What does this mean?

[Fastball]

Hi..am new to the world of fulltime tractoring - having inherited my dad's Kubota L2900. As I don't know the last time Dad had it serviced, I am leafing through the owners manual to the periodic maintenance section. When i check the transmission fluid indicator (the little glass thing in the back of the tractor), it is all white. Does this mean the tranny fluid is low and needs topping up?
Thanks..

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate. Hydraulic oil/fluid turning milky white generally means that water is entering the reservoir.

You're going to have to do a full fluid/filter change. That should correct the situation.

 

[Fastball]

G'day Mate. Hydraulic oil/fluid turning milky white generally means that water is entering the reservoir.

You're going to have to do a full fluid/filter change. That should correct the situation.

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.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

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.

Park it going UP an incline, lower the rear 3pt hitch and front end loader (if it has one), and set the parking break. Now go look at the sight glass and see if it is now a slightly different color. If it is, you are low on fluid. You still might need to change it though...

 

[Wagtail]

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.

That's actually a prudent thing to do, even though it's going to cost you $s. If you're just starting out, having an 'on site' full servicing done will, indeed, allow you to observe and learn about all of the eccentric/mysterious things of your tractor. It'll be money well invested so that the next servicing can be done by yourself, with confidence. Pesky/hidden grease nipple locations will be another thing to watch out for.

When it comes to changing fluids, not all of it will drain out (no matter how long you let it drain. The listed capacity in your Owners Manual is the total capacity. Always fill up just shy of the "total"... then come back the next morning and guestimate the amount to top-up to the full mark.

ALWAYS change/fill your fluids when you tractor is on a level surface.

 

[Cataclysm]

All excellent advice. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[100 td]

Sight glass indicators can be very difficult to establish if they have oil in them or not as there is little difference in color if there is oil there or not, unless they are at the halfway mark. As mentioned, parking on an upwards slope and downwards slope away may show a difference in color and you will get used to the indication. (Or sideways slope etc depending on your tractor) The addition of a coloring agent can also help, looking in the filler hole can also help.
Generally white is low, yellow tinge is full, however the plastic yellows over time making it hard to see.

 

[Wagtail]

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.

 

[MF283]

I ran a "bota" on another farm, that sight glass aggravated the fire out of me, owner just laughed & said run it.

Ronnie

 

[Gary Fowler]

The only oil level sight glass I ever had was on a motorcycle and it was a PIA to use. You couldn't see it unless you were squatting down or on your knees and the bike had no center stand. It was really a 2 man job to check the engine oil in it, one to hold the bike level and the other to be on his hands and knees to look at the sight glass. As stated, even when you can see them, it is difficult to tell if you are overfull or under filled if the glass has yellowed a bit.

I just cant understand why manufacturers cant provide a dipstick for all oil levels.

 

[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.