JDM J20C substitute

[D Reed]

How important is it to run the JD hydraulic fluid . I'm out of warranty , There must be something else that is equivalent.

Thanks

Drew

 

[Bigfoot62]

Mobil 424. Meets all major tractor manufacturers' specs. I buy it from the local fuel supplier. Good fluid. :thumbsup:

Here's a discussion about it:
Anyone using Mobilfluid 424? - TractorByNet.com

 

[IceStationZebra]

It should go without saying - Don't substitute something like engine oil or ATF!

It doesn't have to be JD branded oil, but it should meet their specs. This is a common oil and should be easy to find. Almost every farm/construction equipment dealer, NAPA store, oil retailer and farm store will sell hydraulic oil that meet the minimum requirements, just read the label.

Two other major oil spec's that are very very similar are CAT TO-2 and CNH Hytran. Also you should be aware that Deere markets J20 under the Hy-Gard name.

ISZ

 

[dfkrug]

How important is it to run the JD hydraulic fluid . I'm out of warranty , There must be something else that is equivalent.

Also you may try Chevron 1000 THF, or Conoco 76 TracTran, or even
Kubota UDT. Whatever the least expensive tractor-hyd-fluid that lists
J20C equivalent on its label. I have bought lots of all these fluids and
they look and smell the same. Some Kubota dealers sell the UDT in
5-gal bkts at very competitive prices BTW. Not so with JD, or Bobcat,
that I have seen anyway.

 

[Texasmark]

TSC Premium multifunction fluid is rated for JM 20 A, b, and C, along with a couple dozen other current OEM's requirements. Warren Distribution company sells private label petroleum products across the USA. Who knows, they may even have some JD jugs that they fill.

 

[Texasmark]

For what it's worth. I changed fluids in my '60s vintage Fords today. Used a hyd-tranny rated for JD 303 and Ford 134 A and B to name a couple of OEMs. I ran out before finishing and topped off with some TSC Premium made for current wet brakes and all that somewhat new stuff JM 20C and other OEMs rated. Other than being orange in color it was much lower in viscosity and seemed to be refined more as it was more transparent.

So what'd this buy you? Dunno! Just thought I'd throw it out there. Kinda pointed towards what's the difference in all this "gotta have" this oil and that oil these days. Well there IS some difference in appearance and surely in performance. Now is there that much difference in HyGuard and Hytrans and Eskimo poo and all those others????? Dunno on that either. Might ask Warren Mfgr. Co.

One thing I did notice. At the bottom of the yellow buckets which contained the oil spec'd for when my Fords were built, were some brownish deposits. I guess that's additives that settled out with the tubs sitting on the floor waiting for someone to buy them. So I shook the bucket real good and got the last drop out with the additives. On the TSC oil I couldn't tell because the container is black!

 

[dfkrug]

At the bottom of the yellow buckets which contained the oil spec'd for when my Fords
were built, were some brownish deposits.

I see those deposits at the bottom of the buckets for all the brands I buy.

I am now buying Service Pro Brand Tractor-Hyd-Fluid, which I get from my oil distributor, and is a bit
less than the Conoco they also sell. The Service Pro Brand lists Hygard J20C equivalence on the label
also with more than a dozen others. It is also sold at NAPA stores. I imagine this is similar to the
TSC Premium.

In CA, I am paying about $56 out the door for 5 gal, and that includes 9% sales tax and some
environmental fee.

 

[Texasmark]

It's about that here. The thing I have noticed with most of these "period" oils is the word Premium. Taking JD for example, the Premium will cover the JM20C while the buckets labeled with just hyd-trans fluid is for the '60's and on which is 20A and 303 and on Ford 134 A. The 303 marked buckets I got at WM clearly state on the rear that the oil is not intended for current production multi function machines. It lists no specs on the rear. The stuff I buy from auto parts jobbers list what it "supposedly" meets.