L2501DT Hydraulic Level Dropped Quickly

[rgOO6]

Hello All,
I am a fairly new L2501DT owner. I have 4 to 5 hours on the tractor. When I received it, the fluid level was right in the middle of the sight glass. After two days (about 2 to 3 hours) I noticed that the level had dropped to about 1/4 the sight glass. At about 4 hours, I could not see any fluid. I added about 3/4 gallon and still do not see fluid in the sight glass. Is it common for a new tractor to have the fluid settle like this? I am about to add the remaining 1/4 gallon, but it I do not see fluid, then I need to go buy some more. I park the tractor in a garage on cement. There are no visible leaks.

My time on the tractor is fairly evenly split between the loader and box blade. On a side note, the coolant fluid has barely moved, grease looks good, all operations are fine with no noticeable new noise, and it uses about 2 gallons of diesel in 5 hours.

Thank you!
Rick

 

[Chanceywd]

I have the same tractor but with a bh77 too. I have found it only takes maybe a little over a qt to go from just showing in the sight glass to about 1/2 way. are you sure you didn't over fill? I am guessing on the exact amount because I put it in a used pudding container so I can bend it into a spout rather than pour from a bigger container around the backhoe.

 

[old and tired]

If brand spanking new... oil is purging the air out of the lines for the FEL (and backhoe if equipped). They self purge (dealer should have ran it for a time).

 

[RCW]

Yep, air.

I have a little BX. When new, my level dropped off the dipstick within first hour or two. It burped.

I freaked a little. My salesman brought me a gallon of SUDT2. Took a quart-plus to fill, but it’s been fine for years.

Like others said, there’s only a quart or two between the hi-lo marks. You’re not off but a quart or so.

 

[Roadworthy]

It is not common for fluid to "settle" though on a new tractor you may have air working its way out of the lines. As Chancey suggested it is possible to overfill without noticing it, then it looks empty. Check fluid with tractor on level ground and all hydraulic cylinders retracted. While you're at it check the engine oil level lest fluid is migrating from the hydraulic system to the crankcase. Do you see any big oil spots under the tractor? I got some John Deere hydraulic fluid dye for my L2501. It makes it much easier to tell my fluid level. It takes very little fluid go go from too low to over full.

 

[Henro]

are you sure you didn't over fill?

Great question. Not sure how to determine this without draining some, if all you have is the site glass to judge by...

I love my dip sticks! Can't see the oil on them easily either, but can see the oil show up when I put the dip stick on my finger...

 

[old and tired]

...if all you have is the site glass to judge by...

Before I added 1/2 bottle of the John Deere (red) dye... I would unscrew the sight glass. Before it's totally unscrewed, you'll have hydraulic fluid coming out if it's over filled.

John Deere Hydraulic Oil Dye - MT3668

www.greenpartstore.com

 

[Chanceywd]

Maybe put a jack under that side of your tractor and raise it up some to see if it comes down in the glass? that or stop it on a slope with the left side up hill.

 

[RCW]

are you sure you didn't over fill?

Holy smokes, I missed that altogether......I'm wondering if he is overfull.....

Chancey - - bet you're on to the issue.....

 

[Fordtech86]

I suspect its overfull as well. Has happened to me. Would either recommend to pull the sight glass (which I did) or pull a drain plug and watch it. You can clean good around the area and drain it into a clean container and save it.

While using a jack or a slope could be an option, depending on the slope available and/or the amount its overfull, that may not be the most accurate test

 

[Chanceywd]

I suspect its overfull as well. Has happened to me. Would either recommend to pull the sight glass (which I did) or pull a drain plug and watch it. You can clean good around the area and drain it into a clean container and save it.

While using a jack or a slope could be an option, depending on the slope available and/or the amount its overfull, that may not be the most accurate test

I agree not going to solve the problem but could show it was overfill. Just know mine if it is on a slope It won't show at all in the sight glass. I usually check in the garage when I put it away. I caught one of the stabilizer hoses and broke it . It was only down a qt or so but didn't show until it was level and then I topped it after replacing the hose and burped it.

 

[Fordtech86]

I agree not going to solve the problem but could show it was overfill. Just know mine if it is on a slope It won't show at all in the sight glass. I usually check in the garage when I put it away. I caught one of the stabilizer hoses and broke it . It was only down a qt or so but didn't show until it was level and then I topped it after replacing the hose and burped it.

It could and I didn’t mean to totally discount that, but it also couldn’t because of variables we don’t know

 

[rgOO6]

I appreciate all the replies. Glad to see a few others had the same issue. I was originally concerned about overfilling as well, but felt that since I had seen the fluid in the glass on day 1, and now it's not there, I ruled it out a bit. I went and parked on a slight hill (back end downhill) and found the line, but on level ground it was below the glass. I added the rest of the gallon I had. I'll be headed to the dealer to buy some more fluid tomorrow. At least it seems to be fairly normal for a new machine to drop while it is getting the air out. It did take about 3 to 4 hours to drop, so I am not too surprised that the dealer didn't idle the tractor that long to see it.
Thanks all!!

 

[Chanceywd]

Glad you are getting it figured out. A gallon sounds like quite a bit more than you would expect to see without a leak. No leaks while it is running?

 

[old and tired]

I would explain what happen to the dealer, he should comp you a gallon. It's not a matter of how long the tractor runs, it's if you cycled the front end loader up and down enough to purge all the air...

 

[rgOO6]

Sooo…. I contacted the dealer. They gave me a free Gallon of hydraulic fluid. I bought a second gallons just to be nice. I proceeded to pour and watch the sight glass. No sign of fluid. So I put the whole gallon. Still no sign of fluid. Added half the other gallon (in stages with some waiting in case it took a bit to settle). Waited from lunch until after work so I could crack it and move the hydraulics around. Still nothing in the sight glass. Added the remainder. So that’s 3 gallons added in under 7 hours of operation. I plan to go pull the sight glass when I get time. Anyone know what size it is? I tried 1” and 1 1/8” sockets. 1” was too small and 1 1/8” was too big. I figure it’s metric.

 

[Fordtech86]

Sooo…. I contacted the dealer. They gave me a free Gallon of hydraulic fluid. I bought a second gallons just to be nice. I proceeded to pour and watch the sight glass. No sign of fluid. So I put the whole gallon. Still no sign of fluid. Added half the other gallon (in stages with some waiting in case it took a bit to settle). Waited from lunch until after work so I could crack it and move the hydraulics around. Still nothing in the sight glass. Added the remainder. So that’s 3 gallons added in under 7 hours of operation. I plan to go pull the sight glass when I get time. Anyone know what size it is? I tried 1” and 1 1/8” sockets. 1” was too small and 1 1/8” was too big. I figure it’s metric.

It is way overfull. I don’t remember the size, pretty sure I just used the cresent wrench I leave on the tractor. But at this point I would not advise pulling it. Get a clean container(s) and clean really good around one of the drain plugs (best bet is the front most plug), then drain until you see it so you can save the fluid.

 

[rgOO6]

It is way overfull. I don’t remember the size, pretty sure I just used the cresent wrench I leave on the tractor. But at this point I would not advise pulling it. Get a clean container(s) and clean really good around one of the drain plugs (best bet is the front most plug), then drain until you see it so you can save the fluid.

Why would you not pull the sight glass plug? Don't I need to just drain it to the bottom of the sight glass? I would rather avoid draining all the fluid out unless it is absolutely needed. Is there a way to double check the fluid level apart from the sight glass? I think that the dealer literally put the loader on the tractor the day they brought it to me.

The tractor came in two weeks ago (literally, I looked at it in its crated form). I asked how long they needed to have it delivered and was told they could have it ready on Wednesday because everyone was out all weekend for Labor Day. So I went and paid for it Tuesday, and they called early and delivered it Tuesday (about 3 hours after I paid for it). So they literally put the tractor together and delivered it in about a day (maybe two if they started before the holiday weekend). I really think they just did not run the tractor at all before delivering it to me. It had 0.1 or less hours on it when I got it.

 

[nbryan]

Sooo…. I contacted the dealer. They gave me a free Gallon of hydraulic fluid. I bought a second gallons just to be nice. I proceeded to pour and watch the sight glass. No sign of fluid. So I put the whole gallon. Still no sign of fluid. Added half the other gallon (in stages with some waiting in case it took a bit to settle). Waited from lunch until after work so I could crack it and move the hydraulics around. Still nothing in the sight glass. Added the remainder. So that’s 3 gallons added in under 7 hours of operation. I plan to go pull the sight glass when I get time. Anyone know what size it is? I tried 1” and 1 1/8” sockets. 1” was too small and 1 1/8” was too big. I figure it’s metric.

I would not run the tractor again until you find out where all that fluid is going. Or if it wasn't there in the first place, why not, and what damage could have occurred from it being so low out of the shop.
Find out the fluid capacity of your tractor, you'll need to know anyway when you change it out at 400 hours or whatever, and get 2 clean pails that will handle that capacity. Mine's around 4 US gallons so 5 gal pails work. The reason i say have two is it seems you're WAY overfilled and will likely need a half of the second pail to capture the fluid.
Drain the hydraulic system into the clean pails. Add back in what the tractor's hydraulic capacity is as stated in manual, minus the filters.

 

[whitetiger]

When I am unsure if the oil level is below or over the sight gauge, I take a 3' piece of cold roll rod and stick it in the fill hole using it as a dipstick, mark the cold roll at the top of the opening and pull it back out. Then I find the oil level on the rod and mark it. I then lay the rod on the outside of the tractor at the same angle it was in the fill hole and see where the level is compared to the sight gauge.
It makes it easy to tell if your level is low or high.