Captain Dirty
Platinum Member
My Operator's Manual states that the hydraulic fluid, the transmission oil filter (HST), and the two hydraulic oil filters should be changed every 400 hours. Many on this forum state they have heard, from purportedly reliable sources like dealers, that the oil "never" needs to be changed, just the filters. I am in a subset of that group that expects never to see that advice in writing from an authoritative source, especially a dealer who has an interest in selling more fluid. My L45 has a capacity of 46 liters, over 12 gallons, and Super UDT2 is over $25 per gallon.
At a cost of $28 I sent a 400-hour sample for analysis explaining my intentions of changing filters only. The notes on the analysis report stated: We'll help you get the most out of this fill of hydraulic fluid. . . No moisture or dirt was found, and the lack of insolubles show minimal oxidation. This oil is ready for more action, so just grab a sample when the next filter change is due . . .
I felt justified in changing filters only, but needed an elegant way to do so. The 50-hour service had specified changing the filters only, and I had been led to believe dealers changed the filters without draining, reinforced by the manual's instructions to "Quickly tighten the filter. . ." Also I did not have 12+ gallons of clean containers to hold the fluid for re-use. The change of the horizontal, transmission filter was not too bad, but the vertical filters gave me a bath. In my haste to re-install, I distorted a gasket; the bath continued. Top-up after filter change was about 3-1/2 gallons.
Several have suggested using a shop vac to hold the fluid while the filters are off. Reports on the process ran from "I didn't spill a drop" to "sucked fluid into the vac, nearly had a fire, and never again". I have never changed a filter, even after draining, without spilling a drop, so that report was suspect. But enough reported success that I decided to try the shop vac.
The full mark on the dipstick is several inches below the fill port indicating a fair amount of headspace, so I thought it unlikely the vac would suck up fluid. None the less, I spent about $10 at a box store on 2' of 1" clear plastic hose, a barbed fitting that threaded into the fill port, and 2 hose clamps. While I changed filters I had an assistant hold the shop vac nozzle in a funnel at the top of the hose with instructions to regulate the suction by lifting the nozzle from the funnel so any fluid stayed in the hose. No fluid entered the hose; I did hear gurgling when the filter seals were broken indicating the vac was sucking air. Leakage was minimal. Top-up after the change was about 3 quarts which was consistent with the amount caught in a pan (including fluid from the filters themselves).
So I spent about $63 and saved $300. Hopefully others may find this info helpful. Oil analysis may save the cost of the oil you would change; a little plumbing and a shop vac may save spilling the oil you saved.
At a cost of $28 I sent a 400-hour sample for analysis explaining my intentions of changing filters only. The notes on the analysis report stated: We'll help you get the most out of this fill of hydraulic fluid. . . No moisture or dirt was found, and the lack of insolubles show minimal oxidation. This oil is ready for more action, so just grab a sample when the next filter change is due . . .
I felt justified in changing filters only, but needed an elegant way to do so. The 50-hour service had specified changing the filters only, and I had been led to believe dealers changed the filters without draining, reinforced by the manual's instructions to "Quickly tighten the filter. . ." Also I did not have 12+ gallons of clean containers to hold the fluid for re-use. The change of the horizontal, transmission filter was not too bad, but the vertical filters gave me a bath. In my haste to re-install, I distorted a gasket; the bath continued. Top-up after filter change was about 3-1/2 gallons.
Several have suggested using a shop vac to hold the fluid while the filters are off. Reports on the process ran from "I didn't spill a drop" to "sucked fluid into the vac, nearly had a fire, and never again". I have never changed a filter, even after draining, without spilling a drop, so that report was suspect. But enough reported success that I decided to try the shop vac.
The full mark on the dipstick is several inches below the fill port indicating a fair amount of headspace, so I thought it unlikely the vac would suck up fluid. None the less, I spent about $10 at a box store on 2' of 1" clear plastic hose, a barbed fitting that threaded into the fill port, and 2 hose clamps. While I changed filters I had an assistant hold the shop vac nozzle in a funnel at the top of the hose with instructions to regulate the suction by lifting the nozzle from the funnel so any fluid stayed in the hose. No fluid entered the hose; I did hear gurgling when the filter seals were broken indicating the vac was sucking air. Leakage was minimal. Top-up after the change was about 3 quarts which was consistent with the amount caught in a pan (including fluid from the filters themselves).
So I spent about $63 and saved $300. Hopefully others may find this info helpful. Oil analysis may save the cost of the oil you would change; a little plumbing and a shop vac may save spilling the oil you saved.
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