Water in Tractor Supply oil…

Blstr88 · Saturday at 8:01 PM

10 year old LS J2023H…I change engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter and hydraulic/HST filters yearly but have never done the hydraulic fluid. I figured after 10 years (400 hours) it wouldn’t hurt.

Drained it all, replaced both the filters and proceeded to fill back up from a 5-gallon bucket of Traveller hydraulic/trans oil I picked up from TS this morning.

When I started pouring it in I thought it seemed a little light colored/bubbly and thinner viscosity than I expected. Didn’t think too much of it and filled the tractor up.

Well when I was cleaning up a bit I spilled some on my garage floor and when I wiped it up I could tell it seemed off…just wiped up too easy and looked like water was in it. I opened up the lid off the bucket and it definitely looked to be like water/oil. I poured some into a mason jar and let it settle and this is what I found.

The bucket was completely sealed with the ring around the lid as well as the piece you have to peel off the spout. I couldn’t believe it!

Needless to say it’s drained back out of the tractor, 2 new filters are on order and I ordered Amsoil fluid like I should have done from the start. I run amsoil in just about everything…Not sure why I cheaped out on this but I learned my lesson. Anyone else ever see this?

sd455dan · Saturday at 8:42 PM

Blstr88 said:
10 year old LS J2023H…I change engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter and hydraulic/HST filters yearly but have never done the hydraulic fluid. I figured after 10 years (400 hours) it wouldn’t hurt.

Drained it all, replaced both the filters and proceeded to fill back up from a 5-gallon bucket of Traveller hydraulic/trans oil I picked up from TS this morning.

When I started pouring it in I thought it seemed a little light colored/bubbly and thinner viscosity than I expected. Didn’t think too much of it and filled the tractor up.

Well when I was cleaning up a bit I spilled some on my garage floor and when I wiped it up I could tell it seemed off…just wiped up too easy and looked like water was in it. I opened up the lid off the bucket and it definitely looked to be like water/oil. I poured some into a mason jar and let it settle and this is what I found.

The bucket was completely sealed with the ring around the lid as well as the piece you have to peel off the spout. I couldn’t believe it!

Needless to say it’s drained back out of the tractor, 2 new filters are on order and I ordered Amsoil fluid like I should have done from the start. I run amsoil in just about everything…Not sure why I cheaped out on this but I learned my lesson. Anyone else ever see this?

No Not water in hydraulic oil, but did have a similar what is up with this oil recently.

Changing oil on FIL's Kubota diesel powered mower. Started pouring in oil from his jug of Delo 15W - 40 and thought wait a minute this looks like dirty used oil. To be sure went to town and bought some more of the same oil and they had a coupon deal for several bucks off so I bought 4 gallons.

Get it home and open it up and sure enough just as dark as the first jug.
Went back to his jug finished the oil and filter change and mower is running great. Just weird how dark this Delo is.

ps. I would demand a refund on that oil.

Hay Dude · Saturday at 8:55 PM

Was the bucket sealed?
I bought a 2.5 gallon of DEF fluid and it was just water. Someone carefully opened it up, poured the DEF in their tank, then refilled with water, glued the little paper seal back down, and returned it.

Never seen water in oil like that. That’s insane.

I would suggest buying any/all tractor oils from an AG tractor dealership.
If that was motor oil, you’d be rebuilding an engine.

Sportsman762 · Sunday at 12:35 PM

At the local TSC they store the oil outside sometimes. I have seen several buckets that have had water still sitting on the lid. I wonder if the lid / spout was not sealed and allowed water ingress?

SPM · Monday at 11:04 AM

I don't doubt what you had happen but I think I would give Tractor Supply a chance at responding and checking their stock of that hydraulic fluid. Have numbers readily available from the container to give them. I can't be the only one that would like to hear their response.

caver · Monday at 11:24 AM

I've read complaints about this years ago possibly in reviews.

I mentioned to Project Farm he should do a review of the many oils for tractor hydraulic. TSC, Hygaard, HyTran, Delvac etc.

workinonit · Monday at 1:06 PM

I've had water in sealed 5 gal buckets of oil before. I figured it got in there on my watch so I never made a deal of it.

Blstr88 · Monday at 3:34 PM

I returned it. I took the jar showing the water and the manager guy didnt question me at all, just took the bucket and issued refund. To be honest he almost didnt seem as surprised as I expected him to be.

Yeah it was a sealed up bucket. Couldn’t have been on my watch though, I bought it about 1000am Saturday morning, brought it home and right into my garage. I was pouring it into my tractor by about 1400, it never sat outside while I owned it.