Hello I have a 2010 john deere 35D with the glass screen its showing down on the min line when cold from setting. The manual says the cylinders need to be fully retracted to check. do i need to wait tell it cools down because levels rise when running?
Good day The temperature has a negligible effect on fluid level the position of the cylinders are more important. The arm & bucket cylinders are simple to retract the boom cylinders can only be lowered to ground level. Kind regards uffex
Cold oil will indicate the lowest level in the tank. I has to be good if the level is above the add mark with the implements at the specified position. Many people will check the level at the end of the shift and then park the implements in a position that takes up less room. A quick walk around in the morning before shift looking for puddles or fluids on the ground is usually a good way to work.
Most hydraulic tanks are designed to allow for heat expansion even if the cold level is at least at the half full level. Caterpillar used to have the fill caps mounted on a short pipe that extended into the tank. When I added oil, the pipe would not allow oil to go above the bottom of it. I used to stick my finger in the tube and pump oil in until I could feel it. I have no idea if they (Caterpillar) are still doing that.
They did away with that idea many years ago. All it did was spill oil every time the tank would burp. Most of the time the pipe was below the mid level of the sight glass on dozers and wheel loaders.