TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Harry Ferguson Tractors Discussion Forum

Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

Tom Clark

11-18-2003 07:26:40

Report to Moderator

I treated my TO 20 to a full service in Sept. and now the hydraulics are really slow. Really ,really slow. This is the first time I have changed the hydraulic fluid since owning fergy so I don't know what I drained out of it but I installed 100% mineral oil based oil per the manual. When I start her up and let the clutch out in nuetral it moves the tractor fwd. It takes 1 to 2 minutes for the hydraulics to respond the first time. And this is in only 40 degree weather. Once it is warmed up, really warmed up, it works fine but still slower than before. Power seems good, will lift 400 # plus on the draw bar and doesn't creep down too bad. Is there something I can do to thin the mineral oil or some other trick. I'm afraid that it will be really difficult to plow snow this winter being sooo slowwww. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

rusty nut

11-20-2003 15:48:58

Report to Moderator

Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 07:26:40

GL-1 is the mineral oil from walmart,so i'm told.I used the trans/hydraulic/differential oil from walmart,3pt hitch worked great very fast,but I was worried I was using the wrong stuff so I got the 1103 from ferguson dealer,now it is much slower,gets a little faster after tractor warms up.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

steve19438

11-20-2003 06:51:20

Report to Moderator

Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 07:26:40

pennzoil makes what you need, but it ain't cheap!!!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ray,IN

11-18-2003 20:08:11

Report to Moderator

Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 07:26:40

What you are experiencing is normal for these great old tractors. Some guys have successfully used 50wt mineral oil <32*F to eliminate this problem. Just remenber to switch back to 90wt when spring arrives. Don't use anything with additives, some attack the brass and bronze bushings in there as well as the rubber seals. Yea, I know,some guys get spastic about saying not to use anything with additives, but my TO30 has never broke or leaked, never had to replace worn out parts, engine's not been apart nor uses oil, and I know it's history- Dad bought it new when I was 10. I continue to follow the H. Ferguson maintence schedule as he did and I'm not gonna mess with a good thing.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jim W

11-19-2003 05:14:51

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a cr in reply to Ray,IN, 11-18-2003 20:08:11

Hi Ray,
Hate to sound disagreeable but this is not my experience at all. My hydraulics slow down in the cold, but just a bit, nothing like he is describing. I go out out there at -20C often enough to blow snow and don't have to wait around (much) for the blower to lift when I first start up.
Well, now that I think about it, maybe the more modern Donax stuff I am using doesn't change viscosity as much in the cold. Hmmm.
Jim

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jerry/MT

11-18-2003 19:09:00

Report to Moderator

Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 07:26:40

Tom,
On the front page of this site there just happens to be an article about transmission/hydraulic/rearaxle oil. You should read it. I'm continually amazed by how many times this questions comes up. I'm further amazed by all the anecdotal information that also is around about this subject. I don't put much faith in anecdotal information. Guess that comes from being an engineer.
From my viewpoint, the brand name or where you purchase the oil is of no consequence. What matters is that it meets the manufacturer's specification. I buy my rear axle/transmission/hydraulic oil from Costco. It supposedly meets the MF spec and the Ford spec and that's good enough for me and my TO-30. Hope this helps.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Mr Chapp

11-21-2003 17:18:43

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a cr in reply to Jerry/MT, 11-18-2003 19:09:00

Thank you Jerry/mt...I agree 100%

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dan S (NY)

11-18-2003 09:11:21

Report to Moderator

Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a crawl in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 07:26:40

What viscosity mineral oil did you put in? You can use 80wt in the winter months if its going to be cold where you are, or 90wt otherwise. Also make sure you did not put to much in. When I got my TO20, the previous owner had put in way to much oil and when it was cold the tractor would move forward while in neutral when the clutch was released, as you described. Once I refilled with new oil to the correct level it hasn�t done it again. I used 90wt mineral oil from Wal-Mart and my hydraulics got Faster with the clean oil.

Dan

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-18-2003 10:53:00

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to a cr in reply to Dan S (NY), 11-18-2003 09:11:21

The amount of oil will have no effect on how the hydraulics work only problem you will possibly get is that it may leak onto brakes. Apart from that its the viscosity of the oil that will cause any problems you may have, not the fact that it is mineral oil. Just check the viscosity and make sure its correct as another person has said the new oil is no doubt thinner than the stuff you had in there for ages.Just a thought, you said GEAR oil, have you put gear oil in it? gear oil is usually thicker and would cause that kind of problem, check what you put in it.As a guide, dont think of the oil going in there is for a gearbox or back axle, which lots do, it has to supply the hydraulics too so it a compromise on the type used. the oil in there should be the same viscosity that you would use in the engine although without all the additives, thats why they say a "straight mineral oil" Originally it was the same that you used in the engine but that was 50 years ago and oil has moved on since then.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jim W

11-18-2003 11:36:32

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics to in reply to john(UK), 11-18-2003 10:53:00

The proper oil should seem like about 50 weight motor oil. If what you put in is in fact gear oil, it will seem much thicker than that and is the wrong stuff.
Oil viscosity is rated at the temperature at which it operates. So 90 gear oil is 90 weight at a much hotter temperature than the 90 oil you need in your transmission/differential/hydraulics. In other words, at the same temperature, 90 weight gear oil is much thicker than 90 weight TDH oil.
Jim W

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-18-2003 11:42:12

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydraulics in reply to Jim W, 11-18-2003 11:36:32

Hi Jim, Dont you ever feel like a record having to say this thing about the oil over and over again....lol....Regards...John

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Tom Clark

11-18-2003 11:52:55

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hydrau in reply to john(UK), 11-18-2003 11:42:12

I'll assume that i installed the wrong weight mineral oil. I had a very difficult time finding mineral oil based lube. You and others have said walmart has it but the one here doesn't. Is there a brand and weight that I can try to order from someone or is there another sorce??

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jim W

11-18-2003 13:41:44

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hy in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 11:52:55

Got a MF dealer somewhere around? They can supply you with what you need.
I have a Shell lubricants distributor near here and after much research they supplied me with "Donax" which is working quite well. Maybe there is one of them somewhere near you.
Regards,
Jim W

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Tom Clark

11-18-2003 17:54:37

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowe in reply to Jim W, 11-18-2003 13:41:44

Jim , do you have the product number of the Donax product so I can check with our shell dealer. There isn't a MF dealer nearby. Thanks

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jim W

11-18-2003 19:42:44

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil s in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 17:54:37

I still have a jug in the garage and can't see a part number on it anyplace except "Donax TD" (forgot about the TD before). It is made specifically for agicultural equipment with a common differential and hydraulic system. Hope this works for you,
Jim

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-18-2003 11:57:25

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowed hy in reply to Tom Clark, 11-18-2003 11:52:55

Well I am in UK so I dont know what Wallmart stocks but I do know a lot of the guys on here do get the oil from there. Just hang on a few hours and someone will be online to tell you exactly what they get from Wallmart..

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

TO24424

11-18-2003 18:23:44

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowe in reply to john(UK), 11-18-2003 11:57:25

I must assume that mineral oil was used so as not to attack the "live" rubber in the hydraulis. As someone mentioned, get in touch with your M F dealer and they an steer you straight. Good luck, and have fun...

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-19-2003 10:45:24

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil s in reply to TO24424, 11-18-2003 18:23:44

The reason for the mineral oil was that there is no filter in the system and if it was a detergent oil it would allow the crap to be carried in the oil rather than settling down to the bottom.When it was originally designed there was no such thing as detergents in oil.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

TO24424

11-19-2003 17:12:30

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear o in reply to john(UK), 11-19-2003 10:45:24

Hate to interupt, but, JOHN UK ...I respect your opinion. Just what oil do you use? I personally am a believer in modern oils...

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-20-2003 10:21:14

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral ge in reply to TO24424, 11-19-2003 17:12:30

HI TO, Well I am no longer activley involved as I was in all this. But we did use a straight mineral oil as was originally specified and we advised all our customers to use the same thing. If you have crap floating around the system
obviously it will pass through the pump and it will cause premature wear. I think that if detergent oils had been available at the time together with a suitable oil filter system Harry Ferguson would have fitted them, as it was he had to do the best he could with what was available and it has worked for 50 years or more and being as no one has come up with a filter system we dont really have an alternative.That is unless you have something up your sleeve that you haven't told us about yet.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

TO24424

11-21-2003 17:29:05

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Minera in reply to john(UK), 11-20-2003 10:21:14

New handle Mr Chapp... Please, John, I am sure your'e much better versed in this matter than I. No matter what oil we use, there is going to be crap in the system. I'm simply for a more advanced lubricant, which might lubricate with crap even better as long as it doesn,t attack our components. I have the utmost respect for your views. Thank you for all of your help.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-22-2003 10:23:55

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mi in reply to TO24424, 11-21-2003 17:29:05

I apologise profusley MR CHAPP, SIR!!. I dont think anything in the new oils will attack the components except maybe any early rubber seals but not metals. The way it was put to me was that the straight mineral oil will form a sludge in the bottom and this will trap a lot of the crap instead of it circulating in the system.(sounds about right) I think that was the best they could offer at the time and it seems to work, I must admit I am not keen on having all that crap circulating in the hydraulics I would much sooner it was kept in the bottom, I have seen what is in there sometimes(and no doubt you have too) and its not nice. So I will stick with a straight mineral oil on any occasions I have to get involved. I thank you for your comments they are greatly appreciated and if you think I may be able to help, just holla. granada1athotmaildotcom

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Mr Chapp

11-22-2003 10:44:25

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re in reply to john(UK), 11-22-2003 10:23:55

john(UK) this is without a doubt the best argument for mineral oil I've seen. Thanks for the insight, and certainly no apology necessary. Thanks...

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-22-2003 11:19:06

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re in reply to Mr Chapp, 11-22-2003 10:44:25

Hi Mike, I wasnt apologising for what I said about the oil it was just about what I called you...Your Old name...lol...Yes it is the longest and best debate on oils we have had on here so far. I will check over here with oil suppliers to see what the latest thinking on this mineral oil job, maybe we can get more info from them.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Mr Chapp

11-23-2003 13:33:39

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re in reply to john(UK), 11-22-2003 11:19:06

john (UK) I work for a large car dealer who has a fairly large supplier of oil. I'll check and see what they say too. We'll carry on another day. Good to hear from you.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

J Kirsch

11-18-2003 12:15:58

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil slowe in reply to john(UK), 11-18-2003 11:57:25

Did you clean the screen on the intake of the hydraulic pump. You ought to check the service manual, but you remove a cover from the left side of the transmission to access this screen. If I remember correctly the cover is also the mounting for the PTO lever. Good luck JP in NY

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

john(UK)

11-18-2003 12:19:28

Report to Moderator

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mineral gear oil s in reply to J Kirsch, 11-18-2003 12:15:58

No screen or filter on a TO20. Think you are getting mixed up with the tractor models.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy