Filter/Fluid change on L3130

[RiverRat1953]

I am a newbie here and I am glad that I found this forum. My 9 year old tractor
is due for a complete change of the filters and fluids. It has 542 hours on it and I noticed that the bucket is starting to get a little slow. My main use for it has been firewood/log moving and gathering rocks for walls and landscaping.
My house has been turned inside out looking for the owner's manual. So my question to the forum is where can I find a list of all the filters and types of fluids needed and any procedures that are common to Kubota tractors.

 

[TripleR]

I no longer have an L30 manual but it is pretty much the same intervals as the L40; had an L5030 and traded it for an L5740, this may help a bit:

http://www.messicks.com/blog/post/Kubota-L-40-Series-Service.aspx

 

[RiverRat1953]

Thanks TripleR, very helpful stuff. As far as filters and oils go, should I bite the bullet and get this stuff from my local Kubota dealer, or would I get the same results going to my local NAPA dealer and get WIX filters and the oil from Walmart?

 

[Bluegill]

Thanks TripleR, very helpful stuff. As far as filters and oils go, should I bite the bullet and get this stuff from my local Kubota dealer, or would I get the same results going to my local NAPA dealer and get WIX filters and the oil from Walmart?

Any good engine oil for diesel will work, but I'd go Kubota for the hydro oil and filters. Your dealer will have it all and know how much oil etc... I like one stop shopping myself and just get everything at the dealer...

 

[TripleR]

Thanks TripleR, very helpful stuff. As far as filters and oils go, should I bite the bullet and get this stuff from my local Kubota dealer, or would I get the same results going to my local NAPA dealer and get WIX filters and the oil from Walmart?

I honestly don't know, I have used non Kubota products but others will advise not to. Lubricant/filters threads can really get heated so I try to avoid them, not alws manage mind you but I try.

 

[Bulldog]

Just my opinion but if you don't plan to go with a premium hydraulic fluid like Amsoil at least go to the dealer and get SUDT fluid. The cheap stuff from Wally World is just that, cheap. It's not like you change it every month or even every year. Do your tractor justice and use quality fluids and filters. You may not see the difference today but 30 yrs down the road a few extra dollars spent now will be worth it's weight in gold.

 

[RiverRat1953]

Excellent points. I am not trying to cheap out but I don't want to pay top dollar for just the name either. So it will be Kubota filters and trans fluids and Rotella for the crank case.

Thank you for all the informative responses!

 

[Stubbyie]

No check valves on filter ports. Be prepared to drain entire system when changing hydraulic filters. Have willing helper and plenty of clean buckets available to catch the gush. Make sure buckets will slide beneath tractor.
Sloppy mess but worth doing. Engine oil has two drain plugs, one on each side of drive shaft assuming 4wd.

 

[RiverRat1953]

No check valves on filter ports. Be prepared to drain entire system when changing hydraulic filters. Have willing helper and plenty of clean buckets available to catch the gush. Make sure buckets will slide beneath tractor.
Sloppy mess but worth doing. Engine oil has two drain plugs, one on each side of drive shaft assuming 4wd.

Call me crazy but I sprang for $455 for a complete fluid change. I over bought with buying 15 gals of UTD and 10 gals of engine oil. I got the tractor on jacks so there is plenty of room for 5 gallon buckets to slide under the drain plugs.
Am I correct in thinking that the engine takes 6 qts of oil with a filter change?
How do I know if I collected all the used hydro fluid from the tractor and lines?
Is there any special method in filling the tractor with the hydro fluid?

 

[Bulldog]

6 qts in the engine sounds about right for that size tractor. On the hyd, just fill it to the full point then start it and let it run at low idle for a few minutes and then recheck the fluid level. It will probably take a few minutes of idle time to get the air out of the system.

It might be good to have some extra oil around, never know when a line will blow and for some strainge reason they seem to blow out on the weekend when everybody is closed.

 

[RiverRat1953]

Job is finished Everything went well. My tractor is running like it is new.
This forum is a great resource and I will be checking in daily to learn more about Kubota's and other machinery in general. My hat is off to every one who took the time to help me out!

 

[gssixgun]

You need to recheck all the levels after about 10 hours, they tend to go down as the oil finds air pockets and fills them..
This is especially true of the front axel if you changed it this time..

 

[pedro13]

Sorry to just find this river rat, but changed my filters today to include the fuel filter and I do have a L3130 with about 1100 hrs on it. I am here in SW Missouri so I have 100 degrees and -10 degrees at times. I use nothing but Kubota filters and Super UDT fluid due to cold weather operation. If for anytime the tractor hesitates to move then check the fluid level. On mine if it goes to halfway mark on dipstick it will be slow to move and top it off and you are good to go. I have picked up some oak logs weighing around 1000 lbs(carefully and with caution) and have pulled some big ones out of the woods with caution. I do have the industrial tires on mine so that helps spread out the load and provide good traction on the hills. I run a 6 foot brush hog at about 2400 rpm and it will take out 6 foot grass. Nothing short of a great tractor. On my last filter change, return line on the right side of tractor I discovered quite a few cracks in the filter housing. It was a casting flaw in the pot metal and the dealer said since it was out of warranty tough. Wrote letter to president of Kubota America and got reimbursed for the cost of new part, $76.00. I usually only change filter every 400 hours, making sure it is clean looking, and usually have to add another gallon when doing the return filter as it is below the fluid level in the sump. The tractor should have been fully drained and serviced at 50 hours so it is good that you did the whole works. Fluid is expensive, but price the cost of motors and pumps and you will find it is the cheapest thing on the tractor. Good luck