K-46 Tuff Torque Oil change question

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I got my tractor up on a ramp about 30-40 degrees (front end). I could only suck out one qt of the 2 litre capacity. Then only air came out. So I sucked what could be sucked out completely. I went through the vent-cap in the rear of the unit and replaced the cap with a new one. Wjen re-filling (with ASE Amsoil) it took exactly one qt to top off.

I just can't understand why the rest did not flow downhill and drain out too. It's almost as if the front oil compartment is isolated from the back.

Now this is easy to do...about an hour...a qt is better than nothing..but I did want to get it all with out pulling the trans completely off.

What's the deal?
 
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Pete I know you posted some info in regards to being able to completely suck out and refill the K46, but I've never known more than a qt at best to come out that way on any hydrostatic transaxle. Like you say though, you'll never get it all out. A qt at a time is still a huge advantage.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Pete I know you posted some info in regards to being able to completely suck out and refill the K46, but I've never known more than a qt at best to come out that way on any hydrostatic transaxle. Like you say though, you'll never get it all out. A qt at a time is still a huge advantage.

Joel


Long story Joel....I thought I got 2 qts out...but measured the vac device today and it was a little over a qt.

The guys on the "Tractor Forum" said you could just suck all the the oil out of a K-46. So the first time I tried a couple weeks ago I only got a quart out on a flat garage floor. Refilled the quart with Amsoil ASE and put the old "plug-vent cap" back on on the top rear of the unit. It began to leak around the vent so I got a new one from Tuff Torq.

So....I had a couple quarts of Amsoil ASE left over...put the tractor on a ramp (figuring the oil would all drain back) and expected to get out 2 qts. Just got the "usual" one qt out. Replaced it with a qt of Amsoul ASE.

I guess sucking a qt of conventional oil out with milky color and some filngs (after only 20 hrs) and then repeating should dilute it out a lot with Amsoil ASE.

1st attempt was a 50/50 blend. 2nd attempt puts it's total more like a 75% synthetic to 25% conventional blend.

I think doing this yearly since it's kind of easy is a good thing.

I will have to settle for that as there is just no way these units can survive without servicing.
 
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Pete, sometimes you can get lucky with the placement of your 'extraction straw' and get more out than you bargained for. It's hit/miss.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Pete, sometimes you can get lucky with the placement of your 'extraction straw' and get more out than you bargained for. It's hit/miss.

Joel


Joel...I just looked over the parts drawing for the K-46.

It unfortunately appears that the oil I changed (again) is a rear compartment for the gear and axle housing....it's hard to say for sure.

There is a seperate seal in the front you can take off and....under it is a magnet and a magnet holder.

I thought something was "funny".. on my other tractor with a drain valve....when you drained it all out usually you have to "work all the air out" before it runs while the back end is jacked up. Neither time did I have to do this. It ran as if I never emptied the thing at all. So the pump part I don't believe was changed.

But... if you removed the front seal and suck it out and replace...then the back vent valve and suck it out and replace ...I think that's where the 2 litres are at...in 2 different sections..
 
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Yeah, the pump/motor really shouldn't loose prime since you drain from the sump. My Cub 2544 will get a bit of air in the system if you cange the trans filter, but just a drain/fill, no air.

Joel
 
I had a John Deere L110, with a k46, the transaxle is very easy to take out. With the deck off I had it out in 20 min. I drilled some of the rods to accept hair pin clips, to aid quick removal.The use those star speed washers to hold the rods on. Their is a black cap on the top of these transaxles, I pried it off and turned the axle over to drain. Their is also a magnet indet the cap, you can take out and clean. I put in Amsoil's hydrostatic oil in. It took a little under 2 qts. This transaxle was a heck of alot easier to R&R than the Cub Cadet lt1050 I have now. Cub cadet spec's 20w50 for the the axle in their tractors.
 
Originally Posted By: motorcity
I had a John Deere L110, with a k46, the transaxle is very easy to take out. With the deck off I had it out in 20 min. I drilled some of the rods to accept hair pin clips, to aid quick removal.The use those star speed washers to hold the rods on. Their is a black cap on the top of these transaxles, I pried it off and turned the axle over to drain. Their is also a magnet indet the cap, you can take out and clean. I put in Amsoil's hydrostatic oil in. It took a little under 2 qts. This transaxle was a heck of alot easier to R&R than the Cub Cadet lt1050 I have now. Cub cadet spec's 20w50 for the the axle in their tractors.


I agree, I pulled the K46 from my JD L111 two years ago and re-filled with GC (German Castol 0w-30). I first started to suck fluid out and then just realized that it'd be awfully straighforward to just pull the axles and the trans and just tip it over on the bench to drain it all. Honestly, total time - not much more than an hour. That trans should last forever now with the original fluid out with all the [censored] in it, and fresh GC.
 
No worries. Before long Pete will have an auxiliary oil tank with a bypass filtration system that continually transfuses cool filtered oil into his Simplicity's K46. Maybe a little tow behind unit, plumbed up with hoses. Go Pete!

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
No worries. Before long Pete will have an auxiliary oil tank with a bypass filtration system that continually transfuses cool filtered oil into his Simplicity's K46. Maybe a little tow behind unit, plumbed up with hoses. Go Pete!

Joel


All I want to do Joel is to hook up an "IV" line into it and continually infuse Amsoil ASE.
wink.gif
 
That would be the cats meow. Hmm.. Drill and tap a pipe fitting at the bottom of the case where the majority of the oil accumulates for draining and fill thru the top vent.

Joel
 
Decided to change the trans oil in my LT160 tonight. It was actually a pretty easy job. I was able to drain exactly 2 quarts and refilled with Syntec 5W-50. Runs quieter than before and seems more responsive.
 
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