[pete504pvd]

For years I've struggled refilling the transmission on my x540.
Today I got the idea to route a flexible hose through the factory hole in the seat pan into to the expansion tank and insert a funnel into the hose.
:duh: Only took me 6 years to figure this out!

 

[Paul Y.]

Wow! Great idea. Don't let Deere see it. No never mind, that's too easy a fix for them.

 

[bmurph44]

Because God only gave me two hands this is what I did.

 

[jrkleins]

For years I've struggled refilling the transmission on my x540.
Today I got the idea to route a flexible hose through the factory hole in the seat pan into to the expansion tank and insert a funnel into the hose.
:duh: Only took me 6 years to figure this out!

Okay, what size hose is that? 1/2" ID? Ingenious idea!

 

[Nick DL]

Wow, that's a great idea! Thanks for the tip.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[CCinCT]

What are you plugging the hose with when not filling the reservoir?

 

[pete504pvd]

What are you plugging the hose with when not filling the reservoir?

Hose is temporary, only for refilling the transmission. Once the tranny is full the hose is removed and I put the black cap back on the transmission tank.

 

[pete504pvd]

Okay, what size hose is that? 1/2" ID? Ingenious idea!

The hose is 1/2" id and 3/4" od.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Hose is temporary, only for refilling the transmission. Once the tranny is full the hose is removed and I put the black cap back on the transmission tank.

I was going to ask the same question… seems handy, but for how often you need to change/top-off fluid I'd have just used a funnel with a hose attached like another poster above showed.

 

[pete504pvd]

I was going to ask the same question… seems handy, but for how often you need to change/top-off fluid I'd have just used a funnel with a hose attached like another poster above showed.

Yes, that's a great third hand solution too.
I change the tranny fluid and filter every autumn.

 

[Alberta Al]

Loving all these X500 series tips. This is a good one ... thanks!

 

[wizzo]

Nice mod and an easy way to refill when you change the fluid often.

 

[inspectorudy]

As an update, I tried this method and while it worked it took forever. Has anyone figured out how to actually pour the fluid into the tube and not have to wait for five minutes while the bubbles come up? Taking the reservoir off leaves a much bigger hole to pour through but taking the reservoir off takes about five minutes because of the limited throw of the ratchet. What do the dealers do? They couldn't use this method because it takes too long.
Update: I changed everything on the 540 tranny today. The filter, reservoir, and all of the fluid. However, when I went to refill it I could only get approximately 4 quarts of oil in the tranny. I ran if for about ten minutes in both forward and reverse but the reservoir level didn't go down any. Any Idea what is going on? The manual says 5.6 quarts of oil.

 

[subdivisionbigdog]

As an update, I tried this method and while it worked it took forever. Has anyone figured out how to actually pour the fluid into the tube and not have to wait for five minutes while the bubbles come up? Taking the reservoir off leaves a much bigger hole to pour through but taking the reservoir off takes about five minutes because of the limited throw of the ratchet. What do the dealers do? They couldn't use this method because it takes too long.
Update: I changed everything on the 540 tranny today. The filter, reservoir, and all of the fluid. However, when I went to refill it I could only get approximately 4 quarts of oil in the tranny. I ran if for about ten minutes in both forward and reverse but the reservoir level didn't go down any. Any Idea what is going on? The manual says 5.6 quarts of oil.

Normal

 

[pete504pvd]

As an update, I tried this method and while it worked it took forever. Has anyone figured out how to actually pour the fluid into the tube and not have to wait for five minutes while the bubbles come up? Taking the reservoir off leaves a much bigger hole to pour through but taking the reservoir off takes about five minutes because of the limited throw of the ratchet. What do the dealers do? They couldn't use this method because it takes too long.
Update: I changed everything on the 540 tranny today. The filter, reservoir, and all of the fluid. However, when I went to refill it I could only get approximately 4 quarts of oil in the tranny. I ran if for about ten minutes in both forward and reverse but the reservoir level didn't go down any. Any Idea what is going on? The manual says 5.6 quarts of oil.

Did you remove both the front and rear drain plugs on the transmission?
As I recall I always use more that 4 quarts when changing the fluid. I'm performing a transmission fluid and filter in the days to come and I'll report back then.

 

[jgayman]

I just use one of these types of funnels and don't have any issues.

 

[TundraBoy]

I use a Mercury outboard gear lube pump. No fuss and no mess. Readily available and less than $10.

Ken

 

[inspectorudy]

Yes, I did both drains plus opening the filter plug as well as replacing the reservoir because of a crack. I then drove it up and down my steep driveway and around the yard in both forward and reverse. I have never gotten the same amount of anything that the manual says but this is way off. Can there be an air bubble somewhere?

 

[subdivisionbigdog]

There's many, many threads about this very subject on here and other forums. Unless you completely drain the entire system, you'll never use what the manual states. Bwdik

 

[inspectorudy]

How do you drain the entire system? I realize that the hydraulic ram and hoses will have some fluid left in them but 2 quarts? That seems like a lot of residual fluid. I had both drain plugs out plus the filter plug out. All three drained until they stopped dripping. I would hope the JD manual that I used would be more accurate than what they told me which was 5.6 quarts. I got about 3.8 quarts back in. Where could that lost fluid be hiding?