would like to live there today except Charlottesville is such a nice place. Go Hoos. They play Clemson tonight on ESPN.

greg_g · Oct 8, 2004

No bleeding involved. Follow THESE DIRECTIONS to clean/replace the filter. Hydraulic drain plug is the odd hex on the rear of the reservior. Drain hydraulic reservior, flush with kerosene. If kerosene isn't available, diesel fuel is an acceptable alternative. Hydraulic capacity is 9 liters, but you won't get that much out the first time. Flush with at least 2 gallons of kerosene/diesel.

Yes, you correctly identified the fill point. Under that hex cap is the dip stick.

Start the tractor and exercise the hydraulics for about 5 minutes, to circulate the kerosene through the system. Stop tractor and drain. Warning; kerosene will flush out residual Chinese oil, so you're going to get more OUT than you put in. Flush again with CLEAN kerosene/diesel, operate hydraulics, drain, refill with AW-32 (or hydraulic fluid of your choice).

//greg//

ToolManRick · Oct 8, 2004

I too have an incline, of which I've worked a new path to avoid, and it caused hydraulic oil to come out the breather/filler. I modified the breather basically by cutting it off the filler plug and brazing an extension tube, about 3" long or however long I could make it but still clear the seat, in between the plug and the breather. No more spills. I have yet to clean the filter but will do so as the hours get to that point.

mark1 · Oct 8, 2004

Hi..Also if you raise the loader (Block it up.)drain the fluids,then lower the loader without the engine running you will also get more oil out.as the pump is not running to push oil into the opposite side of the loader cylinders. another thing to remember is that if the loader is up and you lower it after turning the engine off,you will overflow the hyd.tank as no oil is removed to fill the opposite side of the cylinders by the pump.(At least on the China loaders anyhow) as they have no "float position".

SevenCorners · Oct 8, 2004

Thanks all, I went out today and changed the hydraulic fluid. Wow was I glad I did it. The consistency of the oil was very similar to very blond coffee. If you saw it in a cup you might take a drink! I flushed about 2 gallons of diesel after the first drain. The second drain I got a little more fluid. I filled it up with 9.5 Qts, I think it was too much because it is presently coming out of the overflow tube, some of the old fluid must still be in the system.
While seeing how poor the hydraulic fluid was I decided to change the trans fluid. The trans fluid was even thinner than the hydraulic fluid. It was more like fuel oil than lubricating oil. I am planning on getting some 85wt oil from Autozone tomorrow. Is 90wt too thick? My manual says I need 15qts.

Harrygoodwrench · Oct 8, 2004

Seven, there is much debate on what oil to use in the trans and front diff. All I can say is I use 85w90. No problems so far anyways. My philosophy is gears need a good heavy oil. Its my choice and not an endorsement on what to use.
Mark1 brought up a very good point about lowering the FEL with engine off. I have a Koyker and it did the same thing twice if I had engine off and just pulled handle to drop FEL. Drove me crazy, come to find out if I use float to lower it with engine off there is no spewing. Its like Mark said there is no displacing of fluid to other side of double action piston and it goes into the resevior thus overfilling it and then dumps some out breather. So I guess both brands this can happen to but if you have float and use that to lower with engine off there is no problem.