New owner question

[otter]

Hi,
Moved my used, but new to me, L3800 HST from the freight forwarder to the railroad yard today for further transport north.
Prior to starting and moving the tractor I did a fluid check and noted no 'fluid line' in the site glass. I added a little UDT at a time and kept checking site level with no change noted. After 2.5 gallons I thought this tractor could not be that low...it was checked out by the dealer prior to shipping and all was reported 'good'. The dealer has been sent an e-mail.
Maybe it was overfilled to start with and the fluid too high and is so clean I could not see 'line' in the site glass?
Could it be that low and still operate?
Have I added to a possible overfilled fluid condition in the hydraulic system and risk a blown seal or damaged pump?
Do I need to dump all the oil and measure how much there is?
This is my first tractor.
Thank you.
This is a great site...have been lurking for a bit but now seek the wise one's advice and recommendations.

 

[85Hokie]

Hi,
Moved my used, but new to me, L3800 HST from the freight forwarder to the railroad yard today for further transport north.
Prior to starting and moving the tractor I did a fluid check and noted no 'fluid line' in the site glass. I added a little UDT at a time and kept checking site level with no change noted. After 2.5 gallons I thought this tractor could not be that low...it was checked out by the dealer prior to shipping and all was reported 'good'. The dealer has been sent an e-mail.
Maybe it was overfilled to start with and the fluid too high and is so clean I could not see 'line' in the site glass?
Could it be that low and still operate?
Have I added to a possible overfilled fluid condition in the hydraulic system and risk a blown seal or damaged pump?
Do I need to dump all the oil and measure how much there is?
This is my first tractor.
Thank you.
This is a great site...have been lurking for a bit but now seek the wise one's advice and recommendations.

Not having a glass site on mine, i think - it is cheap insurance to empty it out and refill with the proper amount! TOO much is worse than a little too little.....
you do NOT want to run it overfilled......
you would know if it was too low too....

empty and refill, even if you use the old oil(filter it if possible) and start over.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Iffn it was me, i would disconnect a hydraulic hose, run tractor and use hydraulic control to pump oil out. Or if it has, couple on to rear hydraulic and pump oil out from there.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Easy fix, set up a clean bucket under the drain plug loosen the plug and while looking at the sight glass pull the plug, when you see the fluid come into view put the plug in and refill slightly till the level comes back to where it should be.

 

[Bluegill]

You're over filled. The fluid is clear and the only thing visible in the site glass is the 'line'. If the tractor isn't on level ground the line doesn't show. Drain most of that back out.

 

[otter]

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO RESPONDED.
I suspected an overfill and will remedy the issue ASAP.

 

[otter]

Ok...got to the rail yard today. Drained out 3+ gallons and put less than 1/2 gallon back in to bring the fluid up to the site glass. When partially drained I could see the site glass background is white. The fluid changes it to an off white.
Good thing I completed the task...the railroad will load the tractor on thursday and ship it to my roadless property next week.
Can not wait to drive it in and put it to use....before the snow builds up.

 

[koja]

Ok...got to the rail yard today. Drained out 3+ gallons and put less than 1/2 gallon back in to bring the fluid up to the site glass. When partially drained I could see the site glass background is white. The fluid changes it to an off white.
Good thing I completed the task...the railroad will load the tractor on thursday and ship it to my roadless property next week.
Can not wait to drive it in and put it to use....before the snow builds up.

Glad you got her going .

 

[Stubbyie]

Simply as a matter of curiosity...

If your property is "roadless", how do you come and go? And provide diesel for yourself, aside from other homeowner needs? Air? Marine? The train you mention?

Sort of a foreign concept to most of us.

I'm at the end of the powerlines in our county, a solid 40-min over poor gravel roads to the next small town, but at least I can get there. Usually. Sounds like you're operating at a different level altogether.

Myself and others would enjoy an insight into your way of living.

 

[otter]

Simply as a matter of curiosity...

If your property is "roadless", how do you come and go? And provide diesel for yourself, aside from other homeowner needs? Air? Marine? The train you mention?

Sort of a foreign concept to most of us.

I'm at the end of the powerlines in our county, a solid 40-min over poor gravel roads to the next small town, but at least I can get there. Usually. Sounds like you're operating at a different level altogether.

Myself and others would enjoy an insight into your way of living.

The property that I am developing is 9 miles north of Talkeetna Alaska.
There is no road you can take from Talkeetna to the land, but there is a 4-wheeler trail that crosses two railroad bridges (45" wide pedestrian pass way).
The trail follows along side the tracks for 5 miles then cross the tracks and gains 90 feet of elevation to go through the forest on an old nodwell trail as far as Chase Alaska, where the railroad has a siding. My property is along that nodwell trail and overlooks the tracks and Susitna river 90 feet below.
At the five mile mark of the trail (rail mile 232) there is a common drop off spot for material and equipment for folks living in the area. The slope is too steep at the property to get anything up it....100% slope type of stuff.
Any materials for cabins, homes, fuel, food, and equipment must be hauled in by wheeler or snowmachine with freight sleds and wagons.
My initial material material load for the main cabin was 25,000 pounds, dropped off by the railroad at 232 and hauled to the building site in 37 loads on freight sleds (winter). There have been many more loads hauled from Talkeetna since then.
Each one way trip takes one hour.
I have solar power with a genorator back-up, haul and collect water and burn wood and coal for heat.
I can lay in bed and see the south side of the Alaska range, including Denali, the highest peak in North America, 90 miles away. You would not believe the northern lights!!
The railroad does operate a 'flag stop' service that will drop off guests who then walk up the bluff.
Because of width and weight restrictions on the pedestrian bridges the railroad must haul my tractor up. They will drop it at the 232 mile mark and I will drive it in to the property.
That is scheduled to happen on Tuesday or Wednesday this week!! Very excited, not only to get the tractor there prior to significant snow fall, but I will be able to use it to disassemble, move and reassemble on old homestead log cabin....Octobers project. The building will become a studio/guest cabin.
Gotta love it!