JD 4300 hydraulic screen clogged over and over

[john_5657]

Hello

I have a JD 4300 which doesnt get used much. Problem is the hydraulic screen keeps getting clogged with a grayish sludge. This has happened a half dozen times. I bought new fluid screen and filter. Will change it all. But i have done this before and it didnt help anyone know what this stuff is and why its there. It is not metal particles its a softer sludge. The magnatized drain plug never had any metal particles on it.

Thanks for help

 

[mostly_gas]

My Ford 1700 had the same problem. I was able to reach into the hydraulic sump and remove enough of the sludge the problem went away.

 

[beenthere]

john
Is the screen you speak of the cylinder-like tube screen in the front of the tranny by the hyd. filter?

How many hours on the 4300?

What hyd. attachments do you operate off this 4300?

 

[arrabil]

Grease or water mixing with the hydraulic fluid is what comes to mind.

Or maybe engine oil? I'm not sure if the rear main seal could leak into the HST tranny but it might be possible. Don't know why oil would turn into a sludge when mixed with another oil but I'd check the engine oil level anyway.

I'd also check if you're losing coolant from the tank and radiator to eliminate that as a possibility.

Do you store it outside?

 

[dfkrug]

Interesting. My money is on water getting into the hyd oil somehow,
as ARRABIL says.

If it were engine oil, then it would mix and only change the color, IMO.

The only place that engine oil can get in is thru the hydraulic pumps
up on the left front of the engine. The rear main seal won't let oil into
the hyd sump because there is a huge bottom opening just to the rear
of the engine.

I suppose if antifreeze got into the engine oil AND one of the pumps failed
drastically, that could happen. You would see other Bad Symptoms
if that happened, however.

There must have been a water incursion that fouled all 10 gallons of hyd
oil, and all new oil and filters should fix that.

 

[arrabil]

There must have been a water incursion that fouled all 10 gallons of hyd
oil, and all new oil and filters should fix that.

Completely agree. Though if that much water got in there, and it keeps happening over and over, there must be an opening through which rain is entering.

The only reason I started looking for other possibilities is that the OP is saying the filter is clogged. I've never found water-fouled oil to be so thick as to prevent it from passing through that screen filter. Then again, our definitions of clogged may be different.

 

[john_5657]

The machine only has 250 hours on it. I believe its a 2002. It sits a lot, but when we need it..it hasn't been reliable. It has the 420 loader on it and we use the 3 point hitch with various attachments..finishing mower, plow, brush hog ect. It does sit outside exposed to the elements except during the winter we bring it inside. The oil is contaminitated I will try to take pictures and post them when I do the change. I would like to drain all the oil out, but don't know how I could get it out of all the lines. Is it a bad idea to start it up for 30 secs with the fluid drained to try to get some of the fluid out of the lines out? I wouldn't run it very long because I dont want the pump to go dry. Is there a breather tube somewhere for the hyd system? If so where is it? Where could water possible get in? This is realy frustrating the tractor has been barely used the last 8 years and we keep having this problem. As I said before I will try to take pictures.. Thanks for your help.

 

[beenthere]

I'd just do two oil changes and figure it would get most of the contamination out. I wouldn't run it without oil (that is me anyway).

Then I'd figure out how to take care of it better than it has been cared for over the last 8 years.

Or sell it and rent when needed.

Parts of this story don't fit together very well. "screen contaminated a half dozen times when only 250 hours" seems like a lot of oil changes. I've made one tranny change at about the first 50 hours. Due for the second one at 500 hours. Are you sure about the history of the tractor, and are you careful to not be power washing this one often?

 

[E/S]

Don't run the hydraulic pump dry !
Since this is a repeat problem, take a sample and have it tested. That way you will know what is in there and then fix it.

E/S

 

[john_5657]

I'd just do two oil changes and figure it would get most of the contamination out. I wouldn't run it without oil (that is me anyway).

Then I'd figure out how to take care of it better than it has been cared for over the last 8 years.

Or sell it and rent when needed.

Parts of this story don't fit together very well. "screen contaminated a half dozen times when only 250 hours" seems like a lot of oil changes. I've made one tranny change at about the first 50 hours. Due for the second one at 500 hours. Are you sure about the history of the tractor, and are you careful to not be power washing this one often?

We have done all of the scheduled maintenence how could I take care of it better? It is actually my dad's tractor. He always wanted one and finally could afford one. In some ways its more of a toy than a neccesity. I dont think renting is an option. Altough he is close to trading it in for a Kabota. My dad bought it brand new and we used the finishing mower to cut approx 2 acres of grass regularly. But then bought a zero turn tractor and now use that for grass because its faster and easier so the tractor has been used less the past 3 years which is when the problems started occuring. We do not power wash it. It never has been in deep mud. We hand wash it from time to time but it has had this problem without a washing. I will check for the breather tube. If anyone knows exactly where it is on the 4300 it is appreciated. I think I'm going to buy the service manual hopefully its well written and reasonable. Also the low viscosity HY gurd hyd oil is expensive. I will pay for two changes if I knew it would fix it but I think they want 20 dollars a gallon. sytem takes 10 gallons = 200 dollars X 2 = $400
Is there an apporved alternate oil other than JD brand?