I have a 2004 L48TLB HST. South Texas summer temps are normally 100 degrees plus. What would be the best Trans/Hyd fluid for such high temps. Thanks
South Texas summer temps.
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85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
This past winter I put sudt2 in my L48TLB, worked fine till summer got here. 100+ amb. temps it lost a lot of power. Went to my my semi local Kubota dealer which is 60 miles away an bought standard UDT. The dealership doesn't stock sudt2 due to our local temps, and the issues the customers were having with it during the summer. Just ran my L48 with UDT and everything is back to normal, of course it is only 99 degrees right now.
That would be a good question to pose to the Kubota engineers if you can get a hold of someone knowledgeable. Sometimes dealers don't stock something for other reasons, just sayin...but if there is a difference between the two oils at high temperatures it should be in the manuals for the owners.
I have spoken directly with the engineers. Well actually with their translators since the engineers are Japanese.
SUDT2 is put in the tractors from the factory because it is specifically designed for large temperature swings. From -20 to over 200 (Fahrenheit) it was tested against other fluids and found to work as well or better. It should be. It was specifically made for Kubota by Idunnowho. They told me who actually makes it but I can't think of it off the top of my head. It's not a common name. But they went on to say that it's the only fluid that they'll recommend due to their proprietary formulations.
Hydraulic fluid should not get much more than 100° over ambient. So 220°F max sustained for most of us, unless you're in death valley. Most everyone I've talked to stated that if you live in hot climates, it's always adviseable to change the fluid more often than the books say-particularly if you're using the equipment fairly often. This was an issue with the old ZD25 and ZD28 mowers, specifically the HST's.
SUDT2 is put in the tractors from the factory because it is specifically designed for large temperature swings. From -20 to over 200 (Fahrenheit) it was tested against other fluids and found to work as well or better. It should be. It was specifically made for Kubota by Idunnowho. They told me who actually makes it but I can't think of it off the top of my head. It's not a common name. But they went on to say that it's the only fluid that they'll recommend due to their proprietary formulations.
Hydraulic fluid should not get much more than 100° over ambient. So 220°F max sustained for most of us, unless you're in death valley. Most everyone I've talked to stated that if you live in hot climates, it's always adviseable to change the fluid more often than the books say-particularly if you're using the equipment fairly often. This was an issue with the old ZD25 and ZD28 mowers, specifically the HST's.
I'd be curious about what's really going on with this. SUDT2 should handle heat way better than regular UDT fluid.
BAP
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Sounds like there is something else going on. Is the radiator and oil cooler good and clean. Sounds like something is overheating.
My post was just a FYI of my experience, coolant temp. normal, radiator and oil cooler clean, ref. engineers I spent 33.5 years at a lignite fired power plant, dealt with engineers on a regular basis. I would say they got it right about half the time.
Very strange. The SUDT2 should perform much better in the heat. I use Amsoil synthetic in mine and run them hard all summer. My temps are much cooler than they were will standard fluid.