LX2610 50hr shop vac question

[mrrlyoung]

People use a shop vac to create suction so that they can, for example, change out an oil drain plug without having to drain the oil first. One filter gushes hydraulic oil on the lX2610 when it's change and people have suggested using the shop vac trick to minimize oil loss. Many videos show the vac hose fitting tightly in the fill port, but some say to leave a gap so that it's not real tight. Tight would create more suction, but 'might' suck up oil? I'm kinda thinking it won't, but wonder if anyone has any real world experience that would bear on the 'tight or not-so-tight question?
Thanks

 

[chim]

It worked for me. Unless you stuff the hose deep enough to get into the oil, no problem. Not much suction is needed to keep the oil in the tractor.

 

[Rcflyer330]

On my b2650 (previous gen to the lx2610 but basicly the same machine) I tried the vac trick with a gap and it sucked fluid into the vacuum. This was with a flex battery powered portable vacuum on low power. It did work to keep oil from making a mess but I also spent the next week cleaning the oil out of the vacuum hose.

The first time I did the filters was without a vacuum I just plugged the vent hose and lost just over a quart of fluid. I also fumbled around with the new filter a little bit so that didn't help.

Next time my plan is to loosen the old filter just enough to be able to unscrew it by hand. Then with one hand unscrew the old filter and with new filter in the other hand quickly get it on as fast a possible.

 

[Russell King]

Physics says it needs to build a low pressure above the oil so it won’t drain. That means the tube needs to be above the oil and fairly tight in the opening. It will suck some air through the vent.

I would get the filter loosened before turning on the vacuum. Then it will start sucking air through the oil through the filter opening.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Physics says it needs to build a low pressure above the oil so it won’t drain. That means the tube needs to be above the oil and fairly tight in the opening. It will suck some air through the vent.

I would get the filter loosened before turning on the vacuum. Then it will start sucking air through the oil through the filter opening.

And what about that breather vent? If it is un-pinched (open) doesn't that mean it will reduce suction at the filter port? Good? Bad?

 

[Russell King]

the vent will reduce the amount of vacuum that is held but will not allow the vacuum to be so great as to suck up oil into the vacuum. If you can pinch it off it might slow down leakage out the filter port. I don’t know if it would be a significant change or not, it probably depends on how powerful of a vacuum you use.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Sound like there is no one size fits all, but you have to work with your variables, such as vacuum strength, to get it just right.

 

[JasonW]

It’s best to have a helper using this method. The only time my shop vacuum pulled oil into the hose(did not make it into the shop vac itself) was on my ZD331.

 

[William1]

I changed my filter on a steep incline. No fluid loss, BX25D, filter on the front bottom side of the HST

 

[RMS]

I plugged the breather vent and had the new filter ready to go on at 50 and 200 hours, There was a little fluid lost but not too bad. Fortunately my upcoming service is at 400 hours and I will be draining it all.

 

[BBFarmer]

Shop vac works great. In my case, I had a hand hold the shop vac on the filler tube while i quickly blew off my HST filter with my air hammer. Quick and painless.

I reckon you could just tape it on if you were by yourself.

 

[dirtydeed]

I plugged the breather vent and had the new filter ready to go on at 50 and 200 hours, There was a little fluid lost but not too bad. Fortunately my upcoming service is at 400 hours and I will be draining it all.

Ditto. I've tried both methods. Plugging the breather vent works good enough for me.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Re parking on an uphill incline, I did wonder about that. Or raising the front end with the loader or jackstands. But how high?

 

[William1]

Re parking on an uphill incline, I did wonder about that. Or raising the front end with the loader or jackstands. But how high?

I'd not use the loader unless you could jam/lock it in place. Jack stands no where tall enough.,
I think my tractor was close to 45 degrees. Rear wheels on the flat, bottom and the front, way up. The BH swing pivot was in the dirt. I'd not want to of tried to drive up further! I'd guess the height difference front to back was six feet vertical? Steep
But there was zero fluid loss and plenty of room to grab the filter and spin it off. If the filter has never been removed or was possibly put on real tight, break it free (not enough to leak) first, then do what ever trick you want to spin it off.

First filter engine and HST, were very tough to remove, even with a good filter tool. I've finally learned that good and snug is plenty and never need to use a tool to remove spin on filters since.

 

[mrrlyoung]

That's pretty high. Do you have a sense that that height was needed to be effective?

 

[sardillim]

F'n genius !! can't wait until the next service to try it

 

[William1]

That's pretty high. Do you have a sense that that height was needed to be effective?

Nope, I just had the spot on the property. I was comfortable driving up it because it was a sharp angle from the flat (think like a hinge). Approaching the hill and slowly having the front come up was not nerve wracking. A rolling rise probably would not be as safe
I suppose you could look at the filter and guesstimate an angle that might work.
I've a new shop now, steel beam and trolley with winch rated for 10,000 pounds, so next time, I'll hoist it up instead.
A shame the filter is not on top, lift the seat, punch a hole in the top of the filter, let it drain out and spin off. Space, the final frontier.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Thanks for your advice.

 

[old and tired]

Just make sure that your shop-vac is set to vacuum (instead of blowing)... boy was that a frigging mess!!! Sprayed out in a circle, fanning out in all directions... I noticed it within a millisecond and screwed the old filter back on. Lost about a gallon and a half day cleaning up hydraulic oil...

I rigged the hose loose in the fill hole and turned the vac on, remotely so I never notice the direction the air was going before it was too late. Worked super fine the second time I did it!!!!

Might need to change my name to "Old and Tired and Stupid"

 

[Donystoy]

I did the vacuum trick with a small shop vac sealed to the fill opening using plumbing fittings and a rubber ring and nothing else. Worked great.