Major hydraulic oil question

[Holdenfarm]

I have a New Major. I have water in my hydraulic system and I have a few questions.
First this is a re-occurring problem so I need to find a way to separate the water from oil.
Second would it be easier to separate water from TDH fluid or 15W40.
Third, what is the best way to add a spin on filter to this system. I have one hydraulic line that comes off the left side. I thought about getting a spin on filter system and putting it between the line and the filler hole behind the seat. But I don't know if it would be under too much pressure.
We live in a very cold climate here in Canada so water un the hydraulics will freeze and the hydraulics stop working. A big problem since I use the tractor for snow blowing out of my driveway.

[Brian]

Water in the rear axle oil is a problem throughout the world. It is mainly caused by condensation as damp air is drawn into the system and then cools on the cold metal surfaces. There are many ways for the air to get in, around the gear stick, the dip stick and the breather holes in the filler cap to name a few.

Putting a filter on the pipe you mention and getting a constant feed to the filler plug would filter the oil but you would not be able to work the hydraulics as you will be diverting the oil flow away from all the system.

If you are suffering from water in the oil freezing the most likely cause is the water has separated out as the oil cools and has collected in the area of the pump intake filter at the bottom of the rear axle. You could try removing the drain bung and letting the water run out after the tractor has been standing out of the frost.

Keeping the tractor in a shed will also help.

The water problem is not restricted to Majors, it occurs in other makes as well. A good idea that comes from another board I visit is to drain the oil and put it in an old water heater. We had electric ones here in England called Burco Boilers and these were used for washing clothes in the 1950's. My mother had one right up to the 1970's. Using one of these, the oil can be kept hot and the water will evaporate off and the oil can be re-used but this will not drive the water from the nooks and crannies in the casting.

[Holdenfarm]

Thanks
The water heater is a good idea. I have drained the system and put the oil in pails outside hoping it will freeze again. But now it is mixed into the oil again. We get some pretty cold temperature around here. -30 Celsius all this week. I know I had a David Brown 880 before that did the same thing, but after driving up and down the drive way a few times the oil was warm enough to start flowing.
If I put a water absorbing filter in between the hydraulic line and the filler plug on the left side of the tractor (just in front of the dipstick would that work to filter the oil once in a while?
I have been using an magnetic electric heater that I put in the bottom of the tractor, beside the drain. But it has been too cold to make a difference. Hopefully I can get things working today, it is above zero (January thaw).
I need to figure out the best way to take care of this tractor. IT is not a show piece. I use it to cut and rake about 200 acres of hay every year, clear my 1/4 mile drive way of snow in winter, haul maple sap in spring and fire wood year round. I work this tractor pretty hard for its age, and it usually does well.

[Brian]

You could put a water absorption filter in that line but you would need a tap in there as well so that you could shut it off. If you tried to work the hydraulics with a flow going through there the oil would take the easiest route and just flow through the filter rather than do any work. That line is directly connected to the ram cylinder and works in conjunction with it.

Another way you might be able to do it with less work is to install a tap in the axle drain plug so you opened the tap and drained the water off every now and again.

HD30, 20/30 or Universal Tractor Oil might be your best oils to use but if ice is blocking the pump intake you will damage the pump by running it dry ubless you take it out of gear and runn around to warm the oil.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hi Brian
On the lubrication chart in my Operator's Handbook it says that the gearbox oil should be drained every six months and the rear axle every twelve months. This would obviously have solved the condensation problem. I spoke to a technical expert at Morris oils a few years back, and he confirmed that the gearbox and rear axle oil should changed no later than every twelve months because of the condensation issue.

I was just wondering a couple of things. In the dealerships, did the oil get changed this often when tractors came in for a service, or did owners baulk at the prospect of having to incur such expense so regularly? And how expensive was oil then in relative terms? Most of us cannot change our gearbox and rear axle oil so regularly today - was it more affordable then?
Thanks and best
Adrian

[Dandy Dave]

I do not know anyone who uses a tractor once in a while that changes the transmission oil that often. It was not that many years ago that I could buy 5 US gallons of Hydraulic oil for$15 to $18 US dollars. Seems like ever since the first Iraq war the prices have gone three times plus what they were. Now it is around $50 plus US Dollars for 5 US Gallons. From where I am sitting, the price of oil has gone up faster than inflation. It has caused everything else to rise with it except a poor mans paycheck. Dandy Dave!

[super6954]

Hi Rob
I'm in Manitoba and use my super major for grass cutting, it sits every winter. I have modern front wheel assists with cabs on for snow blowing and heavy farm work , I find with mine I have to drain the water off the bottom in the spring at first start. usually get a gallon out between the axle and gear box.

I wonder if you should let yours sit a while and drain yours before winter and get water out before it freezes . Mine usually has clean looking oil in all through the summer then .
when I do change the oil, i run a shop here fixing for local farms, so usually have at least one customer a year that's fussy about oil changes in transmissions, so when one of these guys tractors are in, the used trans oil if still good goes in clean pails, and I recycle it in the majors here, then put my old oil in the big collection barrel that gets picked up by the recycle guys . I got enough sitting in the shop now to do 2 majors this coming year, it's nice expensive stuff from a JD and an IH . If you want cheap new oil try Walmart TDH it's around $50 a pail in my local store against $80 plus any place else

It might be worth draining her out and cleaning the suction screen under the rear drain plug hole, it's under the 6" ish square plate the plug screws in, held on with 4 bolts , I bet you got a load of watery slime that freezes over the screen in it to, screen could also be getting plugged up pretty good to with maybe 40 years plus of no maintenance, if it's never been out since warranty ran out, Like a few to many I have seen come in here .
Regards Robert

[Daves rusty bits]

Hi there Holdenfarm Rob, just read through your post.
The filler cap on the left hand side near the clutch pedal is for the gearbox which is seperate from the back axle so you don`t want to filter your back axle oil into it.Inside the gearbox filler you will see a level mark. The dipstick just near it is for the back axle and as you rightly said the filler is behind the seat

[Holdenfarm]

Ok
I'm getting confused here.
The gear box filler port is beside the clutch petal. The drain is the same as for the pump, where the screen is.
The rear axle filler is behind the seat. The drain is under the tractor near the front of the pto, where the actuator for the pump and pto is. The dip stick tells the level of the rear axle.
I will drain the fluid and fill with fresh. I will probably start trying to drain water in the fall from now on.

[Brian]

The gearbox and rear axle are separate and are not linked (unless the seals fail).

Gear box filler near clutch. Drain is under the PTO gear housing below the filler.

Rear axle filler is behind the seat. Drain is under the rear axle between the draw bar arms. There are also 4 bolts around it that hold in the pump filter, the remaining bolts in that area hold the pump pedestal. There are also two magnetic filter bolts close to the filter.

[BearCreek Majors]

I usually “rotate” my oil, drain it and save it in 5 gal pails, let it sit for a year and use it again. All the contaminates including the water settle to the bottom of the pail, pour the good stuff off the top and the sludge goes into the waste oil barrel.

Pat