Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Old time tractor question

That’s what I got start on the dash

Most of the older tractor manuals say to use mineral oil, I've always used 303 and have had no problems. Drain the milky oil, refill with diesel fuel, drive around slowly and then drain and refill the tractor with oil.

Had a TO30 that I spent a lifetime on as a teenager bushogging and working arenas that had was like that. Hated it every minute I drive it but looking back it was good for me.

I gave $2500 for it 10 yr ago and put it thru hell cutting raking and square bailing hay to pay for one of my other properties been done with that a few years still producing not by me I’d like to keep the old man going that helped

Did you install the fluid that is in there? if so, what did you install?

The "milky" look may indeed be caused by water contamination of normal fluid of some types. Then again, it may not be contamination - that is why I asked what you installed.

If you did not install the fluid, it is possible that the previous owner installed a more modern hydraulic product - one I used most recently looked milky coming new from the container.

I do not remember the designations and the container is gone. Try to get that figured out.

If no clear answer, best to do as the earlier fellow said - drain at the bottom, install new fluid meeting the specs stated for your MF.

I have 3 of them old tractors from that timeframe and have worked on a few others and if it were mine I would put 80W90 in the transmission/rear end . I know all of the newer tractors run hydraulic oil but we run 80w90 in all of ours. If your going to be running it in 0 degrees I would put 75w90 in it.

This is similar to what the manual for my JD ('39 B) says to do when changing the tranny oil. RTFM

Your manual will give procedures for changing and the correct lubes to use. RTFM

If you don't have one, get one. RTFM

RTFM

Haven't got a clue about what oil it takes but I'd research and it will surface up. When I was a kid I split an Ford 4WD tractor case one summer. It was an intriguing job for a kid.

I’ve worked on a many of these tractors it’s common for them to get water in the transmission especially if it has set outside. Most of the time it gets in around the shifter if the rubber boot is worn out.

Like someone else said just drain it out and flush it with diesel fuel if you want then refill with what your manual calls for most of the time we used 90wt or 80-90.

Mineral water is what you seek.

Milky color should pose no problem.

Lots of old transmissions use 90 weight transmission grease, but not all. Maybe you can find a manual online, or talk to a collector who would know.

milky fluid could be caused by condensation , drain , put diesel in like other guy said , drive it slow for a few minutes drain and add new tractor hydr fluid

I have the same issue with a Troy-Bilt tiller that has brass gears in the gear box. It calls for 90 or 140 wt GL-1 gear oil and I get 90 Wt from NAPA as Godogs mentioned. That is probably what I would do for your tractor.

Another option would be to call Warren Distribution, the largest private label maker of oils and fluids. They make the Walmart Supertech brand and most of the other "private label" lubricants. The number is (800) 825-1235.

I have heard they are very good to talk to and you could ask them for a recommendation for yellow metal safe fluid.

Oil and water separate when sitting.

Rather than just "draining" the old fluid out, warm the tractor up to operating temperature and use the hydraulic/transmission system to mix up the oil/water.

The more milky it is when you drain it, the better.

Don't forget to change any filters too.

Eventual water and oil separation is a given. When it does, the water will go to the bottom. The drain plug(if it has one) for the trans case should be at the lowest point in the block.

Given enough time for oil and water to separate, when you remove the drain plug the water should be the first thing to drain. Top it off or change out the remaining fluid completely and replace the shifter boots if that’s where moisture is entering the system.

It's a good idea on any new to us rig, to change all the fluids.

GL1 is mineral oil. It is specified for that tractor because copper and bronze bushings were used in the tractors transmission.

I would probably skip the diesel because of the soft metal bushings used in that particular tractors trans, they may gall and be ruined.

A lot of that water contamination comes from simple condensation over the years.. Very common in some old models.. My son bought a Farmall C and changed all the fluids asap.. The trans fluid came out looking like a vanilla shake...

Yep, exactly what I did three months ago on my 8N. Hydraulic fluid has turned milky from being contaminated with rainwater that leaked in around the boot on the shifter. Drained it. Then filled with a couple of gallons of diesel. Cranked till it got warm and then drained it. Sparkling clean inside. Then filled with NAPA 80 at mineral oil. The diesel clean out was a smart move…glad I read up on that step.