2166 Hydro Fluid

Wayne · #1 09-03-2021, 08:03 PM

I just changed the hydro oil and it was pretty disgusting too. Even the filter was rusty on the outside. I can tell it sat outside for a year or two. But the engine seems sound and I've put in several hours of cutting tall grass and so far so good.

EternalArianne · #2 09-03-2021, 08:11 PM

I actually just cut my neighbors tall neglected grass today with my 2155 and it chugged along just fine!

I plan on doing a full tune up on my 2155 come spring, who knows the last time it’s seen one. But I’m questioning the manual it says to top off hydro fluid as needed and change filter ever 100 hours. But it never mentions changing it? And I’ve gotten two different responses from dealers - one said to change ever 100 hours and the other said he wouldn’t risk changing it as he’s never had one “run right” after a full hydro fluid change…

Wayne · #3 09-03-2021, 10:11 PM

Don't scare me like that!

My manual says to change it every 100 hours. By the looks of it, it was overdue. Plus who knows what it actually was...It looked like the Mississippi after heavy rains

EternalArianne · #4 09-04-2021, 07:21 AM

I just went and double checked the lubrication guide for the 2155. Under the “change at interval” section for the hydro oil, it says “add as needed”. Doesn’t mention changing it at all. The only thing it mentions changing is the hydro filter every 100 hours.

But I guess if yours had turned to sludge then maybe the filter was never changed and it just built up? All the more reason to change the filter on a regular basis lol

Sam Mac · #5 09-04-2021, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalArianne

I just went and double checked the lubrication guide for the 2155. Under the “change at interval” section for the hydro oil, it says “add as needed”. Doesn’t mention changing it at all. The only thing it mentions changing is the hydro filter every 100 hours.

But I guess if yours had turned to sludge then maybe the filter was never changed and it just built up? All the more reason to change the filter on a regular basis lol

CHANGE the fluid!

bugeye · #6 09-04-2021, 09:31 AM

While I have a different Cub, changing the fluid is worthwhile. My dealer said the fluid was lifetime. He said just change the filter every few years.

I believe changing fluids is necessary as degrading is inevitable and removes any wear particles not captured in the filter.

Wayne · #7 09-05-2021, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalArianne

I just went and double checked the lubrication guide for the 2155. Under the “change at interval” section for the hydro oil, it says “add as needed”. Doesn’t mention changing it at all. The only thing it mentions changing is the hydro filter every 100 hours.

But I guess if yours had turned to sludge then maybe the filter was never changed and it just built up? All the more reason to change the filter on a regular basis lol

yeah that's weird your manual doesn't say to change the fluid. I don't know why it would be any different than the 2166, which definitely does say to change it every 100 hours. I don't put much credence in the old wives tale that changing old tranny fluid will "shock" the system and cause failure. If changing fluid causes failure, it was going to fail pretty soon anyway. But some people go by that rule in some vehicles.

EternalArianne · #8 09-05-2021, 01:45 PM

One dealer I talked to said the reason the manual doesn’t mention changing the hydro fluid is because a normal consumer isn’t going to use the tractor long enough for the fluid to ever need changing. Most people don’t keep a lawn tractor more than 1000 hours or 10 years, if that.

So I guess there would eventually be a time to change it, but it’s beyond what the manual can recommend. And with these 2000 series creeping up on the 20 year mark, it’s probably a good idea to change it if it hasn’t already been done. The fluid in mine still looks good but it was about a quart low when I got it, so I topped it off. It may have been changed previously but I have no way of knowing…

West Valley G · #9 09-05-2021, 02:13 PM

Hard for me to imagine any mechanical device on this planet that
would not benefit from consistent fresh and clean lubrication. And it's
not like we are talking about huge money for a fluid change.
I guess if you are a salesman and you could tell some one they don't
ever have to get greasy, that might sell someone. But I doubt to many
of those people spend time on this site.

Ken

Wayne · #10 09-05-2021, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalArianne

One dealer I talked to said the reason the manual doesn’t mention changing the hydro fluid is because a normal consumer isn’t going to use the tractor long enough for the fluid to ever need changing. Most people don’t keep a lawn tractor more than 1000 hours or 10 years, if that.

So I guess there would eventually be a time to change it, but it’s beyond what the manual can recommend. And with these 2000 series creeping up on the 20 year mark, it’s probably a good idea to change it if it hasn’t already been done. The fluid in mine still looks good but it was about a quart low when I got it, so I topped it off. It may have been changed previously but I have no way of knowing…

1000 hours is 10 changes of fluid and filter. First one at 50 hours then every 100 thereafter. That is for a 2166 anyway. It was $30 bucks for a Wix and Rotella, so its money well spent even if its just for peace of mind.

Mine looked very clean on the dipstick too, but looked awful in the pan...Part of the reason i changed it is because it was full when I got it and was low after only a few hours use, so I just wanted to be cautious. I have seen no leaks whatsoever other than evidence of the well-known leakage from the dipstick area (I taped it and will replace the dipstick next year) but all of that seemed very old and dry. So I'll have to run it some more and see what i see. Probably the reason it looked bad is that if oil was leaking out the dipstick, dirt was more than likely leaking in...