Bone dry dipstick

[Ambidextarous]

Two weeks ago I checked the hydraulic dipstick as usual, needed a drop, all's well. Not used it again 'till yesterday and the dipstick's bone dry. Undid the filler near the PTO lever and it's trickling out ( with the engine running). How can this happen? As usual,any help gratefully received.

[AdrianNPMajor]

This is a bit of a head-scratcher.
Oil overflowing from the gearbox filler aperture with the engine running is as it should be.
The sudden loss of oil from the rear axle housing has to be a leak to the outside - it has not gone uphill to the higher oil level of the gearbox. A leak to the outside will have landed on the floor, and will be visible, or will have been transferred via the external services port to an implement (or again the floor).
Any more info to help the diagnosis?
Best, Adrian.

[Pavel]

It crosses my mind that you may be mixing your oranges and apples up.
The dip stick measures the oil in the rear axle -- diff area. The filler cap for this is near the top link.
The gearbox combined level mark and filler cap is on the side under the starter lever.

Pavel

[Ambidextarous]

The tractor was/is standing in a paddock so oil leaks will soak in.I've got quick fit couplings on both the trailer tipping pipe and the return into the back end that work the log splitter and forklift.The trailer pipe coupling has been a sod to get in for a couple of months now and has started to leak lately, possibly an O ring gone kaput.If it aint one thing,it's another. I can't think where i can put fresh oil in if the filler has got this coupler on it.I shouldn't have to take it off every time i need to top the fluids up, surely? I'll have a look tomorrow as the light beat me tonight.Thanks for the help chaps.

[oehrick]

As Pavel said, the filler near the starter is for the gearbox oil (mine leaks oil from here into the back axle so I have to pump it forwards periodically) the filler for the rear axle / hydraulics is the one at the back of the seat / TP lift crosshaft where you have your return QRC for the logsplitter - they were not designed for anything other than an out and back oil service like a trailer tip, the local control for the logsplitter results in the 'bodge' return hose via the filler, shouldn't be a major issue to undo the plug to refill - the QRC probably makes it easier to put back in square ??

As for where your back end oil is going in volume, well the usual is leakage out of the half shaft seals generally shown by oil trails down the wheels or the PTO shaft - neither generally that fast, loose bolted on joint such as the plate at the bottom over the filter or a cracked casting but there is a hell of a lot of oil in there and it is often milky due to the condensation so easily seen. After that theres leakage through these non original hoses (probably voids Ford warrany ) sounds like you need a small child to run around on their hands and knees until they wail that they've got oily !

Best of luck with it