[AT] Tractor Fluid (OT, only maybe)

[Ron Cook]

Forty some years ago, or maybe even 50, John Deere specified 303 fluid.  
I was driving a Skelly oil truck for the local elevator.  I delivered 
alot of that stuff.  Seems whenever the new John Deeres, 3010,4010, blew 
a hose on an implement, 15 gallons immediately went on the ground.  Sold 
that stuff by the 55 gallon drum.  It was not for use in IH equipment.  
They needed something a little different and most customers used HY-Tran 
from the IH dealer.  I had not heard of 303 for years until this 
thread.  Do you suppose it is the same 303??
Ron Cook
Salix, IA
On 12/8/2013 12:32 PM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
> Yeah... sort of still kicking myself for this one.  Thought I had done
> adequate homework.  The manual simply calls it "Ford 134 fluid".  I did
> some searching around the 'Net before I went shopping, so I was armed with
> the correct, current spec (M2C134D).  At that time (this was about a month
> ago) the only tractor fluid at NAPA was the Coastal 303, so either I could
> have spent more of my day running around, or, try to determine if this was
> the right stuff.  Since I am in a semi-rural area I could have driven
> around  for another hour or two... so, clearly worth a few minutes to look
> hard at the Coastal 303.  But I should  have taken a lot more time to
> carefully read the document he showed me.  I am accepting a good portion of
> the blame.  Very little blame to the counter guy.  A bit to whoever
> formatted the data sheet I was shown, as it covers 303 at the top of the
> page and with little fanfare it transitions to MultiTrac in the middle of
> the page, where the correct Ford spec is listed.
>
> I just went back to that same NAPA (they remain far and away my favorite
> parts store despite this incident) and they have apparently received a
> fresh batch of fluids, because now there are at least three or four
> different ones to choose from, and one of them NAPA branded is clearly and
> obviously the right one.  It talks about M2C134D, Hy-Tran Plus, etc etc.
>   It calls out multi-viscosity, extreme-service, correct for modern
> hydraulic system etc etc.  They simply didn't have any of this fluid when I
> was there a month ago.
>
> SO
>
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 12:25 PM, Alan Riley <arr44 at suddenlink.net> wrote:
>
>> That's good to know - thanks for the info and I'm glad the mystery
>> has been solved.
>>
>> It's a shame their mistake cost you time and money though.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stephen Offiler
>> Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2013 5:52 AM
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Tractor Fluid (OT, only maybe)
>>
>> THANKS for all the responses!  I believe I have figured out what happened:
>>
>> If you note in my story, they pulled out some documents from under the
>> counter and showed me one that indicated it was compatible with Ford
>> M2C134D.  Here it is:  (scroll down to page 2)
>>
>>
>> http://www.warrenoil.com/MSDS-Spec/PDS/Coastal/PDS%20-%20Coastal%20Multitrac%20Tractor%20Fluid.pdf
>>
>> But that is NOT the oil they sold me.  The above is a different Coastal
>> product, called MultiTrac.  What I got was Coastal 303, which, when you
>> look at the data sheet, is obviously the wrong stuff:
>>
>>
>> http://www.warrenoil.com/MSDS-Spec/PDS/Coastal/PDS%20-%20Coastal%20303%20Tractor%20Fluid.pdf
>>
>> I think it was an honest mistake by the counter guy.  I don't think they
>> stock the MultiTrac and he mistakenly believed he was showing me the
>> correct data sheet.
>>
>> SO
>>
>>
>>