Water in Hydraulic fluid

Rob30 · #1 01/09/07, 08:33 PM

My DB 880 selectomatic keeps getting water in the hydraulic fluid/tranny fluid. I figure it is going in through the gear shift boots.
I am trying to flush out the water. With out disassembling everything. I am wondering what I should do. The owners manual states the tranny takes conventional oil. 20W40 I think. However I have a loader on the tractor. I run TDH hydraulic transmission fluid. A tractor mechanic recomended it. Can I run a couple pails of 20W40 through it to flush it out? It is cheaper to buy. Some one also told me to run regular transmission fluid, it flows better, doesn't freeze as easy. Right now I have to put a heat lamp under the trans to thaw the tranny before using the tractor.

agmantoo · #2 01/09/07, 08:43 PM

I used to look after a bank of vacuum pumps that were prone to suck moisture into the crankcase during their use in a plating process. We just removed the oil at the end of each shift and placed the oil on the back of large hot plates that were also part of the manufacturing process and boiled the water off and reused the oil. We did this moisture removal each day and changed to new oil monthly. I never observed any problems with the vacuum pumps and they were operated 24/7.

ace admirer · #3 01/09/07, 09:44 PM

hmmmm, i would go with universal tractor gear oil. motor oil is best used in the crankcase,,,,not so good for high shear and high pressure areas.

**fordson major** · #4 01/10/07, 07:55 AM

rob does yours have an auxilury filter on the top of the trany? does help with the water building up. water also gets in via the brake lever seal. even shedded they seem too build up water.

js2743 · #5 01/10/07, 10:53 AM

its called condensation. thats where the water is coming from

ace admirer · #6 01/10/07, 05:59 PM

it certainly COULD be condensation but great amounts of water usually is a cracked or harden boot or maybe even a missing bolt or loose access plate on the DB's,,,,,one problem is alot of us use a tractor for a few minutes every day,...the transfluid doesn't get hot enough to evaporate the water. so in a case like that, condensation could build up to extreams...

here the concern is that DB's are rock solid but the hydraulic system was designed by someone that did not understand how aggresive farm conditions can be...they are prone to failure from water/rust particles, and very small amounts of dirt. and are probably some of the most complicated systems EVER put in a 3 pt system. 9 out of 10 db's for sale have "3pt doesn't work" in the add.

**Ross** · #7 01/10/07, 08:43 PM

True and usually it's not a very complicated fix to get the hydraulics working again. The 60hp and up had a better system. Rob I'd use the heavier oil as a flush but getting it good and hot from a days work would help. I can't see why dexron would hurt, except it is lighter and may not stick to the gears quite as well.

Rob30 · #8 01/11/07, 04:36 PM

This has been an ongoing problem. I did notice the problem disappeared during hay season. But I was using the tractor 5-6 hrs a day for 4 weeks strait.
During winter I only use it for clearing the driveway, or moving a bale or two of hay every 4 days.
I guess I will put in the Hydraulic tranny fluid since I already have it.
Ross I do have the filter on top beside the seat.
I keep the tractor shedde in winter, and cover the gear shifts the rest of the year.

Runners · #9 01/11/07, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ace admirer

hmmmm, i would go with universal tractor gear oil. motor oil is best used in the crankcase,,,,not so good for high shear and high pressure areas.

Agreed. I thought so much of Mobil 1, it made everything run so darn good, I decided to try 20w50 in the gearcase of my 1985 5-speed Ford Ranger Pickup. Then me and a friend headed from Wisconsin down for Florida to pickup up another truck/trailer & car. About 1/2 way there the over-drive started whining really bad. We lost it a short time later... along with 1st gear, 2nd gear was sounding pretty bad too! About 3am in the morning, I drained the oil at a truck stop and put in 80w90 gear lube.

The old oil was gray with metal - and a few chunks of bearing debris to boot. It sounded terrible, but we managed to get there using 4th gear.

Upon taking the tranny apart, I realized 4th gear was direct drive - straight through the transmission, but everything other gear that went through the idler was shot because the bearings were gone. The thing was just flopping around in the case.

Then I remembered.... what I was told, and didn't pay attention... Engine oil is suppose to have additives to keep dirt and gunk in suspension so the filter could pick it up. With no filter (or oil pump) in the tranny, the stuff was like metal sanding grit all over the gears & bearings.

$250 later and a bone yard that took pity on my pathetic situation, I got it going again... with gear lube this time! Some of us are/were too stupid to listen to common sense or read owners manuals.