Transmission Flush and Clean.

Last time I did this, the new oil I put in was immediatly contaminated.

Searching the archives I see several "informed" opinions, but would like your thoughts.

The opinions run...

Flush with kerosine... How much? fill the system and run it for how many minutes, run the hydraulich up and down etc? Use a garden pump sprayer and just wash it down with out running?

Same as above with fuel oil/diesal?

Use water based oil degreasers... i.e. citris based, sump cleaners from ZEP.
I am leary of putting in a water based produst as I am tring to get the water out. How do you get all the water out of the system if you use one of these products.

Thanks for your reply.

After draining all of the oil (all 3 plugs) I got ~3 gallons of diesel. Replaced all plugs and poured the diesel in. Stirred it around a while (using a parts cleaning brush) then drained it. Let the diesel settle a bit, then repeat. I did this through about 5 or 6 cycles (somewhere in there I reached in through the side inspection ports and, by hand, cleaned out all the 'sludge' in the bottom of things).
5 gallons of GL-1 (and a new shifter boot) later, she's runnin' fine...

Steve

Water based materials will lead to some level of entrapped water in the recessed areas of the cases. I would go with solvent approach and either diesel or kerosene will work ok. I am always leaning towards the overkill side on the subject of cleaning the housings as I found quite a bit of metal shavings in the rear case due to bad differential bearings. There were years of sludge in the rear and mid case that I scrubbed out with a parts cleaning brush. For final touchup I used some aerosol cleaner but a pump sprayer would work well too.

There are lots of guys who run the tractor after putting the solvent in the transmission but I worry about that. Kerosene has little lubrication quality and besides, if you loosen up the sludge it will be circulating in the fluid that is now washing around in the bearings and gears. Running the lift is the same thing.

Only my opinion.

I havn't used any water based products, so can't comment.

Kero or diesel shoul displace water pretty well in the gears.. etc.. once you do a couple changes.. as long as no more water is getting in.. it should be ok... replace that shifter boot if you havn't already.. that is a prime water entry spot.

Bottom line is that when you drain all three drains.. you still aren't getting 100% of the oil out. Any water in emulsion or in puddled low spots will still be there. However every time you chage the oil.. you dilute that water more and more.. that plus the heat of running should flash off a non-negligable amount of moisture.

Isopropyl alcohol carries water real good.. however to add enough to get a decent concentration in that size of a sump would be quite a few dollars.. probably cheaper to just change the oil a few times a year untill it is clean.

Soundguy