I think I SMELL hydraulic fluid!

Anonymous Poster · Aug 27, 2002

Hi,

I have a Kubot B2910. Only 20 hours on it so far. Only two weeks old. most of those hours have been loader/backhoe.

When using the loader, and occasionally hearing the pressure releaf valve activate, I can smell hydraulic fluid. Or atleast I think I do. So I probably do.

Is this normal? I dont' notice a drop in the fluid level. I don't think there is a leak that I am smelling.

This tractor newbie is curious!

Thank for any input you may have.

Bill...not that far from the Pgh, PA city limits...

Von · Aug 27, 2002

My guess is that it is coming from the breather tube, which is right under the seat. I have smelled it once in a while when working the tractor hard on warm days. Its nothing to worry about, so have fun with your new tractor.

Turfman · Aug 27, 2002

Is it a very sweet smell? I've smelled that a bit and always wondered what it was. Make's me think it is overheating and I check the temp gauge, but it is alway ok. The coolant is up as is the hydraulic fluid. I wondered if the smell was hydraulic fluid from the relief valve releasing.

Kodiak · Aug 28, 2002

Check your powersteering reservour cap also. Rememember your new tractor only has twenty hours on it. It may still be the paint on the engine finding its final baked on point.

Anonymous Poster · Aug 28, 2002

Hi,

Turfman askes if the smeel is sweet...

I guess you could call it that. Suppose I should take a sniff of my hydraulic fluid dip stick. Will try that this morning.

Don't think it is the smell of heated new paint. Also will take a look at the power steering, as suggested by Kodiak

This is something I only have smelled occasionally, perhaps once per hour, so I am comfortable that it is probably coming from the hydraulic fluid tank vent, since others have also noticed the same thing.

Bill

cstocks · Aug 28, 2002

Bill,

I smell it too sometimes when I am using the FEL and mostly when it is under a load. I did actually find a leak one time but that was because a stick had poked under the side panel and loosened a hydraulic hose near a hose clamp. I fixed the leak and have never found any other hydraulic leaks. I smell that "sweet"smell from time to time so I just keep a close eye on the hoses and such and have accepted that the hydraulic smell is a normal part of operating the FEL.

GSS · Aug 28, 2002

Hydro is definitely a sweet-type of smell and like no other fluid in the tractors. I should know. I have had my hydraulic fluid contact. I changed all 20 gallons of it in my old IH656 Hydro and probably got about 5 of them on the floor of the barn. Rebuilt two of the loader cylinders and got it all over me. And later, I broke two cylinder hose fittings as I was raising the loader which proceeded to, with the help of a decent head wind, spray Hy-Tran all over me and the tractor. Luckily, I can't speak to its taste...

Bill, I can't tell you why you are smelling it. I just know that I smell it and I'm not even near my tractor!

- G

Ozarker · Aug 28, 2002

If you don't see smoke and the temp remains in range, nothing at all to worry about. Oil, just like any other fluid, evaporates as it heats up and you are smelling the vapors of that evaporation as you heat the oil by working it. The hotter it gets, the stronger the smell.

frank_f15 · Aug 28, 2002

really don't belive u have a problem, a lesk of any sort would show up post haste, there are days when i smell things i normally don't and days when i hear things i normally don't, but after checking out machine it is nothing! just one of those things, but it is good that you are attuned to any thing strange. always check it out.