Wrong Oil?

Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Messages
2
Location
Australia
Hi, I am new to the forum and am looking for a bit of advice. I have a Country Clipper Edge with a Hydro Gear ZT 2800 transmission. I have just changed the transmission oil after the first 100 hours operation. It was originally filled with 20-50 oil. For reasons best known to my brain I have put in 10-30 oil instead of the recommended 20-50 oil. I just grabbed the wrong container without thinking. Anyway my question is should I drain out the 10-30 oil and replace with the correct 20-50? Will operating the mower with 10-30 oil harm the transmission? My other problem is the oil filters are not readily available where I live so can I just flush out the new ones I used with the 10-30 oil and put them back in? Appreciate any help I can get.
 
Originally Posted by philipp10
I would change the oil. As far as the filter, you don't need to flush, just drain and reuse.
this +1 you should be fine pull filter empty make sure gaskets good reuse fill with 20w50. I have same hydro ZT 2800 on a SCAG and would do the same if I f'd up. It happens
 
Originally Posted by philipp10
I would change the oil. As far as the filter, you don't need to flush, just drain and reuse.


^this

use 20W-50, (Castrol GTX 20W-50 is factory fill) - or Mobil1 15W-50 (works great on ZT-2800 and up)
 
I'd change the transmission oil. I'd swap the filter if I could. What 20-50 you gonna use?

Or, me being a little crazy, I'd just change the oil and run it a few hours and then change it again. Leave filter in place. Yep,
that's how I would do it.
 
So people understand ro drain pumps filter must be pulled as that is I the drain plug .
 
I changed oil in mine about 2 months ago. Dump the 10/30 and go with either a 20/50 dino or 15/50 Mobil 1. I went with Mobil 1.
I would reuse the filters again making sure the gaskets on them are good which they should be unless you way over tighten them.
If in doubt change out to new filters. Much cheaper than the cost of new ZT2800.
 
I have a snapper LT300 garden tractor that has Tuff Torq K57 transmission. Not as good as yours but climbs my steep grades very respectably. However it eventually won't climb and I have to replace the fluid. I was using Mobil1 15W50 and it gets very thin and dirty after 25-30 hours. I am on a pretty rugged hill. Anyways I switched to the Amsoil Hydrostatic fluid only a partial change and have more than 50 hours on it and still going strong. These transmissions get very hot and break down oil fast especially under load so use a very high quality synthetic to prevent the thermal breakdown.
 
Originally Posted by spk2000
I have a snapper LT300 garden tractor that has Tuff Torq K57 transmission. Not as good as yours but climbs my steep grades very respectably. However it eventually won't climb and I have to replace the fluid. I was using Mobil1 15W50 and it gets very thin and dirty after 25-30 hours. I am on a pretty rugged hill. Anyways I switched to the Amsoil Hydrostatic fluid only a partial change and have more than 50 hours on it and still going strong. These transmissions get very hot and break down oil fast especially under load so use a very high quality synthetic to prevent the thermal breakdown.

By thin you mean it burns off?
 
Originally Posted by spk2000
I have a snapper LT300 garden tractor that has Tuff Torq K57 transmission. Not as good as yours but climbs my steep grades very respectably. However it eventually won't climb and I have to replace the fluid. I was using Mobil1 15W50 and it gets very thin and dirty after 25-30 hours. I am on a pretty rugged hill. Anyways I switched to the Amsoil Hydrostatic fluid only a partial change and have more than 50 hours on it and still going strong. These transmissions get very hot and break down oil fast especially under load so use a very high quality synthetic to prevent the thermal breakdown.

Excellent choice I also had great results and better feel on my ZT28000 hydros with the Amsoil.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by dinofish
Originally Posted by spk2000
I have a snapper LT300 garden tractor that has Tuff Torq K57 transmission. Not as good as yours but climbs my steep grades very respectably. However it eventually won't climb and I have to replace the fluid. I was using Mobil1 15W50 and it gets very thin and dirty after 25-30 hours. I am on a pretty rugged hill. Anyways I switched to the Amsoil Hydrostatic fluid only a partial change and have more than 50 hours on it and still going strong. These transmissions get very hot and break down oil fast especially under load so use a very high quality synthetic to prevent the thermal breakdown.

By thin you mean it burns off?


No!
 
Originally Posted by dave123
Originally Posted by dinofish
Originally Posted by spk2000
I have a snapper LT300 garden tractor that has Tuff Torq K57 transmission. Not as good as yours but climbs my steep grades very respectably. However it eventually won't climb and I have to replace the fluid. I was using Mobil1 15W50 and it gets very thin and dirty after 25-30 hours. I am on a pretty rugged hill. Anyways I switched to the Amsoil Hydrostatic fluid only a partial change and have more than 50 hours on it and still going strong. These transmissions get very hot and break down oil fast especially under load so use a very high quality synthetic to prevent the thermal breakdown.

By thin you mean it burns off?


No!


No it turns to water like consistency loses viscosity. Looks like a muddy thin water very dirty and definitely does not resemble oil any longer probably why it stops working.
 
Originally Posted by spk2000
No it turns to water like consistency loses viscosity. Looks like a muddy thin water very dirty and definitely does not resemble oil any longer probably why it stops working.

Ahha the eye viscometer.

When did you last have that calibrated?
wink.gif
 
The hydros tend to run hot, and the oil pressure is higher that it would be for a typical engine. It is often called a "high shear, high temp" application.

This is why the 10W40 is not recommended. There is a minimum viscosity requirement, which is specified at a higher than typical temp, 120 celsius instead of the commonly published 100 Celsius. There is typically no oil consumption in this environment, as there is no combustion or blow-by in the hydros.

However, at operating temp, the 10W40 would be too thin, and would not provide adequate wear protection, resulting in accelerated wear.

spk2000: I am concerned reading your report of the M-1 15W-50 thinning out on you in 25-30 hours. If you are talking about the 15W-50 full synthetic, it should last / work well for at least the recommended service interval, which is at least 400 ( I forget , maybe 500) hours. It has PAO and GTL base stocks, with ~1300ppm zddp, not supposed to break down, esp. not in 30 hours.

Gravely/Ariens uses the M-1 as their own rebadged synthetic hydro fluid, and they claim doubled service intervals are possible.
So: Is this the M-1 15W-50 fully synthetic? Not some conventional oil?

I find it difficult to believe that the M-1 synthetic would suck this bad. Could you please post more info on the M-1 you had the problem with?
I am planning to use the M1 15W-50, and taking your report seriously. maybe I have to re-think this choice.

Thanks!
 
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