# Hydraulic Fluid Change



## bmaverick

Just when I needed my Yanny the most over the winter, the hydraulic system stopped up. 8-inches of snow and no ability to raise or lower the blade. Even worse, I would select a gear, and move the Power Shift. Sometimes it would engage and move. I had to park it because we got down to -48 in the windchill for a WEEK. 

When the temps got to +42F for only 1-day, I had to take it to work on Yanny and my vehicles too. What a busy day.

This is a typical Yanmar hydraulic fluid change via the access tri-bolted plate just under the PTO to the right.

First off, MOST of the Yanmar CUT YM-series tractors use J20C or J20D hydraulic fluid. How would I know this? Because all of the John Deere CUT tractors are all YANMARS painted JD green.  I looked for the engine type, a 3T80/3T90 in the John Deere family. This equals a YM2500 or a YM2610 for the most part. J20C is the Hydraulic Fluid per the data sheet they had published. My Yanny takes 19-quarts! This is without a FEL (front end loader).

What to buy:
Hydraulic fluid $54 for 24-quarts. J20C Farm & Fleet store brand ($18ea)
3 HDPE $1 buckets from the Dollar Tree.
1 brush and dust pan $1 from the Dollar Tree.
SuperTech Brake Cleaner - Walmart $3.
2.5-gal diesel $6.50-ish
So, for just under $70 as a DIY ordeal.

Draining. Remove the 3 bolts. Use a deep socket, and about 8-inch to 10-inch extension if you have the Safety PTO cover. The bolt will be metric on these tractors. Next place one of the buckets under there. Use 2 small flat blade screw drivers and wiggle that cover plate off. Don’t worry, there is no gasket to ruin here. It seals by an o-ring. You’ll first jump and then reset the bucket because it flows like Niagara Falls at first. NOTE: Leave the filter in the port hole! Else you end up with a BIGGER mess.

When the bucket gets high of fluid then do a bucket swap. Depending on the Yanmar model and the amount of fluid, make sure you got plenty of buckets.

When it just trickles, take out the filter. It will be an olefin membrane type. First, use a little diesel and scrub it down into an oil drain pan. Next, use the brake cleaner. When done, set it aside on a CLEAN towel to reuse should it remain in great shape.

If all you have is the tractor … (no FEL, no BH, no other hydraulic anything else with hoses attached)

Next, wipe the tri-bolt plate clean and the opening on the tractor. Just seat the tri-bolt plate into the hole. Now, add 2.5-gallons of diesel into the hydraulic crank case area via the fill hole and then cap. While keeping the RPMs below 1400, drive the tractor a bit while shifting from the lowest gears up to the mid-range gears. Operate the 3pt and the pto as well. Now, back the tractor where you are doing the fluid change. Take another bucket, pop of the tri-bolt plate and drain. YUCK! This is the worse stuff EVER that is gunked up in the hydraulic crank case!

Wipe clean the deep port area for the filter, again wipe clean the tri-bolt plate and the tractor opening, and now place back in the filter for first time. Seat the tri-bolt plate and ensure the bolt pattern aligns well. Tighten the bolts back on. Now refill the hydraulic crank case with FRESH hydraulic fluid.

Hopefully you can see this uploaded images to determine the stages. 

On the Yanmars, there are control just under the seat that ‘regulate’ the hydraulic fluid flow. It will lock the 3pt lift or limit the lift distances (either up or down depending on which way the tiny flippy lever thing is turned. LOL) Make sure the hand dial is turned all the way to OPEN.

Now, the tractor is done, clean up the mess. Haha


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## Nicobe

Hello ,
I am new to this forum.
I am Belgian so I speak French so I apologize if there is a translation problem
I have a yanmar ym186 and I would like to change the hydraulic oil.
I would like to solicit your help because I can not find information on the oil change.
I would like to know if the hydraulic oil and gearbox oil are the same or if there are two different circuits?
thank you in advance for your help.


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## Just Wondering

I found that spending 7 bucks for the middle size plastic kiddy wading pool and putting it under the buckets swap greatly reduces the cleanup 

JW


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## pogobill

Nicobe said:


> Hello ,
> I am new to this forum.
> I am Belgian so I speak French so I apologize if there is a translation problem
> I have a yanmar ym186 and I would like to change the hydraulic oil.
> I would like to solicit your help because I can not find information on the oil change.
> I would like to know if the hydraulic oil and gearbox oil are the same or if there are two different circuits?
> thank you in advance for your help.


I just read the above post by bmaverick, and it seems that like many tractors these days, it has a single reservoir. Use the J20C Universal tractor Hydraulic Fluid. Probably need 20 liters (5 Gallons)
You also need to get yourself an "Operators Manual" which will tell you how to maintain your trator and what to use. Very Important. 
Welcome to the forum Nicobe!


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## pogobill

I use one of those plastic storage bins with wheels that slide under the bed. It's long enough to cover all the drain holes, and has the capacity to take all the oil. When I'm done a service, I put the used oil back into the empty pails for recycling, and clean the storage tub and put all my oil change gear (funnels and stuff) in the container with the lid on, and it all stays clean for next time!.


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## winston

Nicobe said:


> Hello ,
> I am new to this forum.
> I am Belgian so I speak French so I apologize if there is a translation problem
> I have a yanmar ym186 and I would like to change the hydraulic oil.
> I would like to solicit your help because I can not find information on the oil change.
> I would like to know if the hydraulic oil and gearbox oil are the same or if there are two different circuits?
> thank you in advance for your help.


 Yes, hydraulic oil and gearbox oil are the same, they share the transmission housing as the resevoir. They also share the same screw on filter and same suction screen. This parts manual should help you considerably.


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## Nicobe

Bonsoir,
Merci de votre aide .
Avez-vous un manuel de maintenance yanmar ym186 en pdf?
merci pour les vues éclater, ça m'aide beaucoup.
J'ai lu sur des forums français que quelqu'un utilisait de l'huile
atf dexron 3
mettre dans la transmission n'y a-t-il pas de danger?
Je vous remercie
[QUOTE = "winston, post: 286263, membre: 6691"] Oui, l'huile hydraulique et l'huile de boîte de vitesses sont identiques, elles partagent le boîtier de transmission avec le réservoir. Ils partagent également la même vis sur le filtre et le même écran d'aspiration. Ce manuel de pièces devrait vous aider considérablement. [/ QUOTE]


winston said:


> Yes, hydraulic oil and gearbox oil are the same, they share the transmission housing as the resevoir. They also share the same screw on filter and same suction screen. This parts manual should help you considerably.


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## Nicobe

Good evening,
Thank you for your help .
Do you have a maintenance manual yanmar ym186 in pdf?
thanks for the exploding views, it helps me a lot.
I read on French forums that someone used oil
atf dexron 3
to put in the transmission is there no danger?
Thank you


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## winston

I know some respected Yanmar owners that have used the transmission fluid, mainly just because of cold temperatures. Only an opinion but I feel you will do no harm in using it. I do not have a maintenance manual for the 186 but here is one for the 169. Doubt you will find much difference. Will not let me upload, says file is to big, right at 12000kb, if you have an email I will send.


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## Nicobe

winston said:


> I know some respected Yanmar owners that have used the transmission fluid, mainly just because of cold temperatures. Only an opinion but I feel you will do no harm in using it. I do not have a maintenance manual for the 186 but here is one for the 169. Doubt you will find much difference. Will not let me upload, says file is to big, right at 12000kb, if you have an email I will send.


thank you for your help.
my email address is [email protected]


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## bmaverick

winston said:


> I do not have a maintenance manual for the 186 but here is one for the 169. Doubt you will find much difference. Will not let me upload, says file is to big, right at 12000kb, if you have an email I will send.


Download YM186 parts manual here: 
Télécharger - Manuel des pièces YM186:
https://www.tractorforum.com/manuals/ym186-parts-catalog.129 
Located at manual section of this web-site. 
Situé à la section manuelle de cette site Internet.

Sorry my French is bad, not used since senior school. 
Pardon, mon français est mauvais, non utilisé depuis le lycée. 
Parle Italien? Buongiorno a te.


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## Nicobe

Good evening,
thanks for the ym186 manual.
no i do not speak italian but it's a latin language like french. so I can read and understand.
there are no worries for your french encore thank you


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## bmaverick

Just Wondering said:


> I found that spending 7 bucks for the middle size plastic kiddy wading pool and putting it under the buckets swap greatly reduces the cleanup
> 
> JW


And that is one clever way to do the messy job! Pulling that tri-bolted rea plate off the back is like letting the dam flow instantly. A kiddie pool would of been a great bucket for me. Just next I'll be ready. THANKS!


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## TractorRookie

if you have a spin on filter get the correct one. My hydraulics will not work with a napa filter.


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## bmaverick

TractorRookie said:


> if you have a spin on filter get the correct one. My hydraulics will not work with a napa filter.


The smaller YM machines have an access cover and an extractable filter. The larger YM machines have a large screw on filter like an engine oil filter to change. Yanmar used both types. The YM186 has an access plate and extract type. 

HYDRAULIC OIL STRAINER -NEW!: Yanmar Tractor Parts (hoyetractor.com)


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## bmaverick

Here's a blunder not to get stuck doing. Last fall, I changed the hydraulic fluid. I'm good for a few years, so I thought. 

On the throttle side of the YM2610, under the floor foot rest is the suction line for the hydraulics. At the location where the tractor can be split for clutch access, it's joined be a 6-inch hose and 2 clamps. The hose somehow got bunched up and ruptured. A small weeping leak began. When did this all start, I have no idea. I seldom crawl under the machine unless I grease the fittings. I check the fittings come Spring, July 4th weekend and Fall. Upon my recent inspection, the jumper hose was in shreds. 

Needless to say, buying any JDM J20C fluid is now very pricey. $30 for a mere 2 gallons. 

Here are some tractor porn shots of my girl underneath. Careful she is shy and will be embarrassed if she knew this went out. LOL 

The new hose, It's a drain hose segment I had from the washer machine. Fits like a glove. Oh boy! 


























It says it 'meets' JDM J20C. Here's the good proof.


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