L3200 Hydraulic Oil Dipstick - Does One Exist?

Stitchit1

Member
Jul 27, 2014
179
5
18
Cheboygan, Mi
I have an L3200 HST. Instead of a dipstick for the hydraulic fluid level it has a small glass window. It’s hard for me to see the level thru it. Is there a way to use a dipstick on this unit instead of the glass? I’m assuming it’s not possible as I have no idea where it’d go or there’d be one already.

Tia!!
 
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old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
You can dye the oil, red with... MT3668: Hydraulic Oil Dye Fluid (John Deere, google it)

Kubota did make a dipstick (no longer available as far as I know) that were to replace the sight glass on the sides of the transmission when customers complained that the 2004 to early 2006 "standard" models were too noisy (sounds coming from the overriding, racthing CAMS). Which occurred when the PTO was on but the engine speed had suddenly been slowed down (the momentum of the mow blades were spinning faster than the PTO was) the CAMS to power the PTO were designed to skip over so that power could not be forced back into the engine via. PTO...

Kubota made that change to raise up the oil level (~1.8 gallons) to put the CAMS under oil level.

I think later models of the "standard" models might have switched to dip sticks... on the cross over metal section...

EDIT: The next model up has a Dip Stick but Kubota changed to transmission case for that to be done. L3901 case vs. L3200
 

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Stitchit1

Member
Jul 27, 2014
179
5
18
Cheboygan, Mi
You can dye the oil red with... MT3668: Hydraulic Oil Dye Fluid (google it)

Kubota did make a dipstick (no longer available as far as I know) that were to replace the sight glass on the sides of the transmission when customers complained that the 2004 to early 2006 "standard" models were too noisy (sounds coming from the overriding, racthing CAMS). Which occurred when the PTO was turned on but the engine speed had suddenly been slowed (the momentum of the mow blades were spinning faster than the PTO was).

Kubota made that change to raise up the oil level (~1.8 gallons) to put the CAMS under oil level.

I think later models of the "standard" models might have switched to dip sticks... on the cross over metal section...

EDIT: The next model up has a Dip Stick but Kubota changed to transmission case for that to be done. L3901 case vs. L3200
Thank you for the info!! I’ll be looking into the dye
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
Thank you for the info!! I’ll be looking into the dye
I used half the bottle (I think there is 50 ml in the bottle) and it was plenty RED. I would use 1/4 bottle (12.5 ml) and see if that's enough... It should show up on the sight glass fast but you might have to rock the tractor back and forth (to slosh the oil in the tank).
 
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