Hydro Oil Change ????

[tc35dforme]

Well, I'm rapidly approaching that 300 hour point...time to look at changing the blood !!

Since I plow snow with my TC35D, I often operate it in weather that is well below freezing and occasionally it may see near 0 degree weather. I do start it in a warm ( not heated, but warmer than outdoors ) garage, and then immediately move it to the pad and idle it for several minutes to allow things to warm up.

I was wondering about going with the F200 oil. I went to my local dealer and talked to the service guy. He said DON'T. He called it a marketing scam by NH. If fact, he said that the 300 hour change is a waste if the fluid looks /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif good. According to him, if the fluid is still clear...not milky, and doesn't have a lot of debris in it, there is no need for a change.

One thing he did say that maybe makes sense...when warming up the tractor, block the wheels, keep the transmission on 'N', release the brake, and set the cruise on with the go pedal set at about 1/2. This ( he says ) circulates fluid better and will allow for a better warm up. Hmmmm /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm going to follow the intervals published, but am not sure about changing to F200. Anybody done this in a NH Hydro ??

Any comments are appreciated.

 

[dass]

I changed the hydro fluid on my TC-18 at 50 hrs. and used F200. Much better in cold climates when temps drop below zero.The system warms up faster and is a LOT quieter.I'm at 300 hrs. now and about to change it again. If you wait until the fluid is milky or dark in color it might be too late,damage is already been done. It's the stuff you CAN'T see in fluid and oil that is bad ...ie; acid, micro particles that the filters don't catch. That "service guy" should get into a different line of work,when you think you know everything it's time to move on. It doesn't get that hot here for long periods of time in the summer so the F200 works great.

 

[thcri]

I guess I would go by the book. It is easy for some mechanic to say things he shouldn't. If you do wait until things get milky to me it is too late. Hydraulic oil has a time limit on it just like any other oil. It is breaking down long before our eyes can see it. I wouldn't take a chance on it.


As far as putting it in neutral and pushing the hydro half way down and setting the cruise does sound like a good idea. I may have to think of doing that this winter.

I would like to stop some of the whinning you get by putting in the F200 oil, but will it make much of a difference on a tractor that is stored in a 55 degree garage??


murph

 

[jinman]

I can't really respond to your question about the F200, but I changed the hydraulic oil in my TC45D several months ago (actually a little over 350 hours) and the hardest thing about it was catching all the oil. There are two drain plugs for the oil, so be sure you drain from both of them. I used 5-gallon buckets double-lined with large kitchen trash bags. The amount of fluid will almost fill two buckets, so be prepared before you crack open the drain plug. After putting in the new oil you will have containers for your old oil (for putting in the oil, a long flexible-neck funnel is good...routed so your toplink holder will hold the funnel in place while you pour). I used a funnel to pour my old oil back into the 3-gallon 134A containers. Then I took out the trash-bag liners and threw them away. It made for a very neat job and I don't have two greasy 5-gallon buckets to clean up. Filter changing is pretty straight forward. Fill the filters before installing them to lower the risk of trapped air in the system. One final thought...stop putting in fluid when you still have about a half gallon to go. You will have some trapped fluid in the system and you don't want to overfill the reservoir. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[hazmat]

I havent' tried the F200 yet; But I will once I reach time to change the oil (100 more hours). I can't recall anyone not being happy that they made the switch.

 

[bphillips]

Changed to the F200 hydro oil just a year ago at about 90 hours. MUCH better in my cold climate. Less whine and the FEL float function works alot quicker when plowing snow. With the 134 oil, I'd be half done plowing before the oil warmed up enough for the bucket to float over the gravel in one of the drive ways. Usually, I'd plow every thing paved first, but sometimes the wife (parked in the gravel drive) wants to go some where NOW... So we dig up the driveway. Don't have that issue any longer with the new oil.

The tractor was at the dealer for some other warranty work, so there wasn't transport costs, just oil and a little labor.

Well worth it IMHO ... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Brad in NH