L2501 - empty or full, the trans fluid "window" looks the same......

[sjsparrow]

I just did my 50 hour maintenance on my L2501. Oil wasn't a problem. The HST filter was easy enough. The Hydraulic filter was a good waste of transmission fluid (I was slow to get the new filter on). I had seen videos suggesting about half a gallon would be lost, so I put that much in first. I ran the tractor lightly and could feel the bucket straining when I raised it. So I checked the "window" and saw nothing different from how it always looks - a white window. So I put a bit more in - no change at all in the window. So I put a bit more (for a total of about 3 litres). Window still looked white. But the bucket seemed to lift without straining. I stored the tractor and will sit for at least a week as I'm back at work.
Question 1 - I had a flashlight, put on my best reading glasses - but could not see anything of value when I looked at the window. What am I doing wrong?
Question 2 - if I put in too much, how will I know? And if I did, is this a bad/horrible thing - what is the risk to the tractor if there is 1-3 litres too much?
Question 3 - Do I just remove and replace the HST filter a few times to get the excess out? And how will I know if I've taken out enough?
Bonus question - why would anyone think getting down on your knees and looking at a dot that is somewhat hidden in shadows is a good way to measure your transmission fluid?
Thanks in advance.

 

[sjsparrow]

I was reading here about "removing the window" to check the transmission fluid level. Is this a good/bad idea, and how do you actually remove the window (assuming the white dot I'm looking at now)?

 

[Flintknapper]

 

[Pawnee]

Do not remove the window (sight glass).
The dye above is something I have been meaning to do but I think your fluid is below the sight glass so it won't help until you get more fluid in.
Try parking your machine on an angle and you might see the fluid, then you can add 1/2 liter at a time until it gets right when on level ground.
The fluid is slightly amber in colour but difficult to see clearly unless it's half way up the sight glass.
I agree it's not an easy way to check fluid level because the contrast is poor and the sight glass is too small.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I would agree that the first thing would be to park sideways on a hill with the glass elevated first. Hard to tell on that darn thing. Mine has a tiny bubble up top when level.
I have never tried, but you might be able to use a fluid extractor to remove oil from the fill port if you think it is over full

 

[GeoHorn]

Change the filter again (or unscrew it until the level drops to where you want it.)
Quit putting excess IN before doing work. (Can’t figure out why you ever thought that was a good idea.)
Use dye.
Drain it all out and re-introduce the specified amount and you’ll know you did right.

I gotta admit… a dipstick is always better than a sight-glass…. I guess Kubota figured the average owner would always have it serviced by a dealer.

 

[sjsparrow]

Change the filter again (or unscrew it until the level drops to where you want it.)
Quit putting excess IN before doing work. (Can’t figure out why you ever thought that was a good idea.)
Use dye.
Drain it all out and re-introduce the specified amount and you’ll know you did right.

I gotta admit… a dipstick is always better than a sight-glass…. I guess Kubota figured the average owner would always have it serviced by a dealer.

thanks - in my defense, I was changing the filters and saw a lot drain out.
Update - the quarter finally dropped

 

[Henro]

Use the dye.

I bought an old high hour mini ex and the hydraulic level looked good. But it ended up the sight glass had a mark on it from years of being at the correct level. But it actually was low…did not need the dye as once I added hydraulic fluid I could see the level appear. I think UDT or SUDT is much clearer than standard hydraulic fluid which the excavator uses.

You will thank yourself if you use the dye I bet.

 

[muddhogg]

This is what you want to see.

 

[old and tired]

I'm someone who runs about a gallon over the "mark" it doesn't hurt anything, it's a big holding "tank" that can hold an extra 3 gallons (someone actually filled it up to the fill hole). I've lost a hose and drove my HST back to the house where I had to put in 3 gallons to be it back to the mark. It drove fine, I would not want to run it that way for a long time since it would heat the oil up and not cool it down...

Yes on the dye, try 1/4 of the bottle at first... let the oil circulate for a little bit and if that shows up enough.

 

[Henro]

Since I’m confessing about being an optimist, LOL. Here is another one.

More than ten years ago. Tipped my B2910 on its side. Of course the BX had no chance. Fortunately there was a tree nearby I could hook a chain block too. LOL now, but not then!

I did get it righted relatively painlessly.

edit: No damage to anything but my pride. LOL

EDIT! I intended to post this picture in the off-topic forum where I started a thread called optimism or something like that. I now understand why I couldn’t find the post after I thought I posted it. I figured somehow I just lost it. Now I know the answer! Sorry I didn’t mean it to be here!

 

[sjsparrow]

This is what you want to see. View attachment 87314 View attachment 87315

thanks! I see the white only - since I bought it. I'll try the dye to see if it is more visible.
Any guess on how much UDT it takes to go from the bottom of the window to the top? Is it a few drops or a litre?

 

[muddhogg]

thanks! I see the white only - since I bought it. I'll try the dye to see if it is more visible.
Any guess on how much UDT it takes to go from the bottom of the window to the top? Is it a few drops or a litre?

mine was solid white like that when I bought it new. Added little by little until I saw the fluid. Was probably .5 to .75 gallons more to get it there.

 

[RalphVa]

I just did my 50 hour maintenance on my L2501. Oil wasn't a problem. The HST filter was easy enough. The Hydraulic filter was a good waste of transmission fluid (I was slow to get the new filter on). I had seen videos suggesting about half a gallon would be lost, so I put that much in first. I ran the tractor lightly and could feel the bucket straining when I raised it. So I checked the "window" and saw nothing different from how it always looks - a white window. So I put a bit more in - no change at all in the window. So I put a bit more (for a total of about 3 litres). Window still looked white. But the bucket seemed to lift without straining. I stored the tractor and will sit for at least a week as I'm back at work.
Question 1 - I had a flashlight, put on my best reading glasses - but could not see anything of value when I looked at the window. What am I doing wrong?
Question 2 - if I put in too much, how will I know? And if I did, is this a bad/horrible thing - what is the risk to the tractor if there is 1-3 litres too much?
Question 3 - Do I just remove and replace the HST filter a few times to get the excess out? And how will I know if I've taken out enough?
Bonus question - why would anyone think getting down on your knees and looking at a dot that is somewhat hidden in shadows is a good way to measure your transmission fluid?
Thanks in advance.

I had one of those HST fluid windows in the JD 2025R. Used my wife when I last filled it to be able to see the fluid level when it hit the window.

Before that, I just used a stick down the fill hole. Then measured where the oil level was with a tape when I removed the stick, keeping a finger on the stick at the top of the fill hole. If enough distance down to allow for thermal expansion, level is okay.

 

[lugbolt]

they're kind of tricky

the window's back side is pure white like a piece of paper when there ain't no oil in there. It turns to an off-white when there's oil in it. The pic above kinda shows what I'm talking about. It is hard to see particularly as I age. Those of you elder than I with eyesight worse than mine, I really do feel for you.

Next. The tractor has to be perfectly level, bucket down, 3ph down in order to check the oil. And you'd be wise to let it sit at least 10 min after running it to let the fluid drip down off of the shafts, gears, etc.

But with all that said I'll agree that the window is a pain in the neck. Give me a dipstick. Of course then everyone's griping cause they can't see the oil on the stick! Even with dye it's hard to see. I personally think the stick should be blasted and then coated with a black oxide coating that is rougher, so light does not reflect off of it-but when oil is on it the oil will reflect light differently so you can see it. I used to paint them but then I realized that the paint don't really stay on forever and it's gotta go somewhere when it flakes off. Kubota rep chewed me for that; but went onto say that it probably don't hurt nothing. I can't see how it would, in relation to how much metal shavings there are on a first filter change...

yeah you can take the window out. I've done it quite a few times. If oil runs out it's over filled. If not, screw it back in and continue to fill a little at a time til you can see it.

 

[sjsparrow]

update - thanks all - I got the John Deer dye, and at least now I know how much is there. And WOW - does the level change depending on the orientation of the tractor (level by length, level by width, just a few degrees out of level, etc.). But now I see pink when it's level - so that is a good thing.

 

[sjsparrow]

Two questions for those who use the dye -
1. any issues with it dying the white background red/pink?
2. waste of packaging? - a shipping box, a product box, a jar for the dye (slightly bigger than the jar of jam they give you at breakfast in a fancy restaurant --- all for 12 ml of dye??? the jar was 80% air. And the jar isn't made for pouring, so wasted dye on the outside of the fill hole. Is this normal - huge jar, but next to nothing inside it? Thanks

 

[sjsparrow]

they're kind of tricky

the window's back side is pure white like a piece of paper when there ain't no oil in there. It turns to an off-white when there's oil in it. The pic above kinda shows what I'm talking about. It is hard to see particularly as I age. Those of you elder than I with eyesight worse than mine, I really do feel for you.

Next. The tractor has to be perfectly level, bucket down, 3ph down in order to check the oil. And you'd be wise to let it sit at least 10 min after running it to let the fluid drip down off of the shafts, gears, etc.

But with all that said I'll agree that the window is a pain in the neck. Give me a dipstick. Of course then everyone's griping cause they can't see the oil on the stick! Even with dye it's hard to see. I personally think the stick should be blasted and then coated with a black oxide coating that is rougher, so light does not reflect off of it-but when oil is on it the oil will reflect light differently so you can see it. I used to paint them but then I realized that the paint don't really stay on forever and it's gotta go somewhere when it flakes off. Kubota rep chewed me for that; but went onto say that it probably don't hurt nothing. I can't see how it would, in relation to how much metal shavings there are on a first filter change...

yeah you can take the window out. I've done it quite a few times. If oil runs out it's over filled. If not, screw it back in and continue to fill a little at a time til you can see it.

thanks for the direction on lowering the bucket and 3 point.