Bone headed oversight

[Jethro]

Have you ever finished a project only to realize that you missed a step?

I just got through changing my hydraulic oil and filter. Just as I was finished topping the oil off I realized I forgot to remove the screen and clean it. I have no idea if it desprately needs cleaning or not. Now I have to decide if I want to do all of that over again, and if so, do I want to buy another bucket of UDT at $55.00 or buy a new pan and try to reuse this oil.

I am a perfectionist, so I really don't see myself reusing this oil. The hydraulics on my ZTRs are very sensitive to contamination. I don't think the tractor is as sensitive, but I would just have better peace of mind removing that variable.

 

[texbaylea]

I would think that if you also cleaned around the drain plug there would be small chance of contaminating the fluid. You could go with "belt and suspenders" and use a filter funnel when you pour it back in.

Vernon

 

[David_G]

How may hours since you last cleaned the screen.
How long 'till the next service.
Oil screens have a massive reserve capacity so it really would not matter if just one cleaning was missed.

 

[Toolguy]

Keep it clean and reuse it. I don't see a problem with that at all. A funnel with a tight mesh screen in it would not be a bad idea. Or, use a paint filter. They are cheap and a paint gun is more sensitive to dirt than a tractor. I like to do things right myself but, I would have a hard time throwing that brand new oil away. $55 will buy a lot of diesel fuel. Well, maybe not a lot these days but you know what I mean. Good luck.

 

[Scott in IN]

I'm confused, where is this screen that everyone keeps talking about. I got two filters from the dealership, one for the hydro and one for the hydraulics.

 

[john_bud]

I'm confused, where is this screen that everyone keeps talking about. I got two filters from the dealership, one for the hydro and one for the hydraulics.

Scott,

There is a metal mesh screen in line before the hydraulic filter (the cheap one). It is down low and is protecting the inlet of the return line. You have to unscrew it and remove from the tractor, then tap it to get any metal shavings off.

I have checked mine 2 times and found zero stuff on the mesh. Which is what you want to find!

jb

 

[ovrszd]

I agree with David. I wouldn't bother. next time you change the oil, check it then. It's not a filter. It's a failure trap. Only function is to catch junk metal from mechanical failures in the system.

 

[fishpick]

I'd leave it alone and get it next time - at my 50 hour there were maybe 3 little metal shavings on there... easily less than 1% of the surface area - way less.

 

[Jethro]

I just bought this tractor and know nothing of it's past maintenance schedule. It had 1100 hours on it when I bought it. I have since added another 36. I don't know if the screen has ever been cleaned.

 

[Volfandt]

If you're unsure I recommend to err on the safe side and drain & check the screen. Go out and buy a brand new inexpensive drain basin to ensure your fluid will be clean for reuse.
That said, it's a fairly long screen and it would take quite a bit of debris to clog it up.
I haven't checked mine since the 50 and it's not due for another 100 hrs. It didn't have any visable shavings in it at the 50.

Sounds like it's danged if'n you do and danged if'n you don't

Good luck
Volfandt

 

[HappyHillFarmer]

I did the same thing when I changed the hydro fluid on my BX1850 the first time. What I did was to drive it onto a metal car ramp so that the side with the filter was up and the other side still on the ground. I then put a funnel in the sudt container I had just filled the trany with and put it under the filter opening. Pulled out the screen and cleaned it and refilled the the hydro with the fluid. Doing it this way you only end up draining out a small amount and can prevent contaminating the fluid.

 

[Dusty]

Most shavings that get caught in the screen are from the original manufacturing process. In all probability, the screen was cleaned during one of the other transmission services. Even if it were never cleaned, it won't do any harm, since the metal particles are trapped in there. You would have to have a complete transmission failure before there would be enough particles to clog the screen and then, the failure still wouldn't be a result of the screen not being cleaned. Leave it till the next fluid change and don't worry about it. Transmissions unlike engines, don't produce harmful byproducts that need to be removed periodically.