Oil temp guage on HST models ?

[Rfisher7381]

Search for "dipstick oil gauge" on Amazon. The price seems quite variable but you may find something that would work. You won't get a dash readout though.

 

[hawkeye08]

Dick,

Are you sure there's not a line running to a steel tube that runs back and forth (side to side) in front of the radiator, but perhaps behind the debris screen ?

My Kubota B2910 has one ...


Coolant temps are (generally) held to just under 200 degrees ...

The higher the temp, the quicker the damage occurs.

The ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association) says that heat-related damage could be eliminated if fluid temps were held to 175 degree and under ...

You should always use a disclaimer when putting this chart up. It is decades old and is not accurate for todays automatic transmission fluids.

 

[ibnxe]

Oil to water transmission coolers are placed in the return tank of the radiator. Water entering the radiator will be approaching 200 degrees, but after passing through the core, what enters the return tank will be much cooler.
Interesting chart... I would agree that oil heated much past 200 degrees is not good for the oil or automatic transmissions.

 

[kuboman]

We spent many thousands of $$$$ replacing hydraulic motors last summer. I asked the rebuild shop what caused the failures and his first question was 'do you have a cooler'? My response was no and his response was heat caused the failures. I asked what is the max desirable operating temp and he said keep it under 180 F and better if kept at 140 F.
Yes heat is a killer of hydraulics including automatics. The redline on my Allison HD740 is 210 F.

 

[rswyan]

You should always use a disclaimer when putting this chart up.

Uh-huh ...

It is decades old and is not accurate for todays automatic transmission fluids.

... fluids ?

What makes you think the only concern is with the fluid ?

 

[KC135plt]

My 2001 L3710 HST has an oil cooler, mounted right in front of the radiator, slightly off set to the left.

 

[varmint]

Just reading this, I wonder if a regular, $15 oil temperature gauge would work? Okay, maybe $20. Just finding a place to screw in a sending unit would be the hard part.

 

[MHarryE]

Operating a machine with hydraulic or transmission oil temps near 400 must be exciting because the flash point of Mobilfluid 424, one of the most common oils used by OEMs for their hydraulic fluid, is 388F (from their product data sheet).

Gear pumps are almost all rated for 185 degrees max and piston pumps and motors 230 degrees or less.

Quality synthetics will provide about 25 degree margin over straight mineral oil before it starts to quickly degrade. Still the important thing for piston pumps and motors is viscosity at the piston slippers. Mobilfluid 424 is 9.3 at 100 degrees C or 212 F and that is where you will start to see major problems.

 

[wmonroe]

I've thought about adding a gauge to mine mainly just for information (and I like extra gauges). There are so few hydro failures on these tractors though that I just can't see fluid temp being an issue. Anything over 120* is uncomfortable to touch, so just because the transmission case or filters are too hot to touch doesn't mean the fluid is overheated.

 

[varmint]

I doubt if I would ever work hard enough in warm weather for this to be an issue, but just curious, where might you install a 1/8th NPT sensor so that it would do some good? There are tons of gauges for sale, under $20, so adding one might make sense for some users? Engine oil sensors are easy, even with metric adapters, but I don't know about transmission cases...