IH 254 front axle gear oil change

[Steve254]

Today i am changing the gear oil in my IH 254.
Following the directions, I removed the (3)drain plugs (diff and (1)ea side), (2)oil level plugs (1 ea side) and (2)fill plugs (top of axle) and drained all the oil.
I reinstalled (3) drain plugs and was adding new oil thinking I would add oil until it was coming out of the fill plugs on ea gearbox.
However, I added a gallon of new oil to the fill plugs but no new oil came out of the fill plugs. I can't add any more to the fill plugs as the oil starts to overflow the fill holes.
I did drive it for about 100 yards to see if that helped.
Still the same. Axle appears to be full, but nothing coming out of the fill holes.

I'm stumped!
Any suggestions from you guys?
Thanks!

 

[BackRoad]

Mr. Steve, if I understand your situation correctly, the plugs marked #6 are your "Level" plugs. The intent is for oil to be added through the top fill holes until oil starts to flow out of the level plug holes.

I suspect in your case, the oil has been over filled if it's coming out of the top holes.

So leave your bottom drain plugs in. Remove the "level" plugs (#6 on the diagram) and let the excess oil drain from the level plug holes.

Once it stops draining from the level hole, you have achieved the proper amount of oil in the unit.

Do this for both sides.

 

[Steve254]

BackRoad,
What you describe is what i envisioned happening.
All bottom plugs "in".
Both "level" plugs left "out".
It just that when I filled the 2 fill holes on top of the axle nothing came out of the "level" holes before the top fill holes overflowed.

Strange......

 

[loggin]

BackRoad,
What you describe is what i envisioned happening.
All bottom plugs "in".
Both "level" plugs left "out".
It just that when I filled the 2 fill holes on top of the axle nothing came out of the "level" holes before the top fill holes overflowed.

Strange......

From the looks of the page from your manual, it seems that the oil has to travel through the hub gear assembly before it can come out at the level holes. If you are using gear oil, such as 80w90, this can take some time for it to make it through the smaller passage ways. Therefore I would personally let the tractor sit overnight so that the oil can make its way to the level holes and drain out till it stops to achieve the correct level.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Rustyiron]

On your 2 bevel gearboxes they are filled individually usually to the fill hole. The differential oil level needs to be "high enough" to lube the pinion gear (driveshaft).
The two #3 fill plugs seem awfully "high", but no other plug for a full level seems to be there.
How much oil did you drain out?
Something seems odd with the center section. Oil will expand with heating and I've never seen a vent on a front tractor axle.

 

[Steve254]

I used 85-140.
Just using what owners manual specified.
I hope to have time on Tues to check level, since it's been sitting awhile.

I did put a gallon in but visually the volume of the oil I took out seems to be more than a gallon.
Not exactly sure how much more. Maybe 5 qts? maybe a little more.

 

[Steve254]

Cool heads have finally prevailed and panic mode is over.....
After sitting for awhile the axle was not as full as I originally thought.
The overflowing out the fill holes was the result of trying to add too much too fast out of a gallon jug with a funnel.
i proceeded to add more to the fill hole using a quart container of oil.
i could only add about 2 tablespoons at a time, letting the oil level out.
Took me about an hour to do this but eventually the oil was weeping out of the level holes.
Lesson learned. Be patient.

 

[big bubba]

after several hrs use once changed, check the axle level again once the gear oil has settled

 

[Steve254]

Good point. Will do.

 

[repete]

On your 2 bevel gearboxes they are filled individually usually to the fill hole. The differential oil level needs to be "high enough" to lube the pinion gear (driveshaft).
The two #3 fill plugs seem awfully "high", but no other plug for a full level seems to be there.
How much oil did you drain out?
Something seems odd with the center section. Oil will expand with heating and I've never seen a vent on a front tractor axle.

I installed a vent on my L2550DT front axle and ran a tube up into the engine compartment.