Too Much Hydraulic Oil?

[Orange Convertible]

Hello out there! I have a hydraulic problem of my own making. I suffered a hydraulic leak from my Kubota L3901 caused by a poor connection to a grapple. I lost a fair amount of oil. I did my best to refill carefully but ended up with about a 1/4 inch of oil over the max fill mark on the dipstick. Dealer says to go ahead and run it. What do you folks with vastly more experience think? Other than that I should be more careful in the future, I learned that!!

 

[RickB]

Your dealer has no experience?
run it.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Hello out there! I have a hydraulic problem of my own making. I suffered a hydraulic leak from my Kubota L3901 caused by a poor connection to a grapple. I lost a fair amount of oil. I did my best to refill carefully but ended up with about a 1/4 inch of oil over the max fill mark on the dipstick. Dealer says to go ahead and run it. What do you folks with vastly more experience think? Other than that I should be more careful in the future, I learned that!!

I would run it and not give it another thought. With all due respect, and since you felt the need to post here about it, I get the feeling that you're going to worry about it. If it's going to cause you anxiety, suck some out with a straw or a short piece of hose or your turkey baster, etc.

There's no mechanical reason for concern, in my opinion. But if it's going to cause you worry, why don't you just remove some of the fluid?

 

[Orange Convertible]

Thank you for your answer. This tractor is entirely new to me. I have had smaller ones but this is new territory for me. It helps to have folks like you to consult and learn what to worry about and what not. Manuals are great but experience comes from errors such as I made. I'll heed your advice, thanks again for your response.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Thank you for your answer. This tractor is entirely new to me. I have had smaller ones but this is new territory for me. It helps to have folks like you to consult and learn what to worry about and what not. Manuals are great but experience comes from errors such as I made. I'll heed your advice, thanks again for your response.

Hope you enjoy the new tractor.

I disagree with your perspective that you've "made an error". There's no precise way to fill the various oil ports on these machines. You did exactly what we all do -- poured some in and checked it, and poured some more in and checked it . . . Until it was finally full.

It's not an error. And those dipstick markings are just to get you in the ballpark. Close is ok.

Relax and enjoy. You won't break it by trying to take good care of it. If you ever grossly overfill something, just siphon or suck some fluid out.

 

[s219]

Cycle all the hydraulics/loader/3-point a few times, you may find that extra oil finds a new home.

 

[LD1]

If you have a loader or backhoe on the machine....that oil level will fluctuate up and down by more than 1/4" just depending on what your operating and the position of the cylinders

 

[Fallon]

Worst case scenario is a bunch of oil coming out of the fill port or breather when you retract all the cylinders. As others have said fluid levels fluctuate a lot as cylinders extend & retract.

In theory you could blow out seals in the tranny if it filled up completely & got pressurized before the breather could puke the excess oil out. But there will he enough slack space in the tranny to deal with an extra half inch of oil. Just look at how long the dipstick is that doesn't have oil on it.

 

[Orange Convertible]

Thank you, I'll do that.
Kevan

Worst case scenario is a bunch of oil coming out of the fill port or breather when you retract all the cylinders. As others have said fluid levels fluctuate a lot as cylinders extend & retract.

In theory you could blow out seals in the tranny if it filled up completely & got pressurized before the breather could puke the excess oil out. But there will he enough slack space in the tranny to deal with an extra half inch of oil. Just look at how long the dipstick is that doesn't have oil on it.

Thanks to you and all the others that responded. I knew my little BX so well that just by the sound of it I could tell if all was well. This L3901 is a whole new experience for me so your advice and the others who have responded are most welcome. Thanks again!

 

[Texasmark]

Run it. I get a kick out of riding lawn mowers (especially) that specify just slightly less than 2 quarts when refilling the sump with filter change.....and other type equipment. I go the 2 quarts. There are several reasons depending on type of equipment but I never heard of anybody losing a piece of equipment because they over filled the crankcase...within reason....yours to me is within reason.