Super UDT Smell?

Peter · Jun 8, 2000

Hello all.
This sounds like a rather trivial question, but I just want to make sure that I don't have a leak or something.

About 20 hours ago, I changed my transmission oil to Super UDT at its first 50-hour maintenance. ($60/5 gallons... wow!) After that, every time I use the tractor, I smell the transmission oil. At first I figured that maybe I spilled some, here or there, and it would burn off quickly. Well its been 20 hours and I constantly smell it when working. Its not enough to be obnoxious... it smells pretty good, actually. So what is the deal here? Does anyone have a similar experience? I'd hate to think I have a fluid leak, which I can't find by the way, and the level has not gone down. (you can hardly see the stuff on the dip stick its do damn clear)
My "guess" is that the Super UDT is not what was installed at the factory, and this stuff just smells more than regular UDT. Comments?
(Is there a hydraulic oil breather or something?)

Thanks.
Pete R

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2000

I am experiencing EXACTLY the same thing with a 2710 and Super UDT after 50 hour change. Figured the smell was coming from the breather tube under the seat. Not real concerned with it as I know I don't have any leaks. Maybe the smell is where the $60 for five gallons comes from?

M. Sullivan · Jun 9, 2000

Have the same thing on my 2710, with original fluid. Smell it at start-up almost every time and occassionally while working. Do not see any fluid leak/spray anywhere. Also assume it's from a breather, but would like to know if anyone has knowledge here. Tx.

Bird · Jun 9, 2000

I hope you guys figure out what the aroma is and let us know. I changed the original hydraulic oil in my B2710 at 46 hours, but I'm using UDT; not Super UDT, and I've never noticed any odd smell either before or since. Maybe my sniffer just doesn't work as well as yours./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

gerard · Jun 9, 2000

Coming up on my 50 hour and just ordered amsoil all the way around. $78 for 5 gal of the tranny fluid! Actually not too much more than the super UDT apparently! I'll let you know if it smells too! FYI total cost for a 50 hour is around $300 materials. That's engine oil, front axel oil, and transmission fluid. + a couple of tubes of high pressure grease w/ moly for the fel.

JimBinMI · Jun 9, 2000

Re: Proper Break-In?

gerard,

Most comments that I've read on this board and the opinion of my dealer regarding switching to synthetic in engine is to wait until it is properly broken in! For some this is 100 hours and others have switched at 150 hours. You might want to reconsider or get more information...unless you already have! Good Luck

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

MChalkley · Jun 9, 2000

Gerard, as JimBinMI mentioned, you might want to reconsider changing the engine oil over to synthetic at 50 hours, assuming that was your intention. Most people familiar with the process, and Amsoil themselves, recommend that you wait until an engine is completely broken in before switching to synthetic. Everything else is fine, though.

Mark

Anonymous Poster · Jun 11, 2000

Just a note on engine break-in. Don't expect your engine to be even close to break-in at 50 or even 150 hours if you use it like most of us do. Small tractor engines are usually very lightly loaded most of the time compared to their rated capability. It takes hundreds of hours at normal load and there is no definitive way to know when an engine is fully "broken in". The best thing for a new diesel is hard work and variable speed. If you normally work your tractor hard, switching to synthetic at 50 hours probably will not have any adverse effect. If you don't work it hard, wait a few hundred hours. I have always found that diesels are happy slaves. They perform best, stay cleaner, and last longer when worked.

I have a BX2200 and the tractor is really overpowered at 22 hp. It works very little even with all the 8" grass I have been cutting due to the excessive rainfall here in the northeast. I don't intend switching to synthetic for at least 200 hours unless I can find a small tractor dynomometer to load it up for a few hours.

W5FL · Jun 30, 2000

Never could figure out for sure whether tractor came with UDT or Super UDT. I am putting Super UDT in this time for hydraulic fluid, front differential, and front wheel gearboxes. How do you tell whether it is UDT or Super UDT by feel, sight, or ??