Lessons learned doing the 50 hr service.

[John D 2]

1: Make sure the old o-ring comes off with the old filter before putting on the new filter and filling it with fresh oil. Otherwise, you will have to remove the new oil filter in order to remove it, wasting the fresh oil.

2: Wear gloves so that the new filter doesn't slip out of your hand and accidentally drop the in the oil catch while the hydraulic oil is running out everywhere.
Otherwise, you will have to make a 2nd trip to the Kubota dealership and buy additional hydraulic oil.

 

[fried1765]

1: Make sure the old o-ring comes off with the old filter before putting on the new filter and filling it with fresh oil. Otherwise, you will have to remove the new oil filter in order to remove it, wasting the fresh oil.

2: Wear gloves so that the new filter doesn't slip out of your hand and accidentally drop the in the oil catch while the hydraulic oil is running out everywhere.
Otherwise, you will have to make a 2nd trip to the Kubota dealership and buy additional hydraulic oil.

Is a hydraulic oil filter change recommended by Kubota, at 50 hours?

 

[Steve67]

Is a hydraulic oil filter change recommended by Kubota, at 50 hours?

Filter yes, hydraulic oil no. But some people do both

 

[GeoHorn]

Is a hydraulic oil filter change recommended by Kubota, at 50 hours?

I believe Kubota calls for that because of the possibility of manufacturing debris existing in new equipment. If you’re particularly curious, you can cut the “can” off that filter, cut the pleated element out and spread it out to see what’s in it. The typical find is a chip of metal or two..and little globs of RTV and Gasket material.

 

[chim]

The Shop Vac Method saves spilled SUDT2. Plug vac hose in fill hole and turn on before removing the old filter. Vac "yodels" the fluid back like a kid trying to get the last of a milkshake through a straw.

 

[John D 2]

I was ready for the fluid to come pouring out. I had my new filter in hand, ready to put it on. . .
I spun the old filter, and it fell off.

I took the new filter and while putting it on, it slipped out of my hand and fell into the oil container.

By the time I retrieved it and put it on I had lost more than a gallon of fluid.

I also did the 50 hr service to the MMM. That was easy. The oem blades were a lot duller than I thought they should be.
I ordered some Gator G6 blades to replace them with. I will sharpen the old blades and keep them as a backup set.

 

[lugbolt]

same o-ring trick cost me a $5000 RTV engine.

On the rtv 1100's you can't really get to the filter very well. It's a bear, unless you do it from the bottom which requires removal of the skid plate. As a paid technician, I don't take the skid plates off unless completely necessary. On that particular one the skid plate was completely packed with dirt anyway which makes it even more "fun", so I reached down in there from the top, removed filter, installed new filter, refilled with the correct amount of oil and started the engine. Everything was fine. No leaks. Rechecked oil level, drove it around a little and gave the RO to service manager as "done".

Several weeks go by after it was picked up (commercial users).

I get a call saying that "I just had my RTV in there and it's making a noise and not running very good and smoking". Ok, can you bring it in? NO WE ARE IN OKLAHOMA ON A JOB. Great, check the oil and make sure it's ok. I was assuming maybe they ran a stick or something up into a filter or hose ow whatever. Another couple weeks go by, it shows up. Won't even run now. Dropped off, I look down at the engine and there's a hole in the side of the block where the rod broke off. Apparently in the haste and inaccessibility of the filter change I didn't check to see if the old o-ring was stuck on the block or? Sure enough it was double gasketed and it blowed all the oil out after they used it a while. Of course they continued to use it as most commercial hired helpers do, without bothering to check for fluids running out of the bottom and seized the engine-apparently many times since it broke the rod off and sent it through the side.

I bought the engine...my mistake and I owned up to it.

I use this post to remind folks of two things. One, techs are people too and therefore imperfect. Two, double check the o-ring after the filter is removed!!! And three, engines are expensive...so are transmissions.