Oil choices

[jeeperjohn]

Hi All ,
Just purchased my first Farmall. It is a 1950 Super A in fair running condition. As the tractor has mostly sat for the last 2 years outside the first thing I would like to do is go thru and change all the fluids as I have no idea what is in there currently. I did read the manual ( Thanks to the forum) and see the specs but am curious if there are favored brands, viscosity, filters, ect to go with ? The sae 10w hydraulic oil is especially what I am curious about. I live in upstate NY so can see some fair temperature extremes but this will be primarily used in the warmer months . Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
John

[Don McCombs]

As far as engine oil, any single viscosity or multi-viscosity oil is fine, based upon recommended temperature ranges. I use Shell Rotella 15w40 year-round, myself. For hydraulic fluid, Case IH HyTran Ultra is the best. But, any brand of tractor hydraulic fluid that is MS1207 or MS1209 compatible will be fine. Check the label. For gear oil, Tractor Supply sells a 90w oil called Ford Tractor Transmission Fluid. But, 80/90 or 85/140 will also work well.

[Eugene]

Hydraulic oil ISO 32 = SAE 10 weight engine oil. Early tractors used 10 weight non detergent oil in hydraulics.

Oil and filter brand, your choice.

Opinion. I would install a 20 or 30 weight engine oil for first start up - see what happens. My tractors, all built around 1950, use engine oil. I purchase engine oil by the case and use 20W50.

[jeeperjohn]

Thanks Guys ! Appreciate the input.

[Glen]

Hi,
The Super A operator's manual can help you learn about maintenance that the Super A needs.
You said you read it, so I didn't post the link to it here.

The 10 weight motor oil mentioned in the manual for the Touch Control was changed later to Case IH Hy-Tran fluid. It is sold at Case IH dealers.
There are other brands, be sure it works with IH hydraulic systems before buying one.
The manual tells how to check and change the Touch Control fluid, and remove the air from the system.
Be sure to check the fluid with the arms in the rear, or down position, the manual says.

I would check or change all the oils before using the Super A, using it with low oil in a gear housing can damage the parts in the housing.
There are 3 separate gear housings, with 3 separate oil levels to check, in the rear area of a Super A, the transmission, and 2 final drives.

The air cleaner is an oil bath air cleaner. Dirt that is sucked in settles to the bottom of the oil cup. It should have clean, light motor oil in the oil cup to work right.

Other manuals can be found at the top of the page at Quick links, then go to PDF Manuals,
or at Cub Info, then go to Rudi's Manuals.
There is a search box at the top of the page, to the right of the Farmall Cub, you can find info in posts that have been made.

[Gettin'Old]

These tractors are not picky about fluids, however I would recommend HyTrans. There are some aftermarket manufacturers that have been sued for low spec fluids, in which I suspect caused pump issues on my JD. I now only use HyTrans and Hy-Gard (Get out your emergency fund cash). As for the engine oil, if you use 30HD, 15W40 or anything high detergent, the loosened sludge may stop up the oil pickup. You can tell this by a noticeable oil pressure drop, which is corrected after 5-10 minutes off, then repeats. I would (and did) run some 15W40 or 30HD a while, then drop and clean the oil pan. Kerosene, Sea Foam or Marvel Mystery Oil in the crankcase will do the same. Do not trust that all sludge will come out the drain plug. Around here, 30HD is harder to find than 15W40. Without getting into a whole different discussion here, modern car oils do not contain sufficient quantities of zinc for older equipment. While it probably does not matter for tractor drive trains, I have switched to 15W40 diesel oil for my vintage vehicles in an effort to protect the flat tappet lifters. Make sure you change the fan hub oil and drop a few light oil drops in the generator cups if it has not been converted to 12v.

[inairam]

Personally, I use a multi-weight oil 15-40 for cubs and 130-140s engines. I may get some 20-50 since Eugine recommends it at least for the summer. I say if multi-oil was around when the IH manuals were written they would be recommending multi-weight oils

I use gear oil in the transmissions.

For hydraulics, I use to use HYtrans but it is expensive and needs a special trip to the case dealer. NAPA, tractor supply, and others sell " Tractor Hydraulic Fluid " that would say "meet or exceeds" specs for CASE- IH, JD and others.

[ShawnAgne]

15-40W Diesel fleet oil in all three tractors. Hy-Tran equivalent from TSC for the hydraulics in all 3. Gear oil in the Cub and 100, got some 90-140W stuff from TSC that stuff is THICK now. Have changed all the fluids except the trany oil in the 300, which is 7 gallons.

[jeeperjohn]

Thanks everyone ! I appreciate all the advice.

[Matt Kirsch]

A 5 gallon bucket of Hy-Tran (new Shell formulation) or Viscosity Ultraction (the "real" Hy-Tran from the manufacturer that made it since the beginning) will be expensive but a bucket will last you a long long time on a Super A. I think you can get almost 3 oil changes out of one bucket. That's enough for a lifetime.

I personally would use any "Universal Tractor Transmission Fluid" type product that lists Hy-Tran on the bucket as one of the products its compatible with.

The oil you want to avoid is "303" aka the yellow bucket fluid... because it comes in a yellow bucket. It's made to no spec whatsoever. You get whatever was in the lines when the oil manufacturer flushed them out between batches, including what they used to flush the lines with... There are lawsuits regarding the 303 fluid and many states have outlawed all further sales of 303 fluid.

(I don't like to say banned because banned implies that it is unlawful to be in possession of the banned product/item. You can have all the 303 oil you want, but you can't buy any more in certain states.)