Oil & Fuel Experiences with cleaning 4540/4550 transmission strainer

[gardner175]

I am fast approaching 50 hrs on my Mahindra 4550 and I am interested in any experiences others might have had with cleaning the transmission strainer.

My Operators Manual Routine Service Schedule (4540/4550) says that at 50 hours I must clean the transmission strainer. However, given where the transmission strainer is mounted it looks like when I remove it for cleaning I will also be draining all of the oil from the transmission. Has that been your experience?

The Routine Service Schedule says I should change the transmission oil at 500 hours but does not indicate a need to do so at 50 hrs. Also, the service manual gives instructions to drain the transmission oil and remove/clean the strainer at 1000 hrs which seems to indicate I should drain oil when ever I service the strainer.

I am asking about the oil draining because my lube chart says the transmission and hydraulics needs just short of 11 gallons of oil. If I will indeed be draining that much oil then I need to have something ready to catch that much oil. And then there is the cost of replacing the oil, but that is another story.

So any experiences you can share will be greatly appreciated!

 

[dickfoster]

I am fast approaching 50 hrs on my Mahindra 4550 and I am interested in any experiences others might have had with cleaning the transmission strainer.

My Operators Manual Routine Service Schedule (4540/4550) says that at 50 hours I must clean the transmission strainer. However, given where the transmission strainer is mounted it looks like when I remove it for cleaning I will also be draining all of the oil from the transmission. Has that been your experience?

The Routine Service Schedule says I should change the transmission oil at 500 hours but does not indicate a need to do so at 50 hrs. Also, the service manual gives instructions to drain the transmission oil and remove/clean the strainer at 1000 hrs which seems to indicate I should drain oil when ever I service the strainer.

I am asking about the oil draining because my lube chart says the transmission and hydraulics needs just short of 11 gallons of oil. If I will indeed be draining that much oil then I need to have something ready to catch that much oil. And then there is the cost of replacing the oil, but that is another story.

So any experiences you can share will be greatly appreciated!

I don't have anything to share regarding your model or strainers since mine doesn't have one but a lot of Mahindra's service instructions make no sense. Mine said to change the hydraulic filter at 50 hours and the oil at 100 hours which is just plain silly since removing the filter drains the oil like removing your screen does.
Mahindra clearly doesn't put a lot of thought into their service instructions or their service documentation at all. It's truly is pathetic and there is no reasonable excuse for it. So far, that has been my only gripe with Mahindra about buying a Mahindra tractor but from what I can gather, it's not unusual. I don't know why when it's so simple and cheap to do these days so that's the part that really has me baffled. It's not exactly rocket science to provide decent service documentation.

 

[Jabonee]

Change it all. Drain the hydraulic oil, Clean the suction screen. Replace the filters. The idea is the get the break in contamination out. Guaranteed the oil you drain out will have a silvery look to it.:thumbsup:

 

[Gaowlpoop]

In my owners manual on page 79 top of the page it states that the oil reservoir is common for the transmission, hydraulics and steering. A little farther down the page it shows a picture of the transmission drain plug, labeled C.

It seems to me that it would be a little more convenient to use the drain plugs rather then disconnecting the hose that goes to the screen.

There seems to be a slight problem on this however. Close inspection seems to revel that the drain plug is ABOVE the screen so that when you take the screen out you are still going to get a lot of oil all over the place.

I have found another drain plug, I think. It is located below the PTO shaft, and seems to be the lowest point on the tractor. I can not find anyone that knows what it is for however. I guess I could take it out and see what drains out. Perhaps someone could help us out.

 

[tkevan]

My 4025 has two, a rear plug like your pic, that drains just the rear end, and one on the belly of the trans. Only about 1/2 gallon came out of the suction screen housing after draining the belly plug.

 

[gardner175]

Gaowlpoop

I checked my owners manual because of your post, and on page 105 (the Lubrication and greasing Chart 4540/4550 4WD) item 19 (lower right hand corner) is the plug you mentioned. It is indeed a Transmission oil drain plug.

Thanks for posting. I am learning a lot about the tractor.

 

[tkevan]

Agree with Jabonee, change it all. I just did a 100hr, and decided to change every thing. The dealer did the 50, and its not possible they cleaned the screen given the garbage I pulled out. Lots of machining swarf in there.