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Hello, I am new here. I have a Dixie Chopper that I've been running for about 25 years. Last fall, a pump line cracked and blew out. Lots of oil. I replaced all of the lines and re-filled the system with diesel engine oil. It took a lot of oil. In fact, I ran out and wound up adding a couple of quarts of 5w 40 I think. That is all I had on hand. It was the last day of weather for chopping leaves here, and I was running out of daylight. It worked fine. So my question is, do I need to drain the system and fill with the recommended oil? Or is it not critical to this pump? Thanks for any suggestions.

Welcome !

Are you looking for someone on the interwebs, whom you never met and don't know, to give you permission to run non-approved lubricant and hope that everything works out great ?? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Sorry. I will not be that person.

Yup, download the manual or call Dixie. Get the proper fluid. If it was 15w-40, that's awful thick for hydro fluid.

slomo

slomo said:

Yup, download the manual or call Dixie. Get the proper fluid. If it was 15w-40, that's awful thick for hydro fluid.

slomo

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Where have you been. Hydro Gear uses 20W50 conventional motor oil in their hydrostatics and Tuff Torq uses 15W-50 Synthetic in their hydrostatics. Even Hustler Super Z uses 10w40 in their hydrostatic system.

Dixie Chopper uses high-grade 10W50, 15W40, 15W50, or 20W50 per the owners manual.

StarTech said:

Where have you been. Hydro Gear uses 20W50 conventional motor oil in their hydrostatics and Tuff Torq uses 15W-50 Synthetic in their hydrostatics. Even Hustler Super Z uses 10w40 in their hydrostatic system.

Dixie Chopper uses high-grade 10W50, 15W40, 15W50, or 20W50 per the owners manual.

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I hear ya' ST LOL. That's why I stated to call Dixie and check his manual. Wanted to place doubt in his mind so he would CONFIRM proper fluid. Which leads to a little faulty info on my part, my bad. I stepped in what you are smellin' StarTech.

slomo

Okay, thanks. It runs 15W40. So I get the impression that I should probably drain and replace all of it, since I topped it up with some 5W40 in a pinch.

When I replaced the fluid in my TT K51 I was able to locate Mobil 1 Synthetic 15W-50 at a NAPA auto parts store. This was the only place that I could find it within 50 miles of where I live. The fluid worked fine but in my research I found many other fluids that would work including: Tuff Tech fluid, Deere Hy-gard, Exmark Hydro Oil and Amsoil Synthetic Hydrostatic Transmission Fluid.

I am no oil expert but I can guess that the "chemistry" of some of these fluids that I have mentioned are favorable for use in hydrostatic drives as compared to regular motor oils (ie high zinc, low detergent/detergent free, etc.)

cruzenmike said:

When I replaced the fluid in my TT K51 I was able to locate Mobil 1 Synthetic 15W-50 at a NAPA auto parts store. This was the only place that I could find it within 50 miles of where I live. The fluid worked fine but in my research I found many other fluids that would work including: Tuff Tech fluid, Deere Hy-gard, Exmark Hydro Oil and Amsoil Synthetic Hydrostatic Transmission Fluid.

I am no oil expert but I can guess that the "chemistry" of some of these fluids that I have mentioned are favorable for use in hydrostatic drives as compared to regular motor oils (ie high zinc, low detergent/detergent free, etc.)

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I would agree. An oil formulated for a specific purpose would be better than vanilla motor oil. I would use the proper grade/weight hydro fluid.

slomo

Dixie has changed the recommended oil so many times that I'm convinced that any decent oil will work. First I think they called for 15w40, then they called for their own VTC proprietary oil, and finally Lucas 15w40 diesel oil. I'm currently using NAPA 15w40 diesel oil

D/C uses Lucas 15w40 in their units with pumps and wheel motors. It is a very slick oil high in zinc. They came out with their own Speed Eagle oil a few years ago which was Lucas branded Speed Eagle oil. I have seen people use other oils but in some applications the steering levers do not work as freely so that is what I would use.

Richard Martin said:

Dixie has changed the recommended oil so many times that I'm convinced that any decent oil will work. First I think they called for 15w40, then they called for their own VTC proprietary oil, and finally Lucas 15w40 diesel oil. I'm currently using NAPA 15w40 diesel oil

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Whoa, now! You need to be careful here. The EPA has mandated change in the formulation of 15w40 "diesel oil" within the last 3 or 4 years. It formerly had a ZDDP "zinc package" for very strenuous applications. That has now been removed.

The EPA is only worried about street use, so you can still get the ZDDP in "after market racing oils" like the Lucas, Valvoline VR-1 and other off-street oils. Or, you can buy the ZDDP as a liquid additive and add a teaspoon.

I don't know that the ZDDP was the reason Dixie changed their minds, but it seems likely. Professional mowing would be a high-stress application. But if you use this Dixie to do your front yard once a week, then that's an entirely different application and stress level.

Hope this helps.

Since most are recommending engine oil, I would put used motor oil in it and call it a day. No need for premium oil that you will dump out in the future. Hydro manufacturers are not even using a proper hydraulic fluid LOL.

slomo

hlw49 said:

Speed Eagle

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So that is 4 different oils that Dixie has used in the same hydro parts. As I said, I don't think it really makes any difference.

slomo said:

Since most are recommending engine oil, I would put used motor oil in it and call it a day. No need for premium oil that you will dump out in the future. Hydro manufacturers are not even using a proper hydraulic fluid LOL.

slomo

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Are you nuts? Used motor contains dirt, other metals and contaminates like acids that can damage the slip plates along with pistons and cylinders. All it take is scratch that yo can hang you finger on to make these slip plate ineffective.

These units are design to use motor oil like 20w50. Even Tuff Torq recommends standard 20w50 but do sell a synthetic 15w50 oil as a premium grade with additives. I would use what the hydrostatic OEM recommends and be stay.

Your mower’s operators manual may tell you one thing and the hydrostatic transmission manufacturer may tell you something different. My Gravely has the Hydro-Gear ZT-3400s. Gravely recommends 15W50 synthetic engine oil or the Gravely branded hydrostatic oil. Hydro-Gear says to use 20W50 engine oil. They don’t specify synthetic or conventional. I will follow Hydro-Gear’s recommendation. My former Toro had ZT-3100s and I used Super Tech 20W50.

StarTech said:

Are you nuts? Used motor contains dirt, other metals and contaminates like acids that can damage the slip plates along with pistons and cylinders. All it take is scratch that yo can hang you finger on to make these slip plate ineffective.

These units are design to use motor oil like 20w50. Even Tuff Torq recommends standard 20w50 but do sell a synthetic 15w50 oil as a premium grade with additives. I would use what the hydrostatic OEM recommends and be stay.

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It is possible to filter used oil and reuse. Most people change it too early. Amsoil says you can run it for 25,000 miles now. How many lawns is that??

You could use water if it wasn't corrosive. This is a hydraulic fluid application, not the space shuttle. Sure, run the OEM suggested fluid I get it. And yes I am crazy. LOL You make being crazy sound like a bad deal.

Oh and thanks Joe Biden for the $3.15 gallon of 87 octane 100% gas now. E-10 was $1.69 in Oklahoma when Trump was in office.

slomo

MParr said:

Your mower’s operators manual may tell you one thing and the hydrostatic transmission manufacturer may tell you something different. My Gravely has the Hydro-Gear ZT-3400s. Gravely recommends 15W50 synthetic engine oil or the Gravely branded hydrostatic oil. Hydro-Gear says to use 20W50 engine oil. They don’t specify synthetic or conventional. I will follow Hydro-Gear’s recommendation. My former Toro had ZT-3100s and I used Super Tech 20W50.

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MParr said:

Your mower’s operators manual may tell you one thing and the hydrostatic transmission manufacturer may tell you something different. My Gravely has the Hydro-Gear ZT-3400s. Gravely recommends 15W50 synthetic engine oil or the Gravely branded hydrostatic oil. Hydro-Gear says to use 20W50 engine oil. They don’t specify synthetic or conventional. I will follow Hydro-Gear’s recommendation. My former Toro had ZT-3100s and I used Super Tech 20W50.

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The mower factory often uses a thinner oil than the tranny makers recommend to compensate for things like snow blowing .
JD get their hydros filled with 10W 40
Good thing about that is when the 10w40 gives up the ghost you can usualy squeeze a season or 3 out of the duff box by refilling with 20W50

slomo said:

Since most are recommending engine oil, I would put used motor oil in it and call it a day. No need for premium oil that you will dump out in the future. Hydro manufacturers are not even using a proper hydraulic fluid LOL.

slomo

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You really need to pull a few hydros down so you can appreciate just how precisely hey are machined.
As for using old engine oil, it would have to be chemically stabilized then filtered through a 0-1µ to get rid or particulates which will cause errosion between the kidney plate & valve chest which is where most fail .

Richard Martin said:

So that is 4 different oils that Dixie has used in the same hydro parts.

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4 different oils Dixie has used OVER A SPAN OF TIME, during which the formulation of the oils has also been CHANGED. Dixie is most probably chasing "the best oils" in order to get the most protection for their customers.

Richard Martin said:

As I said, I don't think it really makes any difference.

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The Devil is in the details, my friend.

• So are you saying there is no difference between the various oils ?
• Or, are you saying there is no difference in wear between the the pro who drives his mower 11 hours a day every day, and a residential user who is mowing 45 min every other week ?
• Or, are you saying your engineering degree qualifies you to make such a statement ? That you are in fact more qualified than the entire engineering staff at Dixie ?

I simply want to get that detail straight.