450B Coolant & Trans Fluid Specs?

[Lunch_Peak]

Maybe I just suck at searching, but I have been digging through the forum and the service manual for over an hour without luck. Can anyone help me figure out what type of transmission fluid and coolant to buy for my 450B?

Thanks in advance!

[Jim B]

Original spec for the transmission and hydraulic fluid was JD's 303 Special Purpose Oil, and this is what the Operator's Manual shows. DO NOT use any fluid currently sold as 303 or meeting the JD 303 oil, it is not possible as one of the key ingredients of 303 has not been available since 1974. They don't rewrite the manuals so one has to check current products. John Deere has superseded their 303 over the years to the current John Deere Hy Gard Fluid (JDM spec J20C). There are a number of aftermarket Universal Transmission Hydraulic Fluids (UTHF) you can use. Read the labels, they must meet the JD J20C spec, they are often labelled as a Premium UTHF.

For coolant, the manual says, "use a known brand ethylene glycol (permanent type) antifreeze which contains a rust inhibitor." Best to use distilled water for mixing with it if you don't purchase the premixed type.

Do you have a copy of the Operator's Manual?

[Lunch_Peak]

Jim,

Thank you so much. No I do not have the operator’s manual, I only have the service manual and it only specifies quantities. I never was able to find a download for the operator’s manual, the links I tried from various sources were all dead ends. If you know where I can download the operator’s manual I am all ears. It’s a 1974 450B Dozer.

Thanks!

[Jim B]

Try the link below. If it works you will see the manuals JD offers for the 450B and some attachments. The Operator's Manual for the crawlers is at the bottom of the list. To the left of the title, you will see a download button. Click it and it will download a pdf copy of the Operator's Manual to your device. You can save it and print as you want. The Attachments Operator's manual (at the top of the list) is free to download also. If the Download and or the View Online Buttons are beside a title those are free, everything else you have to purchase on that site.

https://www.johndeeretechinfo.com/searc ... B&pattr=p0

[Lunch_Peak]

Jim,

You are a scholar or a saint. I appreciate all the help, thank you.