hydraulic oil farmall H

Where do I check, fill, and drain hydraulic oil on my 47 Farmall H. What oil is recommended for use also. If you would have a picture would be great but full explanation would work as I just got this tractor and am putting a Du-All loader on it.

Originally the lift-all used 30wt engine oil. However, most guys use Hy Tran hydraulic oil, especially if you have a possibility of cross contamination to other tractors.

(quoted from post at 08:13:27 05/01/12) Where do I check, fill, and drain hydraulic oil on my 47 Farmall H. What oil is recommended for use also. If you would have a picture would be great but full explanation would work as I just got this tractor and am putting a Du-All loader on it.

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The fill cap is on top of the pipe extending upwards through the torque tube. The drain plug is located on the bottom of the belly pump. Pretty much any kind of oil you put in it will work 'cause the pump is simple and it just really doesn't care, but 30 weight non-detergent is recommended in the owners manual. At the time the manual ws printed, 30 weight oil was as good as it got, but there are better oils on the market today, and you can use either the Hy-Tran from a Case-IH dealer, or go to your local farm and ranch store and get a 5 gallon pail of "303" fluid for about $35. The use of either the Hy-Tran or the 303 fluid will ensure yur tractor is 100% compatible with just about anything that uses hydraulics.

I really appreciate the response but the explanation of checking oil level, and where to fill is kind of vague as where is the "torque tube". I was told once there was a dipstick for hydraulic oil level. I guessed it was the pipe cap on the right side of the tractor opposite of the battery box. Right to the rear of the starter. I checked and there is no dpistick in that hole as well there is no oil. I used a zip tie and went down approx. 8" and got nothing not even dampness off the side of that area. Am I checking the correct place that there is nothing at all in there.

The dip stick is just a small round rod punched onto end of the dip stick. Yours must have "got gone". You could probably make a new one with piece of large gauge wire.. I will measue length and full marking on mine later and post.

(quoted from post at 10:25:56 05/01/12) I really appreciate the response but the explanation of checking oil level, and where to fill is kind of vague as where is the "torque tube". I was told once there was a dipstick for hydraulic oil level. I guessed it was the pipe cap on the right side of the tractor opposite of the battery box. Right to the rear of the starter. I checked and there is no dpistick in that hole as well there is no oil. I used a zip tie and went down approx. 8" and got nothing not even dampness off the side of that area. Am I checking the correct place that there is nothing at all in there.

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The torque tube is that big chunk of cast iron that connects the engine to the transmission. Sometimes called a "clutch housing" or "bell housing". The belly pump is installed inside of it.

For what it's worth, all of your questions are already answered in the owners manual, with pictures and everything. If you don't have an owners manual, acquiring one should be top priority on your list.

I own two M Farmalls with the belly pump. Contrary to what others say, the pump will lift better with 30wt non detergent than hi-tran or other hydraulic oils. Hi-tran will whine while lifting and lift slowly. 30wt lifts more quickly. Use what the owners manual recommends. Ellis

Thanks John for the help here. I just got this tractor and I have ordered a manual but it is a shop manual not a download. I will have most of this info when it arrives but I've got a lot of valuable work to do here and the bucket would help immensely. I take it that the 1" NPT cap right behind the starter is the hydraulic oil resevoir. I will be using 30W non det. as that's what I already have. I have 6 gallons of it. I will look forward to your message with the dipstick and full mark length. Once again thanks greatly.

In a lifetime of farming with an H, dont think I ever found a way to check the oil level. When it doesn't lift the way it should, add a quart. If it still dont lift like you want it, add some more.

As for oil. We always used regular 30wt. Non-detergent might be better if you have it.

Now if you are using cylinders that are also used by newer tractors, then you might want to rethink the 30wt. Like in a box wagon lift. But then again we had a 706 Farmall we bought new, and to this day we have had no pump problems, and I am still using it. I am sure a little 30wt made its way into the 706's system from the residual oil left in a hose, but didn't seem to hurt.

Gene

There is a drain plug on the bottom. Drain out fluid that is in there then refill it with {6}six quarts of fluid. Then check the level with a heavy piece of wire or rod. Then mark the wire or rod. That will be your full level.

The dip stick is 12" long, full mark is at 2' from bottom.

It is easy to make a dip stick. Just remember, the reservoir needs to breath. Use a washer, make the dip stick so it has a flattened end that cannot fall through the hole in washer, washer cannot fall into reservoir. With that dip stick being smaller dia than the hole in the washer it will breath. Another thing, originally the H had a cotton waste packing in the filler cap to act as a filter. I saw a few of those packings find their way down into the pump when someone lost, omitted or the dip stick went down inside. That stuff will stop a pump real quick. Some used a two piece, looped together dip stick when adding the four way valve and when that came apart it also jammed in the pump gears. Some just left nasty grooves in gears and housing , other stripped drive threads, on pump and or transmission drive. Hy tran is too thin for those old girls unless you are more concerned about mixing oils with other equipment. Remember, there is no pressurized wear plates on these pumps to maintain zero end clearance when under pressure, so, you have more internal leakage. Far as detergent oil foaming, how would any one want to have a foaming oil in any engine that uses hydraulic lifters. Foam is number one enemy of those. Detergent oils have additives to disperse the foam, non detergent oils do not.

I appreciate all the great help with my hydraulics questions but one question still remains kind of left unanswered. Is the 1" NPT pipe cap behind the starter the oil fill and check location. If so now I'm faced with the thought of how would this have been vented previously since it is a pipe cap and screwed on good and snug? Also wondering if my dipstick came off and fell inside the pump who's to know how long ago it fell in there. Can it be retrieved with a good magnet or mechanical fingers?

I have had the dip stick fall out when I drained the hyd oil.

I forgot the starter was on the other side on an H. Good thing I looked at my pictures. Yes, yours must be the pipe cap located behind the starter. Here is a picture of my H. You can see everything you are talking about.