# Hydro oil color



## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

I pulled maintenance the other night on my new pro machine. I tightened up the belts, checked the auger lube and then I removed the belly pan. I noticed 1 or 2 grease fittings in that area and the belly pan was wet with appeared oil from over lube or grease that melted on the chain which settled and 50% dried on the belly pan. It was across the lowest point of the pan, from left to right. I used WD40 to clean the pan 100% clean, as some areas would not just wipe up. It was dried. I have a low numbered machine so I figured this might have been put together a while ago.

It wasn't engine oil. It was a green colored oil that to me was the grease they used on the chain and sprocket. I wiped the transmission all the way around with a white paper towel and I carefully looked at all the seals and the tranny was dry.

So for future reference, does anyone know the color of the Hydro oil? They claim it's a sealed unit and no service is required for "my" life or the machines life.

Thanks


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

Here is the link to Hydro gear RT-310 service and repair manual that Ariens uses in the snowblower.

http://www.hydro-gear.com/ab42aaac5e_sites/hydro-gear.com/files/rt-310.pdf

I was off today and decided to play with it some more. I removed the belly pan and belt cover. My intentions were to remove the fill plug to see what the fluid looks like. (For example the synthetic auger fluid is red in color). 
Guess what? That transmission is so tucked in, there is no way to access the drain plug without just removing the unit from the snowblower. Plus there is only 1 grease point, on the right side.

Well anyway there is a plastic fan on the pulley that blows air onto the transmission to help keep it cool. It will be a good idea to run the engine wide open to help with keeping the tranny cool.

I still don't know the color of the tranny oil, but I'm reassured it's not leaking. The mess in the bottom of the belly pan was grease from the axle shaft and chain located on the right side grease fitting. Someone went crazy and really over filled the zerk fitting.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Ariens hydro pro said:


> ..... (For example the synthetic auger fluid is red in color)....


While the original auger gear case fluid is a bright red, and Ariens used to sell the red coloured fluid up to last year the Ariens fluid is now clear. It is apparently the same oil as before but without the red colouring. This came to light when my Auger gear case seals were replaced and when I checked the oil level the oil was clear. My dealer assured me it is the current Ariens replacement oil.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

Town said:


> While the original auger gear case fluid is a bright red, and Ariens used to sell the red coloured fluid up to last year the Ariens fluid is now clear. It is apparently the same oil as before but without the red colouring. This came to light when my Auger gear case seals were replaced and when I checked the oil level the oil was clear. My dealer assured me it is the current Ariens replacement oil.


Last year I purchased 3 bottles of Ariens synthetic oil. I opened 1 bottle and added a little to my machines. It was red in color. My new machine is a brand new model 926072, serial #127 and the oil in the auger differential is red in color.

When was your machine serviced?

Perhaps your dealer used another brand synthetic oil? Or my machine sat around long enough that the Ariens assembly line had old red colored synthetic oil available and used that to fill my auger differential.


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## Boosted3g (Oct 9, 2016)

Most hydro transmissions just use engine oil. I am not familiar with this particular transmission but I can't see it being much different than the other lawn and garden machines I've serviced.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

Boosted3g said:


> Most hydro transmissions just use engine oil. I am not familiar with this particular transmission but I can't see it being much different than the other lawn and garden machines I've serviced.


Yes, I would assume that. Most likely is a yellow colored synthetic oil. My Cub Cadet lawn tractor uses 15W-50 synthetic and my Scag Tigercat uses 20W-50 regular oil in those hydro transmissions. 

I use Royal Purple 30W synthetic engine oil in my lawn mowers and that is purple in color.
Ariens uses (at least in my machines) a red synthetic fluid in the auger differential.
Mobil 1 synthetic 5W-30 in Chevy truck and snowblowers.

Maybe they have a colored fluid? I wanted to remove the fill plug yesterday and inspect the level.

Well, that's not going to happen. That transmission is tucked into that space so tightly the only way to add oil is to remove it from the frame. Heck I could barely slip a finger on top of the unit.

They did a good job to fit it in there, that's for sure!


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Ariens hydro pro said:


> Last year I purchased 3 bottles of Ariens synthetic oil. I opened 1 bottle and added a little to my machines. It was red in color. My new machine is a brand new model 926072, serial #127 and the oil in the auger differential is red in color.
> 
> When was your machine serviced?
> 
> Perhaps your dealer used another brand synthetic oil? Or my machine sat around long enough that the Ariens assembly line had old red colored synthetic oil available and used that to fill my auger differential.


My Auger gear box seals were replaced October 2016. My dealer used a new bottle of the Ariens oil and it is clear. My last bottle of the Ariens oil to top up the low oil level was red. All the new replacement Ariens oil is clear because the manufacturer of the gear box/oil wants it that way. Any Ariens red auger gear box oil is old stock.

I trust my dealer to use the correct parts, especially as I questioned him about the colour.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

Town said:


> My Auger gear box seals were replaced October 2016. My dealer used a new bottle of the Ariens oil and it is clear. My last bottle of the Ariens oil to top up the low oil level was red. All the new replacement Ariens oil is clear because the manufacturer of the gear box/oil wants it that way. Any Ariens red auger gear box oil is old stock.
> 
> I trust my dealer to use the correct parts, especially as I questioned him about the colour.


Thanks. This explains why I had to wipe up the belly pan of dried stuck on grease. My "new" machine sat around in plastic for some time before I received it.


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## Ariens hydro pro (Jan 24, 2014)

new link in case it got broken or site updating.

http://www.hydro-gear.com/33603cb8a4_sites/hydro-gear.com/files/rt-310.pdf


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