Water in Hydraulic system

Farmboy7 · Jun 20, 2020

New topic guys. My M4900 w/LA 1002 FEL is having a water in the hydraulics & leak problem. I changed everything out, bled my lines and all was well until it spent one night uncovered which shouldn't be an issue but then I cleaned off the control box for the loader since that was where the leak was, to "see" the issue. I rinsed it off for 45 seconds, checked the dipstick and the water was literally flowing out of the dipstick hole. A LOT OF WATER AND THEN FLUID. WHERE IS IT COMING FROM. ACCORDING TO MY KUBOTA DEALER MY TRACTOR DOESN'T HAVE AN OIL COOLER so no infiltration there. Any ideas ?????

hosspuller · Jun 20, 2020

Gear shift boot and any control rods. The water has to be entering the transmission. if it's like many other tractors. It's the hydraulic reservoir.

zzvyb6 · Jun 20, 2020

There are a number of dye additives that will not affect the hydraulic system. Red, blue, purple, green and probably a few others. Spray bottle some of 1 color at a time around lines, vents, tank, and valve, and maybe see what shows up.

hosspuller · Jun 21, 2020

There something strange going on... Water then oil.?? out of a dipstick ?? usually it's the other way... since oil floats on water. A drain plug, yes, water then oil but that's a bottom outlet.

zzvyb6 · Jun 21, 2020

Hydraulic oil is usually different. Water is miscible in it. Brake fluid (also hydraulic oil) also. If you leave the cap off of your brake master cylinder, the chamber will overflow as water from the moisture in the air joins up with the oil. Sometimes you can heat up hydraulic oil enough to evaporate the water out.

BTW: that's why some hydraulic systems stop working because owners put in petral based oil instead of "the other kind".