Need help hydraulic oil

[pearljam724]

New John Deere 450 loader owner here. It’s a straight 450 diesel. I’m just learning about this machine as I only purchased it a few days ago. I have a service manual and Im just now surfing through it. I busted a hydraulic hose for the front loader bucket. Small leak for now. I don’t intend to use it until I replace the hose. The service manual states to use what John Deere calls a 303 hydraulic oil. I realize it’s important to use what the manufacturer suggests. However, there has to be safe alternatives ? At my local Rural King I found a 5 gallon bucket of hydraulic oil for $40. It’s labeled as a sae 20 hydraulic oil. Can I safely use this for the hydraulics only ? Surely, it should be fine right ? If not, what can I look for locally to safely use ?

[Jim B]

Welcome to the Boards.

Unfortunately manufactures can't go back and update the old manuals to change the outdated specifications. Some history. There is no oil equal to the old John Deere 303 Special Purpose Oil regardless of what you may see advertised, in fact there have been lawsuits and sale bans over the oils the aftermarket has been selling as JD 303 replacements. The 303 was more a formula than a spec. It contained Sperm whale oil as one of its components. When the Endangered Species Act came into effect in 1974, Sperm whale oil was no longer available. John Deere replaced 303 with Hy Gard (JDM J14A spec) at that time. The JDM J14A spec Hy Gard was replaced several years later with JDM J20A Hy Gard. JDM J20A Hy Gard was replaced with JDM J20C, the current spec for Hy Gard. The current JDM J20C spec (Hy Gard) is backwards compatible to the previous specs.

While a straight hydraulic oil might be ok in your hydraulic system, I would recommend you find and use a Universal Transmission Hydraulic Fluid that meets the JDM J20C specification on the container or its product Data (Technical) Sheet. This will work in your hydraulic system as well as it is the required spec for your HLR transmission. Why have two products around and risk damaging your HLR with a mix up of the two?

No Rural King stores around here but looking online it appears they sell CAM2 PROMAX Tractor Hydraulic J20 C Oil, 5 Gallon - 565298, which claims to meet the J20C specification. In general the generic UTHFs meeting the newer specs will be the "premium ones.

https://cam2.com/wp-content/uploads/202 ... 1-2022.pdf

Just my thoughts on the aftermarket fluids, others may differ.
Jim

[pearljam724]

Yes Jim, that’s what I found at Rural king except it’s in a yellow 5 gallon bucket. Same brand, says sae 20 hydraulic oil. Thank you for your informative insight. I will follow your suggestion.

[pearljam724]

Here’s the stuff I found at Rural King. https://www.ruralking.com/cam2-agricult ... 65-19905-5

[77 Ford]

As stated that will probably work in the hydraulic system but you should not run that in the HLR. You will have to keep 2 oils around, which no one likes to do that is why most of us run a hydraulic/transmission oil in everything. I purchase mine in bulk 55 gallon barrels from Petrochoice and save a ton.

[Jim B]

I think you understand that Cam2 is the brand, the UTHF I posted and the hydraulic oil you posted are two different products produced by Cam2. The hydraulic oil is not suitable for wet clutches such as the ones in your 450 HLR. Thus, you will have the need to keep two different oils/fluids on hand. The UTHF will work in both places.

Like 77 Ford, I use a J20C UTHF in hydraulics, transmissions, etc. The same fluid meets the specs for my Massey Ferguson and other equipment as well. I use 15W40 diesel oil in all truck and equipment engines and the UTHF in hydraulics, transmissions, and other wet clutch applications. Minimizes products to keep on hand and lessens the chances of someone using the wrong one.
Jim

[pearljam724]

Thanks guys. What does UTHF stand for ?

[Jim B]

Universal Tractor Hydraulic Fluid. (Universal Tractor Transmission and Hydraulic Fluid, aka UTH - Universal Tractor Fluid)