Oil & Fuel Neglected fluid changes - recommendations?

[djefferis]

I致e inherited a couple pieces of equipment with the family farm and know that everything is overdue for some routine maintenance.

All 3 tractors are smaller units (45, 25, 18 horse diesels) ranging in age from mid 80s to mid 90s vintage. Each was bought used by my father about 5-7 years ago. The good news is he used them lightly for 2 years max - and they were all serviced regularly (found maintenance records on everything). Bad news is - they have all sat for at least 3 years with limited use. I kept them started and moved regularly to ensure fluids were being distributed regularly - maintained batteries and all stored inside out of the weather - but I recognize it痴 time to change all fluids and filters as well as other maintenance.

Question is - what 兎xtra steps should I be taking? Oil changes I致e always heard every 100 hours or every other year max (preferably every year) - hydraulic oil every 500-1k hours or 5 years max and fuel filters once a year. Since it痴 all are overdue.. thinking doing everything this year and repeating next year just to get any leftover gunk the opportunity to be cleared with the fresh fluids and caught by the new filters...then starting the process again next year to avoid issues with the new filters. Sound logical or should I be doing more.

Can稚 really see sending them to a dealer for service - $$$ and need to learn these things somehow. Always been under assumption diesels and Japanese built engines in general are more 吐orgiving of maintenance slipping...but of course nothing is going to be bullet proof if you don稚 keep it up to some degree.

Of course the thought of 都ell it off and let it be someone else痴 problem popped up...but a quick pricing of one comparable new SCUT with quick attach FEL quickly made me think chancing it with what I have is the way to go. Sure, new is 菟otentially less trouble and has a warranty....but it痴 a chance worth taking financially I think. It痴 not like I rely on these things to make a living - and they are tractors for work, not show....so new and shiny doesn稚 do any more than older models.

 

[HillStreet]

I started typing then lost the file so if it shows up ignore it. If it were me, I would take inventory of everything including tractors, serial numbers, assess everything. Then i would drain all fluids and replace with new filters and fluids. Work test each piece to see if it has power issues or any operational problems. Have fun with it.

 

[Paystar]

Kinda hard to read because not all the words in your post came out properly (unless somethings up with my computer?)
But you should have no problem if they have been inside and not being worked every day. You basically just want to do fluids to get any condensation or acids out. And give them a good grease/lube at all the pivot and bushing points.

If they were outside (which you said they weren't) I would also look in the air filters and check wiring for rodent nests and damage.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Smart phones and other small devices do not translate to laptop/desktop computers well. I guess they work ok with similar platform together. Maybe its a software issue with them also. The industry is working hard to get everybody onto hand held devices. When I see these garbled posts I just move on the the next one, cannot be bothered trying to translate the hieroglyphs. I do the same with emails that do not have a subject or explain why I may want to open it. Modern technology has made us lazy and careless.

Ron

 

[Texasmark]

My experience with a recent purchase of a diesel tractor: 1988 model, 900 hrs.....translates to 30 years and only averaging 30 hours per year......about 3 hours per month....lot of sitting around. Came from an estate sale where the aged guy died. No telling how long it just sat up without being run.

I changed engine oil and filter upon receipt and oil immediately got black again. Point here is that particulates of whatever that get in your oil, over time will settle out, oil changes from black to honey colored (comment based upon some used oil I had sitting around, not this tractor), and all the black stuff winds up as sludge in the bottom of the crankcase. I drained the new oil and sticking my finger in the drain hole, found that I had about a quarter inch or so of sludge in the engine and the oil indicated I had stirred up some of it in the short run time I put on the tractor with the fresh oil change.

I got some emulsifier, in this case Sea Foam, and dumped a whole can (16 oz) in the crankcase with replacement oil and filter. Ran it hard for half an hour and while hot, drained again (ouch hot oil is hot). Again feeling for sludge, it had all but disappeared. Did the third drain fill and now, after 30 hours of operating, the oil is still pretty clear.

 

[rScotty]

My experience with a recent purchase of a diesel tractor: 1988 model, 900 hrs.....translates to 30 years and only averaging 30 hours per year......about 3 hours per month....lot of sitting around. Came from an estate sale where the aged guy died. No telling how long it just sat up without being run.

I changed engine oil and filter upon receipt and oil immediately got black again. Point here is that particulates of whatever that get in your oil, over time will settle out, oil changes from black to honey colored, and all the black stuff winds up as sludge in the bottom of the crankcase. I drained the new oil and sticking my finger in the drain hole, found that I had about a quarter inch or so of sludge in the engine and the oil indicated I had stirred up some of it in the short run time I put on the tractor.

I got some emulsifier, in this case Sea Foam, and dumped a whole can in the crankcase with replacement oil and filter. Ran it hard for half an hour and while hot, drained again. Again feeling for sludge, it had all but disappeared. Did the third drain fill and now, after 30 hours of operating, the oil is still pretty clear.

That's exactly what I would do. Change the oil and filters several times if you can, and don't worry about it. Simply sitting inside with old oil in them is not going to hurt them. In fact, Old tractors that have been broken in but not worn out tend to be your most reliable machines. Sounds to me like the OP has some real good ones. If it were me, I'd get the operator's manuals, change all the fluids and filters at least once and hopefully again fairly soon to get back on a schedule, lube them up....and just enjoy them.
rScotty

 

[bmaverick]

Seafoam is expensive per little can. Gunk Motor Flush per quart is less money and works just the same. Don't get me wrong, I got cans of Seafoam on stand-by when things need it. I just can't justify the cost factor.

Glad you got the oil system cleaned out. It should allow the engine to operate better, push the oil up to the top of the engine and run smoother.

As for the other fluids, the cooling system can be flushed using 50/50 of Distilled White Vinegar and Distilled Water. (NEVER use tap water or average filter water, nor well water.) If the flush remains dirty repeat again. Once it's clear, just do a Distilled water flush on it's own. Then drain and refill with the 50/50 pre-mixed "For All Vehicles" type and NEVER the Long Life coolants.

As for the hydraulics, clean the filter screen(s), reuse the filter(s), put the low sulfur diesel fuel into the system, run a little bit while working the 3PT up and down. Then drain again, clean the filter screens and refill with new hydraulic fluid. IF the hydraulic fluid is recent, one can filter the fluid and reuse.

On one other note with the hydraulics, when the system is drained, go around and check the hoses and lines. Pinch them by hand. If these pinch closed and remain, the inside of the hose has decayed and need replacing. GoodYear Gates and Parker-Hannifin are some really good hoses in material and endurance.

I know of tractors that only had one or two oil changes in 30 years. They still run and operate alright. This thing about changing every 100-hrs is crazy. Now, if the engine was rebuilt, sure thing. But after a few hundred hours, changing once or twice per year works well. Of course it will all depend on how hard the tractor is operated and how hot it gets outside when using it. Heat and friction kill the oil life. Another thing, run the PTO at 500rpm vs full tilt 540rpm, It's best for both the tractor and the PTO attachments too. IF you got a tractor warranty, best to keep it by regular maintenance per the schedule needed. Older tractors are so much more forgiving.

 

[marcusmerritt]

Ford 2000; 3 cyl. gas; 4/1 trans....When I got my tractor a couple years ago the oil looked pretty good but the transmission fluid looked like a chocolate malt milkshake. I put a dose of Seafoam in the crankcase and the rest in the gas tank and changed the trans. fluid for new. Ran the tractor for a few days to give the Seafoam time to work in the engine and then drained the oil and replaced the oil and air filters. Oil came out black as india ink so the Seafoam must have cleaned out soot, etc. in the crankcase. In fact, had a leak around the oil pan so pulled it off to install a fresh gasket before the oil change. Took a look up into the engine and all surfaces looked like new. I'm not generally an advocate for additives but I like the results from Seafoam. The new engine oil was Shell Rotella 15/40 and the new transmission fluid was Universal Travelers fluid from Tractor Supply. I'm happy with both.

 

[Texasmark]

Ford 2000; 3 cyl. gas; 4/1 trans....When I got my tractor a couple years ago the oil looked pretty good but the transmission fluid looked like a chocolate malt milkshake. I put a dose of Seafoam in the crankcase and the rest in the gas tank and changed the trans. fluid for new. Ran the tractor for a few days to give the Seafoam time to work in the engine and then drained the oil and replaced the oil and air filters. Oil came out black as india ink so the Seafoam must have cleaned out soot, etc. in the crankcase. In fact, had a leak around the oil pan so pulled it off to install a fresh gasket before the oil change. Took a look up into the engine and all surfaces looked like new. I'm not generally an advocate for additives but I like the results from Seafoam. The new engine oil was Shell Rotella 15/40 and the new transmission fluid was Universal Travelers fluid from Tractor Supply. I'm happy with both.

I started using it with a used 2002 Mercury 90 hp outboard engine I bought back in 2004. Didn't run all that good when I bought it. Was on the "iboats" forums and read where others used it for this and that. Started using it and for the 10 years I had the engine, never had a fuel related problem after Sea Foam cleaned it up. Sure it's alcohol, naptha, and mineral oil and I could run around town and guess which of what is what is used and mix and store my own brand, but for about $6.50 at wallyworld and normally calling for 1 oz. per gallon maintenance amounts, I stayed with it.

On my diesel tractors I use Power Services products for diesel fuel as reading up on the history of the company and it's intended purpose, I think their products suit my uses better. Been using them for as long as I can remember and I just don't have fuel problems, either running or storage problems.

 

[ArlyA]

There is no alcohol in Sea Foam. Its made with petroleum products but it is a great product which we use in all our year-around seasonal fuels to keep them from going stale.

I started using it with a used 2002 Mercury 90 hp outboard engine I bought back in 2004. Didn't run all that good when I bought it. Was on the "iboats" forums and read where others used it for this and that. Started using it and for the 10 years I had the engine, never had a fuel related problem after Sea Foam cleaned it up. Sure it's alcohol, naptha, and mineral oil and I could run around town and guess which of what is what is used and mix and store my own brand, but for about $6.50 at wallyworld and normally calling for 1 oz. per gallon maintenance amounts, I stayed with it.