Hydraulic Fluid Over Filled

[dbertheau]

When I got home with the new LX3310 I checked all fluids. Engine oil was a little overfilled...I drained a little out to bring within the lines of dip stick.

In addition, the hydraulic fluid was about an inch high on the dip stick...this is the dip stick in the rear. I drained the fluid down to within the lines.

My question is, how critical is it to not be over filled with hydraulic fluid? An inch high on the dip stick is a lot over...

 

[PaulL]

It depends where your cylinders are. With your loader on the floor all the cylinders are basically empty - more fluid in the reservoir. If you lift the FEL up and fully dump the bucket, a bunch of fluid will be in the cylinders. I'm pretty sure overfull is fine, there has to be capacity in the reservoir to take the fluid from the cylinders. The worst that can happen is some will spill out the overflow, which I personally think is unlikely.

 

[RCW]

My tractor’s hydraulic system “burped” after a little bit of use. Dropped level off the stick, was maybe 1.5 quarts.

Just check yours again after a little bit. Might end up adding some fluid back.

 

[old and tired]

It's a big tank, I've been as low as 3 gallons under filled and it works fine and I normally run with a gallon over filled since there was a Product Improvement Bulletin for my tractor from Kubota engineers that raised the hydraulic level to submerge the noisy CAMS by 1.5 gallons.

 

[Mukat]

What is the easiest way to drain down an overfilled hydraulic fluid on the lx3310?

 

[Fedup]

It depends where your cylinders are. With your loader on the floor all the cylinders are basically empty - more fluid in the reservoir. If you lift the FEL up and fully dump the bucket, a bunch of fluid will be in the cylinders. I'm pretty sure overfull is fine, there has to be capacity in the reservoir to take the fluid from the cylinders. The worst that can happen is some will spill out the overflow, which I personally think is unlikely.

That cylinder comment is only partially correct. The cylinders are actually full of oil nearly all the time. The volume of oil on rod end of each cylinder is slightly less tan on the base end, true, but not enough to make a noticeable difference on the dipstick. When loader "is on the floor" the base end of the cylinders is mostly empty, yes but the rod end is full. Fully raising the loader causes the oil in the rod end to go back into the tractor so overall oil level there doesn't change much. One exception would be if you fully raise the loader, shut the engine off then lower the loader. Now that oil goes back into the tractor and without the pump operating the rod end will not refill.

 

[Mukat]

In case anyone comes across this thread, I used a 12v oil transfer pump. Measured hose off of dipstick , inserted into same hole as dipstick and drained it down to correct level.

I’m sure it would probably overflow out vent but why second guess the kubota engineers? Dealer had overfilled mine by about 2 quarts—after lying to me about this and other things—I’ll find a new dealer.