what kind of hydraulic vacuum do I need to prevent leakage during install?

[scobrado]

I am installing a rear hydraulic kit on a JD 3038E. The instructions say to put:

... vacuum to transmission fill (during installation) to prevent leakage and oil loss.​

I can see how pulling a vacuum on the fill will prevent leakage. My question is, what does this look like and where do I get the vacuum? Is it something with a rubber bulb like a turkey baster? Or is it a motorized piece of equipment?

I'm wishing I had the JD service series textbook on hydraulics at this point. Any advice is welcome. This is my first hydraulics project ever.

Thanks in advance. --scobrado

 

[murphy1244]

Try a shop vac.

 

[wdchyd]

12 gal. 5 PHP Wet/Dry Vac-WD1270 at The Home Depot

 

[BukitCase]

Get one of these

Engine Cleaning Gun

Adapt the cleaning fluid pick-up hose to your hydraulic with whatever fittings it takes

Adjust the flow knob on the cleaning agent pickup to just enough vacuum to keep from losing hydraulic oil. You'll know if it's too much by the oil spraying out of the wand.

This is assuming you have an air compressor...

A shop vac will suck all your fluid out of the system - too much vacuum. Wet/dry vacs will lift water about 20 feet if there are no leaks.

'nuther option, if you don't have compressed air -

Get one of these in 2-1/2" Blast Gates For Dust Collection Systems

And one of the 2-1/2" tees here Dust Collection Hose Y, T, and Elbow Connectors - Peachtree Woodworking Supply, Inc

Adapt the shop vac to your hydraulics, but put the tee inline between vac and hyd - put the blast gate on the third leg of the tee, open the gate wide open, start the shop vac and slowly close the gate til you get any leaks to quit. The more vacuum you leak out the gate, the less you'll have on the hydraulics.

This second way is a bit "rube goldberg" even for me, so hopefully you have compressed air... Steve

 

[aczlan]

A shop vac will suck all your fluid out of the system - too much vacuum. Wet/dry vacs will lift water about 20 feet if there are no leaks.

If connecting to the fill hole up by the 3 point hitch, there is no real chance of vacuuming any appreciable amount of fluid as the surface area is too big.
If you stuck a pipe into the transmission and attached the shop vac to it, you could vacuum up fluid, but just sticking it into the fill hole near the 3 point hitch will not suck up any appreciable amount of hydraulic fluid.

Aaron Z

 

[john_bud]

Duck tape the shop vac to the hole ... simple

 

[davedj1]

just plug the hole, it will create it's own vac and hardly drip a drop, like putting your finger over a straw and lifting it out of your drink, no soda pop will drip out.

 

[mrmikey]

We do that a lot on our plow trucks to change a fitting below the oil level and other numerous things. A shop vac taped onto the fill or other spot above the oil level will work great.
Just don't make the mistake a buddy of mine made while adding a case drain line to an existing fitting on the bottom of a full hydraulic tank. Had the shop vac all hooked up but didn't think to check the fitting the hose was attached to on the shop vac, it was on the exhaust port. Unscrewed the 3/4 pipe plug and got 40 liters of hyd fluid blasted into his face. I don't know what made him madder, the oil or the whole shop laughing at him....Mike

 

[scobrado]

I'm going to hook up the shop vac per most suggestions. I think I will have some adjustable port in the vac hose so full suction is not put to the tractor's hydraulic fill for two reasons: 1) so the vac motor doesn't run too hard with no air flow, 2) so the vacuum isn't so strong it bubbles the fluid in the reservoir and sucks fluid into the vac.

And I will be sure not to hook up to the exhaust of the vac.

Thanks for the pointers!

 

[Rustyiron]

didn't think to check the fitting the hose was attached to on the shop vac, it was on the exhaust port. Mike

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are! (except your buddy)