[AT] Tractor Fluid (OT, only maybe)

Sun Dec 8 15:14:55 PST 2013

I found this thread interesting and informative. My Massey 255 has very 
slow and shaky hydraulics when it's cold. It has a separate tank for the 
loader, so the transmission fluid and loader fluid don't intermix. I'm 
wondering if the MultiTrac would help that situation. I have no idea 
what's in there now, it's been there since I've owned it. Mike M

On 12/8/2013 5:55 PM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
> True, 32F.  303 is not a multi-viscosity fluid.  All the specifications for
> 303 and for MultiTrac are now clear to me.  My big problem was thinking the
> spec sheet for MultiTrac applied to the 303 while I was in the parts store.
>
> SO
>
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 4:46 PM, Mike <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>
>> Looks like Coastal 303 isn't rated for anything under 32deg F
>>
>> On 12/8/2013 4:02 PM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>> It might very well be!  The name "303" to me sounds sort of random, since
>>> this Coastal brand doesn't have several other hydraulic fluids with
>> similar
>>> numerical names.  They have one other one, and it's called MultiTrac.
>>>    Seems they very well could have named their "303" for a popular past
>>> application so people would recognize it.
>>>
>>> SO
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 2:48 PM, Ron Cook <ron at lakeport-1.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 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
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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