Replacing FEL hydraulic fluid/filter on 3500

mrkool · Apr 9, 2007

I've owned this 3500 for about 9 months, and I'm sure the previous owner did some of the maintenance, but he didn't use it that much, and I haven't either, bushhogged 10 acres of flat land and moved dirt and hay bales for a couple days, it's mainly sit in the barn all winter.

In another forum about adding a BH, I posted the problem of having a whining hydraulic noise at med to high RPM's, but the subject got stuck on Power Beyond.

So I decided to have a look at the fluid and filter, now mind you, I'm still in the learning stages of owning this size tractor/loader combo, so, this filter may not be has bad as it looks, but I figure a trained eye or 2 will know the next steps I should take, after FLUSHING and replacing it and the fluid, to get the FEL back to work.

So, what is the best way to flush out the hyd and what should I use, kerosene?

IH3444 · Apr 9, 2007

New filter, and just refill with regular NH134 fluid, or equal replacement fluid.

I would not flush using kerosene, diesel fuel, etc. You may damage internal seals, or O-rings. Then you WILL have major problems.

Make sure you drain all fliuds as much as possible.

You may want to run a few fluid changes, and filers changes before recommended service intervals.

Soundguy · Apr 9, 2007

I see this was posted as tounge-in-cheek.. that filter is so bad the perfed paper casing has 90% disintegrated. Yes.. do flush if you can.. and no.. diesel generally won't hurt the oil/fule rated seals and orings in the system... course.. oil may be cheaper than diesel.. etc.. the way prices are going!!

Soundguy

FULLPULL · Apr 9, 2007

Wheww i think it's time for a replacement also.That dosn't look like the one we have in our 730

mrkool · Apr 9, 2007

So this filter came out of the left FEL tower, and I got 3 small bucket not quite full of hyd fluid, do I need to drain the other tower? any other place I need to disconnect to get all the old fluid out (pump in the front, cylinder lines)?

Also, should the cylinders be all the way in or out? and if they are out and supposed to be in, can I start it up long enough to move the cylinders?

Here's a few more pics:

One is the fluid that came out of the FEL, was wondering if the color is ok,
does a green tint mean anything?

Also, should I repair (or have repaired) this leaking cylinder before I do the flush/filter/fill project, if yes, and I'd like to do it myself, how do I get the end off to replace the bushings?

Then after that, you fine folks can help me rebuild my leaky diesel fuel injector.

Soundguy · Apr 9, 2007

I wouldn't worry as much about the oil as i would about pieces of that disintegrating filter in the system!

Soundguy

DieselPower · Apr 9, 2007

I wouldn't worry about a green tint. Some UTF's are green, some red and other variations of natural oil color.

Sure got their money's worth out of that filter didn't they?

Try to make sure you clean out the bottom of the fluid sump real good. I'm sure some of the desintegrated filter has sunk to the bottom of the system.

FULLPULL · Apr 10, 2007

When we cleaned our's out the filter looked like wood or plastic fiber filter there was no paper element.We raked out the hose partical's and steel braid then cleaned the fiter then in a few day's we cleaned it again.There was alot of stuff work though the second time as well .I would ask the NH mechanic when you go for the replacemant filter if he has any better idea to flush the system.I know oil would be the best to flush it with imo.All this gunk cant be good for the pump or the valve's to operate the loader.Mabe we didnt try enough to clean our's out but the work was done in 1985.As far as moving the cylinder and starting the tractor it should have to have the filter and oil back in it.