Partial Maintenance

[Adam23]

I went up to my local Kubota dealership yesterday to purchase oil, hydraulic, and air filters so that I can change them all on my B7500 as I am not sure that this was done prior to me purchasing it. My dealer told me that if the ones on the tractor are all grey then they were not changed at 50 hours. So when I got home that was the first thing that I looked at - and wouldn't you know it they were all grey!!! The tractor now has 97 hours on it and I am very upset that the maintenance apparently was not performed like it should have been. I checked all of the fluids when I first got the tractor and everything was at proper level and all fluids looked very clean and fresh. So this weekend I plan on changing the engine oil, and filter. Can I use 15W40 instead of the recommended 10W30? I have a 16 gallon barrel full of it and would like to utilize that instead of buying other oil. I also plan on changing out the hydraulic filters and air filter. My question is - can i change the hydro filter and pull the screen without draining all the hydro fluid? The fluid looks brand new - very clean. What do you think?

 

[rdsaustintx]

Go ahead and change the HST fluid too. Shoulda been done at 50hrs. It's not to replace burned oil, it's just to get all the suspended junk out from break-in.

15-40 is fine (unless the machine will be a snowblower).

The air filters last a long time if you just knock the dust off.

Russell in Texas

 

[Jimbrown]

I changed the hydro oil in my BX a couple days ago it had 325 hours on it. It looked clean as new, but the oil inside the filter looked like metalic paint. You can't tell by lookin.

 

[Podunkadunk]

ADAM23,

You're preaching to the choir. Read the first post in this thread. I had problems similar to yours...but at least they did change my filters (yes, the factory ones are gray).

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/related-topics/105305-50-hour-service-rant.html

 

[Adam23]

Podunkadunk - I read your post - I gotta tell you I would be HOT!!! My case is a little different than yours as I bought my tractor used out of state and had it shipped here. So I bought mine sight unseen and had to take the word of an individual. He said that he took the tractor in for it's 50hr service. It is possible that he is telling me the truth as everything else he told me about the tractor has been true to this point. Maybe he got screwed which in turn I got it. Who knows - I am just going to redo the whole 50hr service now. I hope nothing got harmed or the life of my tractor was not comprimised as a result. Only time will tell.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Adam23,
I'd bet any amount that your tractor is fine. And yeah, if he has been pretty upfront and honest so far about your tractor, I bet he is telling the truth. He probably did take it to the dealer and they told him they did a 50 hr., but didn't! Dealerships all over the country do this stuff. You hear the horror stories about it every day...they just didn't know that in my case, they had a skeptic on their hands, just waiting for them to pull something like this.

I got my service for free, a couple of other goodies for free and 10% off my next purchase (nope, doesn't include another tractor...haha) and an apology phone call from the owner (came days later).


I'm sure your tractor is fine...besides, it's a Kubota!

 

[wushaw]

Hopefully you got the owners manual showing when and what needs to be changed at specific time intervals?

 

[Adam23]

Yep I got the owners manuals, but now I am looking for the best place to get the work shop manual (maintenance). I don't need it now but I like to have those things on hand becuase when I do need it I will need it right then - not in two weeks. Local dealer wants $72 for it and they have to order it. Not bad will probably go that route unless I can find it somewhere else.

 

[TalonDancer]

...The tractor now has 97 hours on it and I am very upset that the maintenance apparently was not performed like it should have been. I checked all of the fluids when I first got the tractor and everything was at proper level and all fluids looked very clean and fresh. So this weekend I plan on changing the engine oil, and filter. Can I use 15W40 instead of the recommended 10W30? I have a 16 gallon barrel full of it and would like to utilize that instead of buying other oil. I also plan on changing out the hydraulic filters and air filter. My question is - can i change the hydro filter and pull the screen without draining all the hydro fluid? The fluid looks brand new - very clean. What do you think?

15W40 is a "summer weight" oil in most parts of the US & Canada. I'd stick with 10W30 if you plan to use your tractor a lot this winter. But in SC I suspect the weight is not as important as making sure the 15W40 is rated for _diesel_ engines.

FWIW I'd be more concerned about the engine oil not being changed at 50 hours than the UDT. The engine oil is subjected to combustion by products (read acids) particularly in the engines early history (read break-in). And the engine oil filter does NOT have a magnetic ring. So I'd change the engine Oil/Filter ASAP.

OTOH...
1 - The hydraulic (suction) filter has a magnetic ring that has probably trapped the worst metal bits in the UDT.
2 - The manual (on some models) is not clear whether or not you only need to change the UDT _fluid_ at 50 hours. For example, you can read my L3240 manual to imply that you only need to change the UDT filters at 50 hours. I changed filters and UDT fluids, but others haven't.

In any case I would not fret about it. I'd just start doing the right things at the right times from here on out

Talon Dancer

 

[66gladiator]

Dealerships all over the country do this stuff.

THAT STATEMENT IS JUST PLAIN WRONG!
That would be fraud and very much against the law.

And yes, the factory filters are gray, but up until recently, gray filters could be found in most parts departments. So just because it's gray doesn't mean it is factory installed.
I still have a couple of very slow moving filter numbers (older model tractors) on the shelf in gray garb.

 

[TalonDancer]

...And yes, the factory filters are gray, but up until recently, gray filters could be found in most parts departments. So just because it's gray doesn't mean it is factory installed.....

People MAY be able to recognize the factory installed filters by looking at the seat area very carefully. On my L3240 it APPEARED that the filters were painted _after_ the engine was assembled. For example, my rear axle and dust boots on the steering were clearly painted after assembly. The paint is cracking off the dust boots and the rear axle has sealant squeezed out at various locations which exactly matches the grey paint on on the engine/tranny

Talon Dancer

DUH - I just rememebered that the factory installed filters were SOLID grey. No writing etc.

 

[herringchoker]

When I did the 50 hour service on my B7800, I bought Kubota filters from the dealer. The engine oil filter was black and the hydraulic and transmission filters were both grey.

 

[Adam23]

UPDATE - I was pretty upset about this so I did all the maintenance last night so that I could sleep good. I have good news. I changed the engine oil and filter. After taking the filter off I noticed even though it is solid gray like the rest of the engine that it is actually an aftermarket filter with part numbers on it for several makes of tractors. So I could tell that the engine oil and filter was changed as the previous owner told me. It just happened to be changed out with a filter that appeared identicle to the factory one. I also changed the hydro fluid and filters which were not chnged previously. I can report that the fluild and old filters were very clean, so I feel much better about the whole situation, especially that the engine had been serviced. Thanks for all of your input.

 

[mjfox6]

Yep I got the owners manuals, but now I am looking for the best place to get the work shop manual (maintenance). I don't need it now but I like to have those things on hand becuase when I do need it I will need it right then - not in two weeks. Local dealer wants $72 for it and they have to order it. Not bad will probably go that route unless I can find it somewhere else.

I got my shop manual from Messick's, the B7500 is $63.95. I bought the manual and my oil and filters from them to support Neil for his participation on TBN.

97897-12491 Kubota B7400 / B7500 Shop Repair Manual

 

[TalonDancer]

UPDATE - I was pretty upset about this so I did all the maintenance last night so that I could sleep good. I have good news. I changed the engine oil and filter. After taking the filter off I noticed even though it is solid gray like the rest of the engine that it is actually an aftermarket filter with part numbers on it for several makes of tractors. So I could tell that the engine oil and filter was changed as the previous owner told me. It just happened to be changed out with a filter that appeared identicle to the factory one. I also changed the hydro fluid and filters which were not chnged previously. I can report that the fluild and old filters were very clean, so I feel much better about the whole situation, especially that the engine had been serviced. Thanks for all of your input.

That is as good as you could have hoped for. Sleep well

Talon Dancer

 

[Double Orange]

No question, you did the right thing.
Stay safe!!
Frank

 

[rdsaustintx]

I got my shop manual from Messick's, the B7500 is $63.95. I bought the manual and my oil and filters from them to support Neil for his participation on TBN.

x2. Just put in a big order yesterday. Messick's rocks.