What does this mean?

[Looking4new]

My Kioti has a dipstick for both the engine oil and hydraulic. Food colouring for oil, I'm told can be had at NAPA stores and makes checking oil easier, especially the ones with a sight glass.

 

[Grandad4]

Thanks, Wag....since I don't know what a full/low level looks like, I thought it might be just low. I'm thinking that I'm going to call the dealer to get a service guy out here for an hour or so - and watch him like a hawk as he goes over this thing from stem to stern. I haven't a clue when this was last serviced, so I might as well start with a clean slate. Pay the professional and learn from what he does.

Good plan. There is a slight yellowish tint to the fluid, so you're supposed to be able the see the fluid level in the sight glass. The operative words are "supposed to". You won't be able to get a reading if it's way low or way high or it's all dirty or the plastic has become cloudy, etc. If the sight glass is not in good condition or is leaking, you might want to replace it when the fluid change is done.

Be sure to check the hydrauilic fluid on a known level surface. Even a slight grade will throw the reading off. If your tractor has a hydrostatic transmission, the Kubota Super UDT-2 is highly recomended for quiet, smooth operation, although its nickname of "Liguid Gold" is well-deserved.

 

[ovrszd]

To everyone (including the OP): sorry, my bad. My 4105 has a dipstick and I misinterpreted what the OP meant by 'showing white'.

I thought that it was the actual colour of the fluid.

I'd give anything to be able to quote an Aussie saying for someone that makes a mistake like this but dang it, I can't come up with any.......

 

[nybirdman]

My Kioti has a dipstick for both the engine oil and hydraulic. Food colouring for oil, I'm told can be had at NAPA stores and makes checking oil easier, especially the ones with a sight glass.

You don't want "food coloring" it's water based.Go to a John Deere dealer and order their hydraulic(red) dye;cost about $5.00 and works great.

 

[Looking4new]

You don't want "food coloring" it's water based.Go to a John Deere dealer and order their hydraulic(red) dye;cost about $5.00 and works great.

It was a John Deere dealer that told me to go to the NAPA store and get the food colouring (dye) for oil.

 

[CalG]

I've replaced the sight glass with a generic plug. (call it a "sight plastic", and less than useless)

Based on hours of use, I pull the plug (with the tractor level) and replenish until fluid flows.

I know I have a leak at the loader control valve. , but it's less than a liter per annum.

 

[DieselBound]

Anyone do sight glass with balls? My Polaris (all hydro) has one on it's hydraulic tank.

I curse every time I try to read hydraulic fluid levels on a dip stick. Thanks to this thread I'll consider looking into the dye.

 

[nybirdman]

JohnDeere part no.MT3668 ,hydraulic dye;about $5.00.I had to order from a JD dealer.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Oil dye probably the only thing I will ever buy from Deere.

John Deere Oil MT3668

David

 

[Looking4new]

I curse every time I try to read hydraulic fluid levels on a dip stick. Thanks to this thread I'll consider looking into the dye.

I swear at the clear fluid on a silver dipstick, too. I just ordered the dye that my J-D dealer didn't have any idea about and didn't even have a part number for it in his computer. It IS expensive after you add in shipping, duty and tax, but a cooked hydraulic pump is more expensive. That is the way I rationalize it.