6530 Oil Change .......... Absolutely Ridiculous

[robertwhite]

6530 now has 50 hrs on it so I go to do the 1st oil change.

First idiotic design is where the oil plug is located. It sits right over a frame/brace, so when you remove the plug, all the oil first hits said frame/brace before it falls down into the oil drip pan. It is impossible to get all the old oil out of this frame/brace even when stuffing rags up there, so it WILL drip after job is completed.

Second idiotic design and it's a huge one, is the oil re-fill. After reading the manual, it advises that you slowly refill from either the oil breather located on top of the engine valve cover or thru the dipstick tube. So in looking at the dipstick tube which is tiny in diameter AND you would need an exact press fit sized adapter or funnel end otherwise the oil will spill out, I decide to go with the breather location.

So I take a large hole funnel and place it in the breather hole. I then try and pour about 1/2 quart from the 2.5 gallon jug of oil into the funnel. That said, the oil poured into the funnel immediately fills the breather hole and spills out all over the engine, and of course all over my shop floor. I then closely look at the breather hole and see there is basically only a pinhole for the oil to drain thru into the engine. So after spending 30 minutes cleaning the mess up as best as one can, I have to take a metered funnel (one that is used for motorcycles) that holds about 1/2 qt and you turn the fitting to allow flow and proceed to fill the engine 1/2 qt at a time, with each funnel taking about a minute to empty.

All this having to fill/empty at a snails pace/repeat, while holding a heavy jug of oil in the other hand, while balancing on the tractors frame just to reach the breather hole.

I'm sorry, but 30 minutes to fill a big 65hp tractor engine with oil is absolutely asinine.

I have done literally hundreds of oil changes in everything from domestic cars, to Porsches, Mercedes, various tractors, SUV's, UTV's, and have NEVER seen such a stupid design.

The manual say's slowly. What it doesn't say is slowly actually means at a snails pace.

I would love to know how a dealer does the oil change on this tractor and if they charge 2 hrs of labor for the time it takes to do a simple job. At the moment, I am not exactly thrilled with Mahindra.

 

[MoKelly]

Wow. That does seem awful foolish on the part of the manufacturer. What were they thinking?

MoKelly

 

[stuckmotor]

This is nearly as dumb a design as the autos that have spark plugs so well hidden that dealers charge hundreds of dollars to change them.
If I were you, I think I'd try to make a special funnel to fit over the frame member and route the oil into a container. I'd probably attempt to design another one to refill it, maybe a dripper that would refill it overnight would work. If you go the dripper route, be sure to include a filter type cover over the top to keep dust and bugs out.

 

[idaho2]

Robert,

I have removed the 4wd line cover (4 bolts) then drained the oil and replaced when finished. When refilling I had the same problem on my first quart but not as much was poured in as you described - royal pain. Wait til you fill the tranny a lot easier to fil but the dip stick is a pain to read. I use a blue paper tool to roll the stick on to verify the amount I have poured in. This spring I'll be planning on one day in changing all filters & fluids. As a hind sight, it sure was easier to pour in fluid and check levels on the 50's and 60's tractors we had on the home farm. But then there was none of the environmental applications on those tractors - MM ZA, Ford2n, Farmall H, JD3020 or the JD H.

idaho2

 

[Rfisher7381]

Does Mahindra build their own engines? Seems like an engineering oops to me.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

6530
First idiotic design is where the oil plug is located. It sits right over a frame/brace, so when you remove the plug, all the oil first hits said frame/brace before it falls down into the oil drip pan. It is impossible to get all the old oil out of this frame/brace even when stuffing rags up there, so it WILL drip after job is completed.

Second idiotic design and it's a huge one, is the oil re-fill. After reading the manual, it advises that you slowly refill from either the oil breather located on top of the engine valve cover or thru the dipstick tube. So in looking at the dipstick tube which is tiny in diameter AND you would need an exact press fit sized adapter or funnel end otherwise the oil will spill out, I decide to go with the breather location.

When I have a tight space when draining fluids, I use a piece of aluminum foil folded over itself a few times to make it thicker and moldable, then shape it however I need to pass it between the drain and whatever's underneath bending the sides up fo form walls, and the other end folded down to form a spout...works great. Unfortunately it won't help your filling problem:confused3:

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

When I have a tight space when draining fluids, I use a piece of aluminum foil folded over itself a few times to make it thicker and moldable, then shape it however I need to pass it between the drain and whatever's underneath bending the sides up fo form walls, and the other end folded down to form a spout...works great. Unfortunately it won't help your filling problem:confused3:View attachment 305976

Or get your missus to pick up a couple of those molded tin cookie sheets/oven liners that they sell at the dollar stores... they are thin enough you can mold them to the shape you want, but have a bit more strength than a few thicknesses of tin-foil.

Pete

 

[BobG_in_VA]

I think if you notice the front end drive shaft probably runs right by there...the covering is to protect it as well as the underside of the engine. I always take the 4 small nuts/bolts out and take off the covering first, then I don't run into the problems you are talking about...as far as the fill up, the tractor usually runs with about 70psi oil pressure, the "flap" at the top of the valve cover is to keep the oil from spewing out the top if the breather blows/comes out. I personally think they engineered it quite well....just take your time..PS: mine is a 6000 which is a forerunner of the 6500/6530...pretty sure they are close ...BobG in VA

 

[robertwhite]

This is nearly as dumb a design as the autos that have spark plugs so well hidden that dealers charge hundreds of dollars to change them.
If I were you, I think I'd try to make a special funnel to fit over the frame member and route the oil into a container. I'd probably attempt to design another one to refill it, maybe a dripper that would refill it overnight would work. If you go the dripper route, be sure to include a filter type cover over the top to keep dust and bugs out.

While that idea is sound, in this case it won't work. There is barely enough room to get your fingers around the drain plug to pull it out (once it is loosened), so to put a cookie tin, or anything else to funnel the spent oil to the drain pan, will then not allow you to get the bolt out. All they would have had to do is to put the plug over a few inches and it would work just fine. As far as letting it fill overnight. Not exactly practical (no offense)

Robert,

I have removed the 4wd line cover (4 bolts) then drained the oil and replaced when finished.

I will have to do that next time, but again, very poor design. It both makes and extra 2 steps (R&R cover), and covers up a plug that if they moved a few inches, it would work fine.

When refilling I had the same problem on my first quart but not as much was poured in as you described - royal pain. Wait til you fill the tranny a lot easier to fil but the dip stick is a pain to read. I use a blue paper tool to roll the stick on to verify the amount I have poured in.

I just can't believe that engineers OK'd these designs. They absolutely do not work and could have been made so much easier with just a little thought.

.as far as the fill up, the tractor usually runs with about 70psi oil pressure, the "flap" at the top of the valve cover is to keep the oil from spewing out the top if the breather blows/comes out. I personally think they engineered it quite well....just take your time..PS: mine is a 6000 which is a forerunner of the 6500/6530...pretty sure they are close ...BobG in VA

I'm sorry, but did you say they engineered it quite well???

I don't care why the baffle is in place. I don't have a problem with it being there, but all they would have had to do is make it spring loaded. It's held up by the spring, but you can push a funnel in when oil fill is needed. Simple.

Again, there is NO way in the world that putting 2.3 gallons of oil into a tractor should take 30 minutes. Not only that, but say you need to put some oil in between oil changes. You then have to go get your metered funnel, put some oil into it, stick it in the breather hole, open the valve and let the oil into the engine. Oh, and then clean all the above stuff so its ready to use next time. Think it may be easier to just open a qt of oil and stick it in the hole?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Again, there is NO way in the world that putting 2.3 gallons of oil into a tractor should take 30 minutes. Not only that, but say you need to put some oil in between oil changes. You then have to go get your metered funnel, put some oil into it, stick it in the breather hole, open the valve and let the oil into the engine. Oh, and then clean all the above stuff so its ready to use next time. Think it may be easier to just open a qt of oil and stick it in the hole?

I have a 7520 but sounds like the same issue. I bet youre using 15W-40. I went to 5W-40 Rotella and I can pour moderately, direct from the jug when the weather and engine is warm. A better oil so you dont have to change it as often either.
larry