Flushing hydraulics in 40 year old Yanmar YM2310

[etpm]

Hey all you DIY tractorin' folks,
I have a 40 year old Yanmar YM2310 tractor that I bought about 9 months ago. Though it works great I think it is a good idea to change the hydraulic fluid. Change filters, clean screens, etc. too. It has been suggested that I first flush the hydraulic system with diesel. The hydraulic fluid looks fine to me now, it is not milky or discolored. Anyway, I have some questions about this process of flushing.
The hydraulic fluid is used in the transmission as well as powering the 3 point hitch and the after market front end loader. Should I drive the tractor around a little to warm the fluid up? And use the Power Shift several times in all gears? Raise and lower the 3PH several times? And what about the Bulldog 285 front end loader? Should it also be exercised several times?
If the FEL and 3PH are exercised and the diesel is drained and new hydraulic fluid is added there will be diesel in the FEL cylinders and the 3PH cylinder. Do I need to run the system with the new fluid and then drain again? This seems like a big waste of diesel and hydraulic fluid as well as a waste of money if not necessary.
I have never needed to flush a hydraulic system and I don't want to waste money and add more stuff to the waste stream. At the same time I want to make sure my tractor lasts another 40 years.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[mike0000]

I personally would skip the flush, especially if fluid looks good when you drain it. If you get sludge/water from the drain, maybe then consider a flush.

Mike

 

[2manyrocks]

Sorry to say I'd be surprised if you could get parts in 40 years.

If the tractor was stored inside and the hyd fluid looks good, I'm not sure I'd put diesel in there.

edit: the more I think about this, I would trust factory new hyd fluid in a sealed container to be free of contamination, but I wouldn't assume diesel from any storage tank to be free of water, dirt, or algae.

 

[RjCorazza]

I also wouldn't flush a hydraulic system with diesel, particularly one that doesn't appear to be contaminated. If you would feel more comfortable flushing it perhaps consider draining the current fluid and replace with a budget type fluid that meets your equipment specs, run it for a short interval and replace again.

As far as fluid in the cylinders, there will always be fluid left in the system unless you go to a lot of unnecessary trouble to disconnect and drain the cylinders and lines. Retract all cylinders to return the maximum amount of fluid to the sump, then drain.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Hey all you DIY tractorin' folks,
I have a 40 year old Yanmar YM2310 tractor that I bought about 9 months ago. Though it works great I think it is a good idea to change the hydraulic fluid. Change filters, clean screens, etc. too. It has been suggested that I first flush the hydraulic system with diesel. The hydraulic fluid looks fine to me now, it is not milky or discolored. Anyway, I have some questions about this process of flushing.
The hydraulic fluid is used in the transmission as well as powering the 3 point hitch and the after market front end loader. Should I drive the tractor around a little to warm the fluid up? And use the Power Shift several times in all gears? Raise and lower the 3PH several times? And what about the Bulldog 285 front end loader? Should it also be exercised several times?
If the FEL and 3PH are exercised and the diesel is drained and new hydraulic fluid is added there will be diesel in the FEL cylinders and the 3PH cylinder. Do I need to run the system with the new fluid and then drain again? This seems like a big waste of diesel and hydraulic fluid as well as a waste of money if not necessary.
I have never needed to flush a hydraulic system and I don't want to waste money and add more stuff to the waste stream. At the same time I want to make sure my tractor lasts another 40 years.
Thanks,
Eric

Back in the good old 70s when I was in high school some kid or other would get a 10 year old car and decide to “flush” the automatic transmission. It never made things better. If it ain’t broke don’t ‘fix’ it.