IH 444 diesel tractor

How do you remove the hydraulic filter that is located just below the seat. This filter housing is about 5 to 6 inches long. The picture of this filter in the parts breakdown shows the filter to have o rings on either end.

Hi, I believe you are inquiring about the suction line filter. Note: The Industrial models have a different hydraulic setup and use the transmission as the hydraulic reservoir.
If you want to replace all the hydraulic fluid then park tractor on slide slope with front end pointing downward. If you want to loose as little fluid as possible park tractor with front end pointing up hill. First, clean all the dirt by the gear shift and the hydraulic lines that run on top of transmission cover. Locate the large suction line and the rubber joiner sleeve with two hose clamps on it. Position a clean bucket on the running board by the brake pedals, then loosen the hose clamps on the joiner sleeve and slide sleeve toward engine, next rotate the suction line going into hydraulic housing until it discharges fluid into bucket. Note, you may require vise grips to rotate the suction line but be careful not to deform the suction line. Let fluid drain and then grab suction line and pull towards engine and suction line and filter should come out of hydraulic housing. Clean suction filter in solvent, lube O-rings with hydraulic fluid and reassemble. DO NOT START engine without hydraulic fluid in hydraulic pump. Let tractor roll back down slope so that it is level or front end is lower, then open hydraulic filler plug behind seat and top up hydraulic fluid. Let tractor sit for a while with filler plug loose and then start engine and work hydraulic levers until air is out of the system and then recheck fluid level and tightened filler plug. If the hydraulic pump doesn't prime within a short time, you can take an air gun and a clean cloth and stick the air gun in the filler plug and seal the filler hole with the cloth and pressurize the reservoir forcing the hydraulic fluid out the suction line into the pump.

Jimb

If you have a loader with a front crankshaft drive hydraulic pump the transmission is used as a reservoir fro that pump. The oil is returned to the hydraulic reservoir and then through a stand pipe back to the transmission. If you do not have the front crankshaft pump the hydraulic reservoir is separate from the transmission.

I think you must have an auxiliary filter?




This is the set up for the filter without an auxiliary valve. The set up with the valve is similar.