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303 oil replacement

D

Dan in North Houston

Member
OK, I know that 303 hydraulic oil had legal problems, and I guess it is not available anymore. 303 was the spec oil for my JD 4020, and I need to pick up another 5 gallons to have on hand. I stopped by the local tractor supply place figuring that the new hydraulic oil would say whether it was a replacement for 303 oil on the bucket, but no such luck. Now I'm more confused than ever, AW 46, ISO 46, AW 32, ISO 68, etc. I thought it would be a quick internet search for
I use the high price stuff in my newer tractors (Hy-Drau, UTD2), but I need some generic 303 type oil for my older tractors. Is AW 46 a good substitute for me, since it seldom gets below freezing here?
 
Have some that has Super S agri/plus sae 20 on bucket. No spec to anybodys fluid. Was put in and will refill 4020 JD. Owner supplied.
 
I dont know, but there seems to be a lot of older/ classic/ somesuch oil on sale at the farm supply stores that doesnt say 303 but it seems to renamed?
 
Lets see you stock 2 oils for tractors using the same oil just to buy a cheaper oil for the older tractor. I'd just ust the Hygard or equivalent and be done with it and not have to worry if somebody poured the wrong oil in the newer tractors.
 
I think that has wet brakes, correct?

In that case it needs the oil spec for wet brakes/clutches.

Anything with AW in the prefix means it has anti wear EP additives that are supposedly not good for yellow metals. Never seen it proved, but that's what the engineers say.

But the wet brake/clutch is the more important issue, IF it has them.
 
John Deere's 303 Special Purpose Oil was the start of oils for wet clutches and brakes, it was not a plain hydraulic oil. You need a wet clutch/brake oil not a plain hydraulic oil. As far as John Deere is concerned Hy Gard is the current replacement for 303. For UTHF brands other than JD, you are looking for a listing on its label as meeting John Deere JDM J20C specs. If the fluid, you are using in your newer tractors, meets the J20C spec why stock two types?
 
Whatever you use make sure it meets J20C specs. I have a dozen 3020 and 4020's and would never use that cheap 303 fluid. I will use farm & fleet or what ever as long as it says J20C on the specs. Tom
 
(quoted from post at 12:59:45 10/31/22) OK, I know that 303 hydraulic oil had legal problems, and I guess it is not available anymore. 303 was the spec oil for my JD 4020, and I need to pick up another 5 gallons to have on hand. I stopped by the local tractor supply place figuring that the new hydraulic oil would say whether it was a replacement for 303 oil on the bucket, but no such luck. Now I'm more confused than ever, AW 46, ISO 46, AW 32, ISO 68, etc. I thought it would be a quick internet search for
I use the high price stuff in my newer tractors (Hy-Drau, UTD2), but I need some generic 303 type oil for my older tractors. Is AW 46 a good substitute for me, since it seldom gets below freezing here?
Click to expand...

I agree with Tom, do not go too cheap on oil. If Deere oil is twice as exepnsive as cheap 303, then put Deere oil and change oil on double intervalls.
Otherwise, the generic name for J20C oil is UTTO.
 

UTTO (Universal Tractor transmission Oil) appears to be another title, like UTHF (Universal Transmission Hydraulic Fluid) used by some aftermarket producers, not specific to just the JDM J20C fluid. A review of product data sheets basically shows UTTO and UTHF meeting the same manufacturer specs and saying they are both used for transmission and hydraulic applications. The main point is one needs to look for and read the equipment manufacturer specs an aftermarket oil/fluid claims to meet, regardless of the name on the container.
 
Tractor Supply has Traveller Premium Tractor Hydraulic Fluid that meets the Hyguard and the old 303 spec. What was 303 at the farm stores until recently really wasn't meeting John Deere's 303 spec - even as low as it was. What they were selling was basically nondetergent 20W oil.
 
I doubt Deere has recommended 303 for these tractors since the 1970's.

The problem with 303 is that there is NO spec for it anymore, so oil blenders can put anything in a jug and call it 303. As the story goes what they have been doing is packaging their "line flush" waste oil used to clean out the system between batches of different types of oil. The stuff in the bucket won't have the properties that Deere originally intended 303 to have.

Unfortunately even the cheap stuff that meets the Hygard/J20C spec is $60 a bucket now.
 
If you want to be economical, use the universal or JD spec hydraulic transmission fluid from your favorite farm store. The IH branded fluid may be a thinner viscosity. Do not use an AW type hydraulic fluid.
 

The numbers 32,46 and 68 mean zilch as far as gear protection and wet clutch compatibility . Just viscosity .
As previously stated , if the oil does not meet J20C , don t purchase the junk .
 

The numbers 32,46 and 68 mean zilch as far as gear protection and wet clutch compatibility . Just viscosity .
As previously stated , if the oil does not meet J20C , don t purchase the junk .
 

32, 46, 68 are straight grade hydraulic oils that don t have the additives needed for wet clutch or brake systems
We used a lot of 32 and 68 in the hydraulic systems at the mill I worked at
I wouldn t run it in my tractors
 
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