B26 - Water in Hydraulic Fluid HELP!

Bucksaw · Dec 26, 2012

My Kubota B-26 for some reason has water in the hydraulic fluid! I've tried replacing the fluid and the 2 filters (Trany, Hydraulic) but there is still water in the system. I've replaced the fluid twice!

Any ideas on the best way to either FLUSH the system or what I could do to get the water out Additive or special filter?

Thanks? Derek

kuboman · Dec 26, 2012

It is just a matter of flushing, and flus..... Best way is to buy a lot of cheap fluid and flush. Once clean you can replace with your permanent fluid.

oldnslo · Dec 26, 2012

You can buy filter elements that absorb water but I doubt they would be the same size as what your tractor takes. Next question is how did the water get in the tranny in the first place. You need to address that if you don't know already.

Bucksaw · Dec 26, 2012

kuboman said:
It is just a matter of flushing, and flus..... Best way is to buy a lot of cheap fluid and flush. Once clean you can replace with your permanent fluid.

What Fluid do you recommend for the flushing and should I be changing the filters ever time too, or can i just drain them?

Derek

Bucksaw · Dec 26, 2012

I had a line that came off when I was out blowing snow… I didn't know right away and probably drove it for about 10 minutes, I'm guessing that it was drawn in from the line?? That or it had water in it for some time now (I bought the tractor used in the spring with 520 hours on it) and it wasn't causing any issues until I started using it in the COLD weather. Other than that I have NO idea how water got into the system.

kuboman · Dec 26, 2012

Hydraulic oil emulsifies water by design so you likely had water in it when you bought it. I would not change the filter but drain the oil and refill with any cheap hydraulic oil. Run it for enough time for the oil to warm up and make sure you drive it and cycle the load if you have one and then drain. Do that a few times and refill with your permanent oil and change the filters and you should be good. Make sure you solve the water entry problem and I doubt you got water in when the line came off. Did the tractor sit out side?

KennyV · Dec 26, 2012

How did this show up...?
if it was the controls not working until the hydraulic fluid warmed up... It is likely NOT water In the fluid. But it is water. KennyV

Bucksaw · Dec 26, 2012

kuboman said:
Hydraulic oil emulsifies water by design so you likely had water in it when you bought it. I would not change the filter but drain the oil and refill with any cheap hydraulic oil. Run it for enough time for the oil to warm up and make sure you drive it and cycle the load if you have one and then drain. Do that a few times and refill with your permanent oil and change the filters and you should be good. Make sure you solve the water entry problem and I doubt you got water in when the line came off. Did the tractor sit out side?

The tractor was sitting outside but the temp was barely at the freezing mark the day the hose came off. I then parked it outside and added new fluid to top up what I had lost a few days later. The day I added the new fluid was -10C and that was when the problem with the hydraulics NOT working showed up!! I then got the tractor into my heated garage and noticed that the fluid was a creamy white (assumed it was water) I drained the hydraulic fluid twice and replaced the filters and the tractor seemed fine. I parked it back outside and went to start it this morning -15C and NONE of the hydraulics would work (seemed frozen to me) after having heaters on it all day and letting it run for about 4 hours i was able to limp it back into the garage where it sits now. Again the hydraulic oil is creamy although NOT as bad as it was the first time i drained it.

I'm guessing it needs to be flushed several more times?? The only time i noticed the issue with the freezing hydraulics (and my guess of water in the fluid) was once the -10C weather showed up. I may have had creamy white hydraulic fluid ALL summer long! I checked the level but never noticed a problem with the colour.

What cheap alternative FLUSHING fluid do you recommend before I re-fill it with the Kubota UDT fluid?

Derek

kuboman · Dec 26, 2012

Sounds like bad water contamination alright. Any brand of oil will be fine. Go to walmart or Canadian tire or anywhere you can get a cheaper oil. You just don't want to spend the big bucks on expensive oil just to dump it out. If you can keep it warm would be a benefit. I am suspicious that in the cold weather that the filters sealed off with contaminated oil and turned solid in the cold.