The importance of knowing how much you have drained out

[beowulf]

I added some John Deere red hydraulic dye to my crystal clear super UDT2 in my Kubota. Hate that dam sight glass. Could never tell if it was over or under the whole glass. Heck you could barely see a line with the crystal clear fluid when it was mid glass. The JD dye made it nice & pink now so I can see it now.

Thanks for the information. I looked for a hydraulic dye from Kubota but finding none, I ordered the dye from John Deere. The product is MT3668 if anyone is interested. $5.07 per bottle and apparently one bottle is enough. Finally, and hopefully, I will have confidence in my ability to read the sight glass.

 

[nybirdman]

Thanks for the information. I looked for a hydraulic dye from Kubota but finding none, I ordered the dye from John Deere. The product is MT3668 if anyone is interested. $5.07 per bottle and apparently one bottle is enough. Finally, and hopefully, I will have confidence in my ability to read the sight glass.

I used the JD dye in my Kubota;the Tech who serviced it thought I had put automotive transmission fluid in it.So be sure and tell them if you bring it in for any service.The dye sure makes it easier to see.

 

[drizler]

Yup, that's where my for the sight glass went right out the window. You can't screw up a dip stick but that sight glass holds onto the goldfish tint long enough to make it damned hard to decide if you're not there yet or gone past. ��

 

[Texasmark]

Some owner's/service manuals caution you that the published amount is not necessarily the refill amount due to baffles and such in the engine which can trap oil as you realized. I read that in one recently but forget for the moment which manual I was looking at. One thing that needs considering is checking the level before you drain. Possibly the level was not on the full mark meaning that you had some evaporation/leakage/usage plus entrapment to consider on refill. Stopping part way, checking, and then topping of is what I usually do or just mark on the machine, when, with what, and how much when I service.

 

[DEWFPO]

To me, oil with "dye" in it and a sight glass are the most accurate way to measure fluid levels.

DEWFPO

 

[beowulf]

To me, oil with "dye" in it and a sight glass are the most accurate way to measure fluid levels.

DEWFPO

I finally added the dye and it made a world of difference. . . now I can see what the sight glass is supposed to show me.

 

[RNeumann]

The amount in the manual is typically the amount needed when the system is new and or dry. The "rest" of the fluid is in rams, HST internals etc. 8-9 gallons is about right for all practical purposes.

This is why in an auto trans fluid change you are only changing about 2/3 of the fluid. The rest is in torque converter etc.

 

[clemsonfor]

so with the sight glass there is no dip stick??!! I guess that makes sense as your suppose to just look. Is it just the like 1" stupid fish eye bubble or is it like the tubes I see on equiptment that is longer so you can see more than just when its close to the right level

 

[drizler]

so with the sight glass there is no dip stick??!! I guess that makes sense as your suppose to just look. Is it just the like 1" stupid fish eye bubble or is it like the tubes I see on equiptment that is longer so you can see more than just when its close to the right level

Massey is more like 1/2" and nicely hidden when the backhoe is on��

 

[Fallon]

My old Kubota L3200 had just the sight glass under the driver side step. Window was 3/4" or so. With crystal clear fluid you had no clue if it was above or below that window. He'll as clear as it was you could barely tell if it was in the middle of that window. Red dye made that so much easier.

The new L4060 has a dipstick on the back. Can still barely see the crystal clear fluid on it, but the holes trap fluid so you can see, or put it on paper & it wets the paper. May or may not dump in the rest of my dye on the new machine. Probably after the first service.