BX23 Transmission fluid level check

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PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
I recently picked up a used BX23. The guy I bought it from last had it serviced with a dealer October 2014, at which point he had all the filters and all fluids replaced. In checking everything I've found the transaxle and the transmission were both low.

Yesterday I added about 2 quarts of UDT to get the transmission back on the dipstick where it's supposed to be. I used it for a few hours after, and today it was completely off the dipstick again. So I see two possibilities. One, when I had gotten it to the high mark on the dipstick it was still flowing out to other parts of the system maybe. It's a very short dipstick, doesn't seem like it could take much to get it off the dipstick. Or two, it's leaking bad.

The only place I've seen hydraulic oil leaking is around the backhoe controls, and I don't feel like it's coming out fast enough as to drop the level off the dipstick entirely after maybe 3-4 hours of work. There's a leak at the center pivot for the front axle too. I assumed that was coming from the transaxle; the hydraulic lines I could see right there looked dry. Unless there are more lines above that that I just missed?

For now I'm going to top off the system again. But if it keeps dropping off the dipstick after such a short period of time, I guess that means this thing has bigger issues than I thought.

I was hesitant to buy used, now I'm remembering why... :(
 
85Hokie

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,335
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113
Bedford - VA
PA452 said:
I recently picked up a used BX23. The guy I bought it from last had it serviced with a dealer October 2014, at which point he had all the filters and all fluids replaced. In checking everything I've found the transaxle and the transmission were both low.

Yesterday I added about 2 quarts of UDT to get the transmission back on the dipstick where it's supposed to be. I used it for a few hours after, and today it was completely off the dipstick again. So I see two possibilities. One, when I had gotten it to the high mark on the dipstick it was still flowing out to other parts of the system maybe. It's a very short dipstick, doesn't seem like it could take much to get it off the dipstick. Or two, it's leaking bad.

The only place I've seen hydraulic oil leaking is around the backhoe controls, and I don't feel like it's coming out fast enough as to drop the level off the dipstick entirely after maybe 3-4 hours of work. There's a leak at the center pivot for the front axle too. I assumed that was coming from the transaxle; the hydraulic lines I could see right there looked dry. Unless there are more lines above that that I just missed?

For now I'm going to top off the system again. But if it keeps dropping off the dipstick after such a short period of time, I guess that means this thing has bigger issues than I thought.

I was hesitant to buy used, now I'm remembering why... :(
Click to expand...

Dont panic just yet......

the dipstick is short, and sometimes hard to read, the fluid is so clear, hard to see where on the stick it is. Now - are you checking on level ground? even the slightest angle will throw the reading off.

the leak(s) - place newspaper or something under - or if you can pin point it, place an open container and SEE how much is leaking.
 
P

PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
When I filled it yesterday I was on a stone/dirt driveway, but I think it was a pretty flat location. Today when I checked and it was once again off the dipstick it was in a cement-floored garage, so it was probably pretty flat.

The fluid is very hard to see on the dipstick, but my method for seeing if the dipstick is entirely try is to just touch the tip of the dipstick to my finger. That way I can definitely tell if it's absolutely dry or not.
 
85Hokie

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,335
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113
Bedford - VA
PA452 said:
When I filled it yesterday I was on a stone/dirt driveway, but I think it was a pretty flat location. Today when I checked and it was once again off the dipstick it was in a cement-floored garage, so it was probably pretty flat.
Click to expand...
Is it losing it ...sitting still? Or when in use? If in use - then make it sit still and work all the control on an clean floor and see if/where it puddles.
 
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PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
85Hokie said:
Is it losing it ...sitting still? Or when in use? If in use - then make it sit still and work all the control on an clean floor and see if/where it puddles.
Click to expand...
Don't know yet. I'll give that a try though. I was going to let it go until Wednesday or Thanksgiving and get back to it then, but maybe I'll go down there and fill it back up tonight. That way on Wednesday or Thursday I can check and see if it's gone down on its own.

Maybe I'll see if I can find a tray to lay under the front axle so I can see how fast that's coming out too.

It was kind of a bad day with the BX. First I found the transmission oil was off the dipstick again, then while out I noticed the FWD wasn't working. I got off to find the front drive shaft hanging there disconnected. The roll pin holding the universal to the shaft had cracked and the universal pulled off the spline. I'm lucky I didn't lose the universal in the mud. Couldn't get a roll pin back in. Replaced it with a small bolt for now. The spline should take the real stress, the pin is just to hold it on the shaft, so I figure that should be alright for now. The roll pin probably broke because the spline was bone dry and wore though. So that's yet another thing that may need to be replaced at some point... :confused:
 
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Kanook

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Kubota B2650HSDC Kubota RTV900
Jun 29, 2015
32
1
0
Almonte, Ontario
When checking the transmission fluid level on my B2650, The 1st time I pull out the dip stick it is dry. Re-insert and pull the stick out again and the oil is at the required spot. Pretty sure the manual says to do it this way...
 
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PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
Kanook said:
When checking the transmission fluid level on my B2650, The 1st time I pull out the dip stick it is dry. Re-insert and pull the stick out again and the oil is at the required spot. Pretty sure the manual says to do it this way...
Click to expand...
My manual doesn't say it should be dry, just says to remove, wipe clean, then reinsert and pull again. Normally that's just because oil has likely splashed up to higher parts of the dipstick and will not be gone when you first pull it.

That seems odd that it would be completely dry on the initial pull and then show at the correct level the second time.

In any event, that's not the case here. I reinserted and checked again several times and got nothing.
 
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PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
I just topped off the transmission. I put the better part of another quart in it. There's no way I lost a whole quart after 3-4 hours of running and 18 hours of sitting without finding a puddle somewhere.

I'll check it again tomorrow night and see how it looks. Assuming it's good, I'll be able to run it some more on Thanksgiving. If the level drops that much again...:mad:
 
P

PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
Checked it last night and it was still full, in fact a little over the high line. So at least if it's coming out fast, it's not doing it while just sitting.

Just speculating, but I'm thinking/hoping that Saturday when I topped it off, it wasn't really topped off. Maybe it was still settling, maybe running the hydraulics after lowered the level some, I don't know. But I can't imagine it leaked out a quart of oil in a day and didn't burn up on the previous owner long ago.
 
steveInMaryland

steveInMaryland

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Equipment
L35, b2710
Nov 23, 2015
98
0
0
marriotsville, MD, USA
I recently sold a BX23. I had a similar problem and found that I was leaking fluid from the front PTO shaft. I dropper the MMM down and removed the drive shaft and used a 1 3/8 socket to knock the seal back in. It never gave me another problem.

Good luck.

Steve
 
P

PA452

Active member

Equipment
B2650
Nov 8, 2015
315
45
28
Western PA
steveInMaryland said:
I recently sold a BX23. I had a similar problem and found that I was leaking fluid from the front PTO shaft. I dropper the MMM down and removed the drive shaft and used a 1 3/8 socket to knock the seal back in. It never gave me another problem.

Good luck.

Steve
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response. I haven't noticed any oil coming from that the mid PTO or under the transmission though. I'll take another look tomorrow. I hope to get in some run time tomorrow before Thanksgiving dinner.
 
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