Help with MF 1020 Hydro Trans / Hyd Fluid Change

jjbyas · Oct 27, 2012

Hello,

New to the forum. Need a little help with a 1990 MF 1020, 4x4 Hydro trans tractor. I need to chance the hydro filters and fluid in the tractor. I can find specs for the filters and get them from Wix. I have a maintenance manual and it doesn't have the specs for the hydraulic fluid. There isn't a MF dealer in my area. Will the hydraulic tractor fluid from the nearest Walmart Work?

Lastly, any tips on changing the fluid. It appears from the manual the hydro trans fluid and hydraulic fluid for the 3-point lift / loader are all together with one drain plug. Thanks for any advice.

John

lambs · Nov 2, 2012

I have a 1010, but I think it's the same fluid. My owner's manual says use Permatran Spec. M-1129A or SAE 80 GL-3 or GL-4, so you can check that spec at WalMart. My I&T manual says your tractor holds 6.9 gallons, but you will not get all of it out. So don't buy quite so much oil; I'd say start with 5 gallons. You could easily need a gallon or more less than the capacity. I think you have to pull the drawbar, lower the 3 pt hitch, and then pull out the drain plug if it's like my tractor. You may need a couple 5 gallon buckets handy. After you refill it with new oil, start the tractor and let it idle for a few minutes, during which time you need to operate all hydraulic controls. Then shut it off, lower the 3 pt again and recheck oil level, add more if needed.

At least that's what my 1010 procedure calls for. I expect yours is the same.

To get as much oil out as I could, raise the front end a little or park on a slope so the oil would drain towards the back of the trans. But you must be able to get a bucket in position to catch the oil, so keep that in mind. Your tractor probably weighs too much, especially if you have loaded tires, but I think I backed the tractor up onto a pair of car ramps, then jacked up the front end and put it on jackstands to get the tractor up in the air and down slightly at the back. But your 1020 may already be high enough to drain well.

Hope that helps a bit.

jjbyas · Nov 9, 2012

Thank you for the reply. Another question should anyone have the info. I have the hydro transmission and it has 2 filters located above the three point on the left side of the tractor. My question is whether they are the same filter/same part number. I can find a filter for the manual transmission model, but having trouble confirming if the hydro transmission model use the same one. I looked in the AGRO parts and it looked as they were two different part number.

lambs · Nov 10, 2012

I doubt they are the same filter due to the variance in pressure requirements, especially considering the different part numbers. And if I were you I would not take a chance on putting on the wrong one. You surely do not want to mess up a hydro pump. My advice is if you cannot cross reference the correct filters, go with an Agco part.

lambs · Nov 10, 2012

Additional note:
I went to NAPA this morning and asked them to look it up. They show only one hydraulic filter in NAPA Gold, the 1174 which could just mean they only stock one of the two filters, or it could mean they are identical. But they also said they could probably cross-match almost any filter, so you may want to jot down the filter numbers currently on your tractor, and take that to a NAPA dealer or check for a cross-reference table on line.

Good luck with it.

jjbyas · Nov 24, 2012

Anyone have any good sources for filters. I have tried searching online without results. Original part numbers are 3438280M1 and 3438130M91 (updated part numbers 72099427 and 72104540). My local sources tell me the filters are no longer available. Needing help.

lambs · Nov 25, 2012

I assume your local source includes an MF dealer; if not, contact the nearest one and ask them. Jack's Small Engines has one of the two, but it's $102. You might also give a call to Shaeffer's Town and Country tractor. These two have had parts for my 1010 in the past that the MF dealer could not get. Shaeffer may be able to look up the equivalent part on other brand names for your tractor, Hinomoto, AC, or Simpicity for example, and find the part on those equivalent model tractors.

If you get one of the two filters, take it to NAPA and get them to try and match it. If it doesn't match the NAPA filter that they list, then the NAPA filter may be the other one you need. Check specs on it if you can though.