Roadworthy
Elite Member
Many tractors already have a vent, look for one, usually near the seat. How long have you had the tractor? Have you ever changed the transmission fluid? Do you keep it topped up?
DJ54
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,568
- Location
- Carroll, Ohio
- Tractor
- IH Farmall 656 gas/ IH 240 Utility/ 2, Super C Farmalls/ 2, Farmall A's/ Farmall BN/McCormick-Deering OS-6/McCormick-Deering O-4/ '36 Farmall F-12/ 480 Case hoe. '65 Ford 2000 3 cyl., 4 spd. w/3 spd Aux. Trans
If your tractor sets out, water more than likely get in around the shift levers when it rains, even if they have boots on them.
A good mix to clean is a 50/50 mix of ATF and diesel, plus 1 quart of rubbing alcohol. Filling to 2/3 capacity will probably be enough. ATF is a high detergent oil that will clean things up inside, diesel will wash it down, and the alcohol will absorb any remaining moisture left in there.
Drain transmission and refill with mix. Drive around for 10 minutes or so to let it clean things up then immediately drain. Might pour an extra gallon of diesel through for a final washout. Then refill with proper fluid.
This is a picture of inside the differential/transmission of my little Farmall 140 that the oil looked like a yellow milkshake when I drained it. You can see how well it worked to clean it up. Debris in the bottom is from a bearing on the PTO I had to replace, mopped that out with a shop rag.
I first used this mix 15 or so years ago to clean up the trans./differential on an old Case backhoe and the results were the same. Pricier to do now than it was for the old backhoe as it held 5 gallons, and the little Farmall only holds a gallon, but well worth it to me.
If your tractor sets outside, cover the shifters with a small tarp, or even a 5 gallon bucket upside down, anything to keep rainwater from running down the shifters into the transmission.
A good mix to clean is a 50/50 mix of ATF and diesel, plus 1 quart of rubbing alcohol. Filling to 2/3 capacity will probably be enough. ATF is a high detergent oil that will clean things up inside, diesel will wash it down, and the alcohol will absorb any remaining moisture left in there.
Drain transmission and refill with mix. Drive around for 10 minutes or so to let it clean things up then immediately drain. Might pour an extra gallon of diesel through for a final washout. Then refill with proper fluid.
This is a picture of inside the differential/transmission of my little Farmall 140 that the oil looked like a yellow milkshake when I drained it. You can see how well it worked to clean it up. Debris in the bottom is from a bearing on the PTO I had to replace, mopped that out with a shop rag.
I first used this mix 15 or so years ago to clean up the trans./differential on an old Case backhoe and the results were the same. Pricier to do now than it was for the old backhoe as it held 5 gallons, and the little Farmall only holds a gallon, but well worth it to me.
If your tractor sets outside, cover the shifters with a small tarp, or even a 5 gallon bucket upside down, anything to keep rainwater from running down the shifters into the transmission.
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John0829
Veteran Member
Doing this will only make it easier for moisture laden air to enter the housing. DJ54 has it right that the water is most likely coming around the shift boot and covering the tractor will help to prevent that. A tarp to cover the shifter and operator station is the best way to prevent this, any normal condensation will be removed when the tractor is worked at operating temp for awhile.
My Ford is parked inside and is used for short runs in winter (prime time for condensation) but worked for hours in warmer weather and the oil shows no signs moisture after 200 hours of use.
if your machine dosnt have wet clutches, wet brakes or HST then get the cheapest hyd fluid you can find for a flush.
I had a old Ford 851 that would get so much water in the trans that it wouldnt move below freezing. Believe it or not the water and oil would separate if parked for months and I could just drain the water off the bottom.
I had a old Ford 851 that would get so much water in the trans that it wouldnt move below freezing. Believe it or not the water and oil would separate if parked for months and I could just drain the water off the bottom.
