Mahindra 2545 on sand

[pripyat]

I wonder if the dealer made up the hyd fluid that went into the loader cylinders and loader plumbing. Pls cycle your loader and then check fluid with it elevated to 1/2 height, level bucket. It should be at, or a little above full.

WHYYYYY

I did what you said, and there is no hydraulic fluid in the sight glass. That may explain the issue with the curl. I just hope I haven't torn anything up or prematurely worn something due to the low fluid level. When I was checking fluids the other day I couldn't tell if the sight glass was overly filled or empty. I haven't had the tractor on level ground since I bought it, I contributed the fact that it wasn't half-way in the sight glass due to it being unlevel. I mean, I did just pick the thing up from the dealer and I'm 100% sure there are no hydraulic leaks - I go under the tractor every time I run it to grease the axles.

I'm really kicking myself for being so neglectful to the machine. Sigh.

I guess I'll top it off with whatever they sell at the local store and swap it all out to the correct level in another 20 hours of use. I'm interested to see how much it takes.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Make sure it is universal tractor transmission/hydraulic fluid. Standard hydraulic fluid does not contain the extreme pressure additives needed for gears. 5 Gal is about $40 at TSC . . . I doubt theres any damage. "Air" in the lines is not the same as running dry by a long shot. If I found it to be significantly low tho Id be pissed at the dealer. He definitely owes you a top up at minimum.

 

[3gunr]

My 2538 willhave a floppy bucket if i dont jiggle the loader control a little as soon as i do it stiffens up. You really should be back dragging with the bottom of the bucket flat on the ground. Also a 2500 dollar ztr is a toy meant for very small acreages. Look at agri supplys finish mowers.

 

[pripyat]

GL4 80W-90 would work, correct?

 

[SPYDERLK]

GL4 80W-90 would work, correct?

Yes. I dont know the advisability of mixing with UTF tho.

 

[pripyat]

I sourced some hydraulic fluid. The tractor was on a slight decline, where I usually park it. Can't be more than 1 or 2 degrees. It took three quarts to fill to the fill mark in the center of the sight glass, with the loader level and on the ground. I drove it 5 minutes, cycled the cylinders several times, and checked again but on level ground. I didn't pay any attention to where the loader was positioned. Oil was over the sight glass and cloudy with bubbles.

I ran the tractor for another hour and kept cycling all the cylinders every 5 or 10 minutes. Put the tractor back in its parking spot, loader level on ground, and checked again. Fluid was barely to the sight glass and wasn't cloudy like it was previously.

My take on all that is that it was low and there was definitely air in cylinders. I was freaking out thinking that I had destroyed my hyd pump but I don't think it was actually that low. Tomorrow I plan to find some level ground, cycle cylinders, lift bucket half way, and report back where the level is. I suspect it will be low still.

[edit] I found out why the bucket rattles so much. It appears to be in the pins. There seems to be several degrees of slop in the linkage near the bucket. Makes me wonder if they installed the wrong pins or something, I would have expected it to be tight with it basically being brand new. I made a (poor) video, it was dark, but you guys may be able to see what is going on and advise.

 

[pripyat]

Wait, now i'm confused.. the chart in the manual states:
Transmission Case: 9.25gal gear oil 80W.
Final Drive Case: 2.17gal UTF.

Where is the final drive case? In the section on changing fluids it only mentions the transmission. And on the fluids pictorial diagram final drive case isnt shown, either.

I actually thought transmission fluid was shared with the hydraulics from skimming the manual.

[Edit] For clarification I added gl4 80w90 to the transmission as per the manual describes (at rear of tractor). I planned on ordering the 80W in bulk and doing the 50hr swap for transmission fluid early since I added some and potentially mixed fluids which I know is not recommended.

 

[pripyat]

To add to the trainwreck this thread has become, here are the items in question out the manual. I wonder why you use the dipstick to check tranny fluid level if there is a sight glass?

 

[SPYDERLK]

I dont know which part of your manual to tell you to either ignore or interpret in some non intuitive fashion. That sight window looks way too low. Does it agree with the dipstick??

Final drives may refer to front. Does yours have planetary gear reduction out at the hubs? Those and the center differential fill separately.

Have you checked structural bolting yet?

 

[pripyat]

I did, structurally the loader is secured well.

I am beyond confused. The manual clearly states 80w in transmission. I just watched a guy do his 50hr service on youtube and he pumped it full of hydraulic fluid which is basically 10w-30.

Is there a separate sump for the hydraulic fluid? I'm about to go look at the tractor shortly. The manual doesnt seem to mention it..