Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

Since my tractor had been sitting for an unknown amount of time, I wanted to change all the fluids before really putting it to work. I'm worried it may or may not be the right hydraulic oil in there...

Today I received my hydraulic oil filters. So I think I'm ready to tackle the job. My plan was to replace all the oil use it a bit then change it again just in case.

My question is, should I keep the current filter on while I fill and flush or should I use one of the Oem one I just received. Or am I over thinking it and don't need to do that ??

Filters are a bit pricey when you send them up to Canada so I am trying avoid using one just to discard it after a few hours of use.

Given the low hours on your tractor, I think it's pretty fair to assume that the oil and filter are original.
If the oil that's in it now looks good, not milky, I would just drain it, change the filter, refill with quality 15w-40 diesel oil and call it good. Change on regular schedule thereafter.
If milky, meaning moisture in it, then I would do a more thorough draining, and re-change after running a little.
Tim

I’m pretty new to these tractors too. The fellas here have much more experience than I do, but I can tell you what I did.

My 648 had not been run in 10 years when I got it, and it sat outside that whole time. I drained the system as completely as I possibly could refilled it ran the tractor and drained it again. I had a lot of water in mine from sitting out side. You may not have to “rinse and repeat” like I did.
I continued to drain and refill until I was satisfied the water was out of the system. As you said the filters are pricy, so I cleaned the old one up and used it for this process. Once I was ready for the final fill I put the new filter in. This process worked fine for me. I still have some leaky cylinders to fix, but the oil leaking out is the right kind and it’s clean! On the 446 we recently brought home the oil wasn’t milky and look fairly good so it was just a drain and refill and it was fine. Your tractor looks to be in a lot better condition than mine were so hopefully a drain and refill is all you need.
Hope this helps you!

Thanks for the replies. I had a look at it is an Ingersoll filter down there!! I guess I can assume its probably the original oil.

In hind sight I should have added a non oem filter when I placed my order just to have one on hand just in case.

For the first few years I owned my 4016 I ran shell rotella 15W-40 (Ingersoll calls out of 20W-40) in the summer and 5W-20 (mobil1 full synthetic) in the winter. I got tired of changing the oil every season and trying to stop the drain plug from seeping oil. I saw someone on the old forum running 5W40 full synthetic year round. I've been doing this for the past 3 years (mobil 1 full synthetic). I did top it off with a quart of 20W50 full synthetic last summer. People on the old forum used to get into quite the oil debates... Running the heavier weight oil in the winter can cause your low pressure return hose in the tower to burst. I like to let my tractor idle for a few minutes to warm up while I shovel the first few feet of my driveway before using the snocaster.

MattA wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:17 pm For the first few years I owned my 4016 I ran shell rotella 15W-40 (Ingersoll calls out of 20W-40) in the summer and 5W-20 (mobil1 full synthetic) in the winter. I got tired of changing the oil every season and trying to stop the drain plug from seeping oil. I saw someone on the old forum running 5W40 full synthetic year round. I've been doing this for the past 3 years (mobil 1 full synthetic). I did top it off with a quart of 20W50 full synthetic last summer. People on the old forum used to get into quite the oil debates... Running the heavier weight oil in the winter can cause your low pressure return hose in the tower to burst. I like to let my tractor idle for a few minutes to warm up while I shovel the first few feet of my driveway before using the snocaster.

It's funny you should mention that Matt. On the 4000 series tractors, there is a close 90 degree fitting leading to the oil filter housing. It's a 5/8 smooth barb on the outside, but 3/8 npt screwing into the housing. And that 3/8 npt is thick wall. So the actual through hole ID is right around .375".

So we have a 5/8 line running from the pump to the TCV. And 5/8 lines from the TCV to the motor and back. And then a bigger 3/4-in line from the TCV to the rubber return hose. (Because a larger chamber allows the pressure to dissipate) but then we neck down to the 5/8 ID rubber return hose. It's not ideal, but we can get away with it. And at the end of that rubber return hose we ask all that fluid to neck WAY DOWN through a 3/8" orifice. A full 40% smaller than the high pressure lines farther upstream. Necking down all that flow results in back pressure. The colder the oil, the higher the back pressure.

It wouldn't surprise me if that rubber return hose saw 300 or more PSI of back pressure! Is it any wonder that they blow?

IMHO the factory engineers really blew it on that call.

Bob

I don't think I'm ready to tackle a bursed pipe! The tractoris an insulated garage. If I end up using it in the winter I'll make sure ill let it warm up

Info from guys on the old site for warm up in cold weather. Start up at 1/4 throttle or less and let run 3-5 minutes, then shift the rear axle to neutral and ez the travel control lever to full forward or reverse and let run for another 3-5 minutes. Never had a problem with my 224's doing this with 15-40 in them even at -15f.


Gordy

Gordy wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:02 pm Info from guys on the old site for warm up in cold weather. Start up at 1/4 throttle or less and let run 3-5 minutes, then shift the rear axle to neutral and ez the travel control lever to full forward or reverse and let run for another 3-5 minutes. Never had a problem with my 224's doing this with 15-40 in them even at -15f.


Gordy

I haven't tried this in a 4 digit tractor but I think if you jumped the seat switch, you could do this. My garage is usually about 20°F when I'm snow blowing. I've never experienced anything like the video below.

This guy (earthnstrings on the old forum) lives in New Hampshire:

MattA wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 9:28 am

Gordy wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:02 pm Info from guys on the old site for warm up in cold weather. Start up at 1/4 throttle or less and let run 3-5 minutes, then shift the rear axle to neutral and ez the travel control lever to full forward or reverse and let run for another 3-5 minutes. Never had a problem with my 224's doing this with 15-40 in them even at -15f.


Gordy

I haven't tried this in a 4 digit tractor but I think if you jumped the seat switch, you could do this. My garage is usually about 20°F when I'm snow blowing. I've never experienced anything like the video below.

This guy (earthnstrings on the old forum) lives in New Hampshire:

I have pretty much always done like this or as Gordy described with my 4118. I have my seat switch jumpered other than putting a little more resistance on it, the pump is circulating oil through the system right from startup anyway. Maybe helps move the fluid in the differential.

Maybe yours is different, but my 1992 3012 starts and runs without me in the seat as long as the PTO is off and travel control lever is in neutral.


Gordy

Gordy - Mine does too but if I move the travel lever it shuts right off.

MattA wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 11:53 am Gordy - Mine does too but if I move the travel lever it shuts right off.

OOP's Got distracted, forgot to mention the J bracket that hooks over the back of the seat and the bungee cord that connects it to the drawbar


Gordy

Mine starts without sitting on it.... I should check on that. I saw there is some type of connector to have it run when the wood chipper is plugged in. Unsure if I'll notice anything unusual.

My tractors are all older than yours guys, but they all start just fine in cold weather. I use 15w40 for the hydraulic fluid. When it's really cold and I don't wait a bit, the motor will suddenly stop if I try to move suddenly, or, for the 644 if I try to lift the loader suddenly. Obviously the oil is too thick yet, but if I wait for a bit everything is fine.

@FreddyFont regarding your original question. I would feel comfortable to drain the old oil, and if it looks contaminated with water use the old filter, put new oil, run for a bit, dump again. If the old oil was not frothy/grey, I'd just put fresh oil and new filter and use it. This is not motor oil that gets all burned, so I don't see how a little old oil in the system would do any damage.

If you really want to feel good about the tractor, as I sometimes do extra steps not because it's necessary, but because it feels good to do it, you can run through the system some cheap 15w40 oil with the old filter. Dump old oil, fill with cheap, run for 15 minutes, dump, fill again with cheap, run for 15 minutes, dump again. Fill with good oil and put new filter, feel great about yourself and the tractor.

Just my 2c.

For those that need or worry about it . there are magnetic and stick on heaters you can warm the oil on cold days .

FreddyFont wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 12:55 pm Mine starts without sitting on it.... I should check on that. I saw there is some type of connector to have it run when the wood chipper is plugged in. Unsure if I'll notice anything unusual.

Mine does too. It only shuts off if you move the travel lever or flip the PTO switch.

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:10 pm For those that need or worry about it . there are magnetic and stick on heaters you can warm the oil on cold days .

Are you putting the heater directly on the hydraulic tank? AFAIK the older case tractors had steel tanks (I don't own one) and the newer ones have plastic tanks.

MattA wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:27 pm

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:10 pm For those that need or worry about it . there are magnetic and stick on heaters you can warm the oil on cold days .

Are you putting the heater directly on the hydraulic tank? AFAIK the older case tractors had steel tanks (I don't own one) and the newer ones have plastic tanks.

Yes , directly to the metal tanks . But the peal and stick could be put on a plastic tank . https://www.amazon.ca/ABN-Silicone-Heat ... RC1K&psc=1
One like this should work on the plastic tanks . It say that it has built in thermostat set at 90c / 194f . I am sure those tanks get hotter than that at times. That being said , you are not looking to "heat " the oil , but rather just warm it up to a summer like temp on a really cold day . Or put it on the bottom of the pump which is below the tank and do 2 for one .
I have a heater on Frankies tank and on the 446 blower project tractor as well as an oil pan heater for the 446 .

Eugen wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 1:17 pm
@FreddyFont regarding your original question. I would feel comfortable to drain the old oil, and if it looks contaminated with water use the old filter, put new oil, run for a bit, dump again. If the old oil was not frothy/grey, I'd just put fresh oil and new filter and use it. This is not motor oil that gets all burned, so I don't see how a little old oil in the system would do any damage.

If you really want to feel good about the tractor, as I sometimes do extra steps not because it's necessary, but because it feels good to do it, you can run through the system some cheap 15w40 oil with the old filter. Dump old oil, fill with cheap, run for 15 minutes, dump, fill again with cheap, run for 15 minutes, dump again. Fill with good oil and put new filter, feel great about yourself and the tractor.

Just my 2c.

Thanks Eugen, i like the way you're thinking !! I picked up a 18L on sale and some jugs of Rotella so I'm ready to feel good lol!!

Half way there....